The following is an interview with author Courtney Psak regarding the recent release of the psychological thriller, The Tutor, and the upcoming release of The Hostess with Hodder and Stoughton In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Psak about her creative process in bringing her psychological thrillers to life on the page, what readers may take away from the stories’ themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of The Tutor! What can you share with us about the story’s overall premise?
Courtney Psak: Thank you. The story is about a woman named Isabel who discovers a connection with this family, the Caldwell’s. She starts to become obsessed with them and when they move from New York to Palm Beach she follows, edging her way into their home as the son’s tutor. While there, we meet Rose. She only recently married Grant Caldwell, who convinces her and her son to move, after his mother, Evelyn, gets Parkinson’s. Only Evelyn is determined to drive Rose away with a dark secret that Rose hasn’t even told her own son about. Meanwhile, Isabel starts to do some digging on Grant and Evelyn, unearthing a revelation which will rock this family’s foundation to its very core.
BD: How would you describe your creative process in crafting a psychological thriller? It’s always exciting to follow as the reader, but I would imagine that crafting the narrative and staying 3 steps ahead of your reader is quite the challenge!
CP: It can be challenging at times, but it really depends on your story. I’m an outliner, so for the most part, I always know how the story will end before I begin. This helps when laying out the clues. For my second book, The Hostess, the ending was what inspired me to write it, so I essentially wrote backwards. For The Tutor, I actually rewrote this entire book, so while I knew the foundation of it, there was a lot that I changed along the way. Therefore, even I was surprised by the ending. This was fun, but more nerve-wracking from the writing side, worried I would write myself into a corner.
BD: As you noted, you have another psychological thriller releasing through Hodder and Stoughton in April 2026 entitled The Hostess. What can you share with us about this upcoming title?
CP: The Hostess is about this couple Luke and Natalie who rent a guest house on this gorgeous estate in South Hampton. Sadie, the owner of the estate, is very charismatic and charming and hits it off with Natalie who is very shy and insecure, especially now as she is recovering from a traumatic brain injury after a car accident six months earlier. While Luke is at work and Natalie is settling into the house, strange things start to happen. This leaves Natalie to wonder if she’s seeing things because of her condition or if there if something more sinister going on. Who is Sadie and is there a darker reason she chose to rent out her guest house?
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that these stories may connect with and impact today’s readers?
CP: The books that I write aim to highlight the vast differences in my character’s economic status. The reason I do this is because as vastly different as these people are from one another, they are all bound by the same elements of human emotion. No matter who you are, we all suffer from grief, loss, love, jealousy, insecurities etc. They are the true driver of our intentions and make us who we are. What I love about the Tutor is we see that these three main characters, Isabel, Rose and Evelyn really aren’t that much different from each other at all.
BD: What makes Hodder and Stoughton the ideal publishing partner for your work?
CP: What I love about partnering with Hodder in Stoughton, aside from my fabulous editor and her amazing team, is that they are strategizing me with a digital-first approach. This meaning that they took the three-book-deal that we made and have all three publishing within five months of each other. I love this, because as a debut author, it sets a good foundation for me to help gain a readership rather than someone likely forgetting my name from a book they read almost a year and half ago.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
CP: Sure. So, as I mentioned previously, I have a three-book deal with Hodder. After The Hostess, my book, The Aunt, will be coming out this June, audio/digital in the US and September for the paperback.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about The Tutor, The Hostess, and your other work?
CP: My website will be the best place to get all the updates on what’s coming out and where I’ll be. Courtneypsak.com but I am also very present on Instagram. You can follow me @courtneypsak_author
