Q&A: author AE Gauntlett

Where did the inspiration for The Stranger at the Wedding come from?

Without wishing to give too much away, many years ago I stumbled across a thoroughly harrowing Guardian Long Read about a true crime case that had haunted Germany. The image of the victim's traumatic demise stayed with me, and inspired the finale of The Stranger... Once I had that initial brainwave, I worked backwards, then forwards again, until I had some semblance of a novel. Weddings are events of such heightened tension - harried brides, nervous groomsmen and emotional guests - that it struck me as the perfect setting for a thriller.