An Interview with Jonathan Davis
Jonathan Davis hails from the Pennines outside Manchester in the North West of England. An area that features frequently in his novels due to his immersive upbringing in the region. Having grown up playing on the Saddleworth Moors and exploring a lot of the nooks and crannies.
A university-trained chemist and industrial analytical chemist, his novels frequently use this knowledge and experience to find the clues for his characters to solve mysteries. His first novel, A Reborn Witness, follows a forensic analyst and a man out of time solving the mystery of an abducted child and the timeless man’s murder.
When not working or writing, he spends time with his wife and young daughter, travelling the world and experiencing different countries and cultures.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
I grew up with my best friend owning the land where the historical murder that my main character is the victim of took place. I’d always wondered about the unsolved mystery of the case. Now that I have a young daughter who enjoys reading and imagining stories, it has allowed my imagination to come up with ideas that I ended up having to get down on paper, and this is the product of my imagination linking old memories from my childhood.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
The title A Reborn Witness refers to the main character, Thomas, who is reborn over 150 years after his murder, still wearing the same clothes in the exact same spot. The witness to his own brutal death.
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
I’ve been reading the Jack Reacher novels recently, and the process that they work the crime drama has heavily influenced me. I’ve also been reading the Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon books to my daughter for comfort.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I have a master’s degree in chemistry and I’ve continued this line of study into my career as an analytical chemist. I’ve worked up to a laboratory manager, which means that the science in the story is based on my experience, and so is actually accurate and realistic.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I’ve always enjoyed reading the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe novels and Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novels. Mixed in with a lot of other classic novels, it has made my imagination a fertile ground for storytelling.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My wife works nights as an accident and emergency nurse, which means that once my daughter is asleep, I have time to write my novels, and so I usually do this at home with some TV series on in the background or listening to a podcast.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Trust your instincts. Don’t worry about what might be, just focus on what will be.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
I just hope that they enjoy it. I write because I enjoy telling stories, and I hope the readers enjoy it too.
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