"Louise Candlish, the writer, credits a summer spent with Aggie for shaping her literary career; she discusses the five books that have had a profound impact on her life"
In the August 2025 issue of woman&home magazine, we delve into the life and work of Louise Candish, a celebrated author known for her mastery in psychological thrillers and crime genres. With 18 books under her belt, including the bestsellers Our House and A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder, Candish's writing career has been shaped by a rich tapestry of influences.
As a child, Candish found herself captivated by Ladybird’s illustrated fairy tales, particularly "Rumpelstiltskin." This nostalgic childhood favourite sparked her imagination and set the stage for her future storytelling sensibilities. An unusual sign of things to come, Candish confessed to scratching out the faces of the villains in the pictures of "Rumpelstiltskin," a gesture a psychologist later suggested indicated an unusually well-developed sense of justice in an infant.
Candish's love for literature continued to grow, and she was grounded for a whole summer when she was 12. Instead of moping, she immersed herself in Agatha Christie's novels, favouring the ones with glamorous settings. "Evil Under the Sun" by Agatha Christie had a significant impact on Candish, and she believes it played a role in her becoming a writer.
In her teenage years, Candish studied George Orwell's "1984" for O level English Literature, and the book had a profound influence on her. She rereads it every few years, appreciating its relevance to contemporary issues and finding inspiration in its cautionary tales of ambition. Orwell's work, along with "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, has significantly influenced Candish's storytelling and themes, especially regarding justice and social commentary.
Candish's current favourite writer is Tom Wolfe, and her new book, a slow-burn thriller titled "Notes on a Scandal meets Indecent Proposal," is now available. The main characters in this intriguing novel are Gen Zer Pixie and her older neighbour Gwen. Pixie's rental arrangements unfold with chilling wryness through Gwen's narration, promising a gripping read.
For more information about Louise Candish and her work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram. Subscribing to woman&home magazine costs £6 for 6 issues, and you won't want to miss out on future features about inspiring women like Louise Candish.
In the realm of home entertainment, Louise Candish's latest book, a captivating slow-burn thriller titled "Notes on a Scandal meets Indecent Proposal," offers a compelling tale of Gen Zer Pixie and her older neighbor Gwen, sure to captivate readers. Her love for literature, tracing back to childhood with Ladybird's fairy tales, culminated in a deep reverence for Agatha Christie's works and subsequently inspired her career as an author. Seeking solace during a summer grounding, she found solace in Christie's works, and particularly "Evil Under the Sun," which sparked her own ambition to become a writer. As a student, Candish delved into George Orwell's "1984," which left a profound impact on her and continues to influence her thematic exploration of justice and social commentary, as seen in her current book.
