Interview with Matthew Fults, Author of Messenger for the Dead

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2)?

This is the second book in the series. It picks up where the first book, The Scotland Project, left off with a cliffhanger. You don’t need to have read the first one to understand what’s happening (but I’d be grateful if you did!). The inspiration for the series came after three failed attempts at finishing a novel. I decided to lean into things I knew well. I found a real-life thread to pull on (the speculation that there was a fifth bomber in 2005 is true). And then I was able to get on location – sensory description and narrative description are my strengths, and things came together. There will be a final book in this series to finish the story. It will be out in early 2026.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2), what would they be?

Mathieu James would be Trouble’s Coming by Royal Blood. Conan MacGregor would be Mr. Brightside by The Killers, and Aadan Mukhtaar would be Go It Alone by Beck.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Literary fiction. While it’s not the same genre as this book, I do have a literary fiction novel coming out this fall called The Sunflower Widows.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Guns of August, the Pulitzer Prize winner by Barbara Tuchman, Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, and The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The hunt through the streets of Bergen leads to the big finish.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I prefer writing on location. It really helps me bring the story to life. I spent six weeks in Scotland for the first book and six weeks in Norway for the second.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I’d rather not say! But when you get to the end, you’ll know…

Matthew Fults is the author of the new book Messenger for the Dead (Mathieu James Thriller Book 2)?

Connect with Matthew Fults

Buy The Book