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Hi, and welcome to my website. Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoy your stay.
In case you’ve landed here by accident, a little bit about me. My name’s Nicola Monaghan and I write novels, scripts and short stories.
My latest book is Wish You Were Here, the second in a series about DNA expert Dr Sian Love and her hero German Shepherd, Elvis. Pre-order it on Amazon now!
Join my reading group to get regular updates about my books and writing
I also wrote Dead Flowers, The Killing Jar, Starfishing, The Troll trilogy, The Okinawa Dragon and The Night Lingers and other stories.
I’ve also written a number of short films. You can watch them here
My first novel The Killing Jar is set on the council estate where I lived as a child. It tells the story of Kerrie Ann Hill, who grows up not knowing her dad, and with a junkie mother. Her life moves in the direction you’d imagine it might under those circumstances. Except that Kerrie dreams of escape, and butterflies, and the Amazon rainforest she was introduced to by a neighbour as a young child. I was lucky enough to win several prizes when this book came out and I’m now working on a script with talented writer/director Deborah Haywood.
Read more about me here, or check out my facebook page here.
The Troll: Book 1: The boy with the sliver of ice in his heart
ratings: 12 (avg rating 3.92)
nicola monaghan 
Nicola just read The Killing Jar and enjoyed every page. My mother taught at John Player so it was especially vivid in my imagination.
Thanks so much, Paul. I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Cheers for taking the time to comment 😀
Hi Nicola,
I completed The Killing Jar a couple weeks or so I think it was ago. I got Starfishing which I’ll read next once I read this Madeleine Wickham book I’m on (I’d have just kept the grit theme going but I had to drop a bit of chick lit in *shrug*) but I’m looking forward. Thoroughly enjoyed the first book though the ending left me wanting a bit more. Couldn’t understand why Mark had a dead dog in the shed and I wish I’d known what had gone off with the little brother. Great depiction of the rave scene and all the emotional effects of the junkie lifestyle on both the user and those who know a user. I was very intrigued and fully engrossed. Keep up the great work. I lived in Notts for awhile and went to Uni Notts but I am living in LA where I am actually from. Good luck xx
Thank you, Lesley. Glad you enjoyed the book. People often say that about the ending. I’ve been asked a few times if there might be a sequel in the works…
I loved the Killing Jar which I read many years ago but have just reminded myself to look you up today. I do hope I can find your other books!
Ah, thank you 🙂 Let me know if you have any problems and I’ll point you in the right direction!
Wow. What a great book! I loved how strong Kerrie Ann is in-spite of all the enormous challenges in her life. She is a true inspiration. I loved the “accent” too although being from the US it was a struggle at times to understand but made me feel like I was there! How conflicted her feelings were towards Mark and their long history together was so true, I felt. Just a great read….wonderful job, Nocola!
Thank you so much – I really appreciate you taking the time to say so 🙂
Hello there, My name is Aly and I would like to know if you would have any interest to have your website here at nicolamonaghan.com promoted as a resource on our blog alychidesign.com ?
We are updating our do-follow broken link resources to include current and up to date resources for our readers. If you may be interested in being included as a resource on our blog, please let me know.
Thanks, Aly
Hi Nicola!
I just finished reading The Killing Jar and it was amazing. I’m from Nottingham and the names of the different places made the story so real to me. But what happened to Jon?? I can’t stop thinking about it.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Everyone asks about Jon. Truly, I know exactly what Kerrie Ann knows. But I have considered writing a sequel and finding out 🙂
Hi Nicola
Just reading Dead Flowers and thoroughly enjoying it! Brought back memories of Friday lunchtime pints in the Loggerheads when I had a summer job at Boots Island Street in 1979. Random question, do you where the pub is on the front cover? I feel I should know but….
Kind regards
Alan
I’m not sure. People have suggested it might be Catchem’s Corner, not far from where I live. Others habe said maybe a pub on Nottingham Road. It’s not The Loggerheads, sadly, but you already know that 🙂
Hi nicola I have just finished reading the killing jar which I thoroughly enjoyed! I was brought up in broxtowe around the 90s so even though this is fictional some of it o remember happening like the raves..I do know some of the Monaghan family too, they had their fair share of tradegy, I was wondering if you’re related to them? Just downloaded another one of your books and going to start it in a mo. Take care and thank u
Hi Jo, thanks for reading the book and coming here to tell me you enjoyed it. And, yes, that almost certainly is my family. Drop me a line via the ‘contact me’ page and we can have a chat by email 🙂
Hi Nicola. I very much enjoyed Dead Flowers – so many of the locations and scenarios rang so true to someone who lived in Nottingham for most of the 1970s. However there was one small error which – the iconic “trees” logo for Forest was not introduced until 1974 so the fans in page 281of Kindle may have been visionaries, but in 1970/71 probably fairly depressed as well!….however I will be exploring your other works and look forward to the next Sian Love and Elvis yarn!
Darn it! I’m almost glad I didn’t know to be honest as I would then have had to change it and I really like that part 🙂 Thank you for reading the book and so glad you enjoyed it!
I just finished reading Dead Flowers and am impatient for the next! It was great; well drawn characters, good settings and an interesting storyline.
Thank you so much Valerie – I really appreciate you stopping by to say so. I’m working on the next one right now. Verve are very efficient and fast so hopefully it should be out in the not too distant future! Follow me here or on Twitter and you’ll definitely hear
I thoroughly enjoyed your Udemy masterclass on short stories! Quite honestly, I could listen to your lovely British accent all day long!
I definitely intend to write some short stories. I have a lot of ideas I think would be perfect for the short form.
To date, my experience has been only with screenplays (I’ve written three) and one tv pilot I just completed. I’m in the throes of preparing to pitch the latter to some industry pros. But I also have a few other things in the works. I’ve started the outline of a reverse style adaptation: I’d like to turn my 1st script into a novel. Also, I’ve got the bones and some illustrations completed for two children’s stories.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on so long. Just really wanted to say thanks! You’re truly an inspiration!
Best – DJ Bogner