Holly Craig Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Holly Craig
Holly Craig spent her childhood on boats and on Rottnest Island. The river and the beach were her playground and have shaped the settings in her novels.

She has degrees in English teaching, journalism, public relations, and creative writing from Curtin University.

She is the co-host of “Off The Page”, which documents the highs and lows of author life.

Holly has never really given much thought to how she goes about writing her novels. She typically will just get an idea, this idea grows and then she begins writing. However having being asked how she does it has made her actually consider that, yes, she probably does have a way of writing.

When her novel “The Hidden” never got picked up by a publisher, she wrote an entire novel called “The Residents” in just eight weeks. It is a murder mystery story that Holly’s agent just loved, however she didn’t love it enough to want it published. She didn’t want it to be her debut novel. Holly believes you must be careful about what book is going to be your debut, since the readers are going to expect your work that follows will mirror that first, or be even better than the first. So she told her agent to hold off, she had a better idea.

She wrote “The Shallows” in 7 weeks, an 83,000 word novel. She is hardly able to believe that now. There was a huge determination in her that forced her into doing this. She wanted to get published this badly, the urge is what drove her. And then, once she got her two novel deal, she felt she could relax just a little. “The Rip” came and it came easily. Possibly because she was beginning to follow her own formula. Probably because she understands she has time. Because she wanted to take this time and do it right, knowing that she now had a publisher relying on it.

Holly gets an idea, typically a setting of some sort. The idea for “The Rip” came from this birds-eye view picture of this boat traveling along an isolated river, snaking its way through lush forest. Immediately, she was inspired. “The Rip” came from Rottnest Island and wondering why nothing bad ever happened on this island. No murders (that she knows about), no kidnappings either, even though kids roam freely.

Her novels are atmosphere and setting heavy. So she really has to feel a place and then begin writing about it. Setting and atmosphere are what create mood in the reader, so if you are able to get that right, the reader is going to be inside of your story, feeling it and feeling it strongly.

And once you know where the book is set, the characters and conflict come pretty straight away. Holly doesn’t know them fully yet, she only has to know why they are there. What motivates them, what they’re running from, and what’s their inner conflict and what they’re afraid of losing.

Holly and her partner, a writer and a prolific reader of everything, go for walks. They met at university studying creative writing and he won first class honours for his writing. He is really better than her. They walk and will just talk about plot for 2 hours. This plot aspect of the novel can last 2 weeks.

“The Shallows” is the first stand alone novel and was released in 2023. Her best friend is dead. Ariella and Emma, neighbors in one of Sydney’s most exclusive of suburbs, seem to have it all: perfect lives, perfect homes, and perfect husbands. However they each know that dark secrets are lurking underneath the surface and shallow waters cannot hide Ariella’s. Now she’s been discovered murdered.

Her daughter filmed the killing. Kiki (Emma’s daughter), not knowing what she has filmed, innocently uploads footage of Ariella’s brutal death. Emma fears the absolute worst, that the killer is going to know that she and Kiki have seen. Now their suburban safe lives don’t exist anymore.

Her husband knows a whole lot more than he is letting on. Charles (Emma’s husband) forces the family to leave their perfect life and make their escape on their yacht. His dangerous plan to flee means that Emma is trapped and now desperately seeks answers. What did Ariella have to confess? But what are they even hiding from? And who else knows Emma’s own secret? Her secret is not safe nor is she.

This is a fast, twisty, and fun read. Holly delivers an immersive novel with compulsive storytelling that is sure to hook you and keep you reading well into the night. It’s a murky and dark read which is ultimately filled with strong and epic women. It’s packed with twists and turns, and is a roller coaster ride of a thriller which is going to leave you guessing, and your adrenaline spiked.

The novel is this gripping thriller about survival and all of the murky depths that we can go to for prestige and wealth. It is packed full of tension and relentlessly fast paced, the very definition of a page turner.

“The Rip” is the second stand alone novel and was released in 2024. Views for miles over turquoise water and luxury villas on hot white sand.

Penny (a flawless hostess) gathers guests to this islands for her husband’s birthday celebrations. However she quickly regrets inviting the self-obsessed Eloise. When a kid disappears the night of the party, their perfect island weekend gets ripped apart.

Even paradise harbors some murky secrets. Was the boy taken? Did he drown? Penny, in the panic to find any trace, casts about for somebody to blame, even if that person is Rosie, her own daughter.

Even clear waters can descend to pitch black. However it is not the first time that Rosie has been attacked by her mom. And it is not the first time that she has turned to Eloise for support either. While the sun beats down and some dark secrets rise up to the surface, can they find these missing kids before it is too late, or is this sudden disappearance going to endanger all of them?

And somebody among them knows the whole shocking truth.

One Response to “Holly Craig”

1. Lori: 4 months ago

   Love, loved, loved The Shallows and The Rip!

   Reply