“Plotting a mystery can tie your brain in knots.”

Sarah Merrett’s A Place of a Thousand Wishes is a children’s mystery set at the end of the C19th. We caught up with her to chat compelling cliffhangers, her flair for bringing history to life, and top tips for plotting mysteries for a great children’s novel.

Congratulations on the publication of A Place with a Thousand Wishes! To quote Mikka Haugaard, acquisitions editor at your publisher Everything With Words, you’re “a natural cliffhanger writer”. What do you think is the secret of a great cliffhanger, and how did you plan out the mystery plotline for your book?

Plotting a mystery can tie your brain in knots, so I keep a chapter-by-chapter chart that outlines all the mystery elements, from the subtlest clues to the big reveals. I carefully place the mystery elements throughout the story, with something enticing in the first chapter, and leave something important to be revealed near the end.

I think the trick with cliffhangers is to avoid the temptation to conclude the chapter. Instead, end at the most gripping moment, on the precipice of something exciting about to happen, just before a significant reveal, or on the brink of a big emotional shift, for example.

A Place of a Thousand Wishes is set in 1899 and tells the story of Mason, a struggling young ice cream seller who receives a surprise invitation to the manor house of a world-famous wish-maker. Can you tell us about the setting and inspiration behind the story?

I love writing stories set in the past, and I particularly like to focus on more unusual aspects of history. When researching the 1890s, I discovered there was a booming ice cream trade, which relied on ice cut from frozen mountain lakes in Norway, imported to the UK on ice ships. I decided my main character had to be an ice cream seller, therefore, and I set it during a heatwave to make things even more difficult for poor Mason. There was a significant, lengthy heatwave in the actual summer of 1899 when the book is set. The story takes Mason away from the bustle of the baking city to the mysterious country manor house of Darlington the Miraculous, a unique performer. Unlike most performers of the time, Darlington isn’t out to make money, but to spread hope to those who need it, using his very unique gift.

Ewa Beniak-Haremska‘s illustrations are STUNNING. How did you pick which moments she would illustrate?

My publisher asked me for a list of suggested scenes to be illustrated, so I looked for ones with a strong filmic sense – those with interesting and atmospheric settings, or moments of exciting and unusual action. I made sure to select a variety of scenes that would be well spaced throughout the book. The list was too long, so my publisher decided on the final selection. Ewa’s illustrations are stunning and hugely atmospheric. They work beautifully with my story.

Ewa Beniak-Haremska‘s illustrations for A Place of a Thousand Wishes by Sarah Merrett (Everything With Words, May 2025)

We especially love your ability to create historical settings which lift off the page…

I think it’s important to research thoroughly so you know the era inside out, but I only use a small amount of that research in the story. I try to show the atmosphere of the time and the place by sprinkling in small details that use all the senses. I also aim to use less obvious, more specific details, which I think make a scene more memorable.  

When and where do you like to write?

I’m a morning writer, and my concentration only lasts for an hour at a time, after which I find myself being unproductive or daydreaming. I like to write everyday to keep the momentum of the story. I tend to write on the sofa overlooking the garden, preferably with a mocha, but I can write anywhere as long as it’s quiet. The only noise I like when writing is birdsong. I also like to have a walk every day to mull over ideas and plot issues, or just switch off.

A Place of a Thousand Wishes is full of heart and hope. What do you hope readers will take away from Mason’s adventure?

Mason is down on his luck, and things only get worse, but he remains optimistic that his life will change for the better. He’s a boy full of hope in a situation many would consider hopeless. He shows the importance of resilience and optimism. I hope readers will find Mason’s determination inspiring, and the story uplifting.

What’s next in your writing journey?

I’ve almost finished writing my next book, another historical middle grade adventure, this time with a spooky element. It’s full of mystery, atmosphere and interesting settings – the three things I love writing most. When it’s finished, I’ll send it to my publisher, cross my fingers, and crack on with the next story. That’s the most exciting bit for me – coming up with a new story and plotting it. Historical mystery adventures for middle grade are my thing, but I’m also tempted to write something different – dystopian, sci-fi or supernatural, perhaps. Maybe I’ll write for teens. I have all kinds of ideas bubbling on the backburner.

Lastly, do you have any advice for writers thinking of entering 2025’s Bath Children’s Novel Award?

Being listed for Bath Children’s Novel Award gave me a huge confidence boost and showed that my story had potential. That was invaluable. I highly recommend going for it! Polish your opening as much as you can, then, if time permits, set the story aside and come back to it with fresh eyes after a few weeks. Problems areas will become much more obvious.  

I think it’s important to put extra work into your opening. I find it useful to study the opening chapters of books that I found gripping, and analyse why they’re successful. This helps when looking at your own story critically. Will it hook the reader? Will they care about the main character? Is there any intrigue in the first page? Does the first line grab attention? Does the story get to the exciting part quickly enough? Good luck!

Interview by Caroline Ambrose

SARAH MERRETT is the critically acclaimed author of children’s novels The Others and A Place of a Thousand Wishes.

She grew up in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, went to art school and gained three degrees from different universities. She loves animals, being out in nature, and doing all kinds of creative things. In between writing children’s stories, she can often be found creating with Lego, getting muddy in her garden, or wielding a power tool. She has worked as a bookseller and a school librarian. She lives in rural Hampshire with her two children and one husband.

She was a finalist for Undiscovered Voices, and an early draft of A Place of a Thousand Wishes longlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award in 2017, and she has also listed for the Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition and WriteMentor Children’s Novel Award. Her first published novel was The Others (Everything With Words, 2024).

A PLACE OF A THOUSAND WISHES by Sarah Merrett is out now at Amazon | Waterstones | Bookshop.org*

Time 1899. Mason  makes the world’s best ice cream but a sinister and dangerous  stranger wants to destroy his business. But then Mason receives an invite to the  mysterious manor of Darlington the Miraculous, a  Wish Maker who creates stunning bubbles that can float wishes to  the skies and make them come true.  Darlington has his own reasons for wanting to fulfil Mason’s wish— they share some very special magical gifts— but he hasn’t reckoned with the sinister stranger! 

Praise for The Others by Sarah Merrett

‘Highly entertaining’ Five stars. The Telegraph

‘Like a middle-grade H.G.Wells!’ Kieran Larwood, The World of Podkin OneEar

‘Thrilling stuff, brimming with empathy.’ Amanda Craig New Statesman

*Bookshop.org contribute to our sponsored entry scheme if you order through the Bath Novel Awards listed page.