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Where the Boys Are by Christopher Murphy

Quinn has always had horrible luck with relationships, but when Quinn is reunited with an old flame, it seems like his luck is about to change. That is, until he realizes that the disappearance of his high school crush might not have been a coincidence after all. 

💫 Atmospheric 💀 Dark Content ⏱️ Fast Paced 🎲 Plot Twists

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• Genre: Thriller, Young Adult

Interview with Christopher Murphy

Amanda: Thank you so much for joining us! Can you please start by introducing yourself and your book Where the Boys Are? 

Christopher: Thanks for having me! I am an author and a storyteller at heart. I currently reside in Las Vegas and I write twisty thrillers that center around queer characters and queer characters of color. My debut novel is called Where The Boys Are.

WHERE THE BOYS ARE: Love-cursed journalist, Quinn Harris, has a terrible talent for being at the wrong place at the right time. When a chance reunion brings him face to face with a flame from his past the sparks quickly turn to ice as evidence of foul play arises! He soon learns that it’s no coincidence his high school crush disappeared years ago, without a trace. It’s also no coincidence that his victims look exactly like Quinn… The body count and the stakes are high as Quinn works to unravel the truth behind a string of unanswered murders that hit dangerously close to home. Murder, martinis, and mayhem rule in this stylish LGBTQ thriller.

You can find this novel, along with my other books, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble – and through my website.

Amanda: Before we fully start, Bookish Brews doesn’t cover too many thriller books, so I want to give our readers some context. Can you tell us a bit about the landscape of representation within the thriller genre to help set the stage? 

Christopher: I would say, historically, we’ve seen a very homogeneous landscape that’s pretty formulaic when it comes to protagonists. Since the big boom of Black horror movies in Hollywood, I feel that we are starting to see a slow emergence of Black and Brown characters making their way into central roles in the thriller genre – but there is still certainly not a great deal of diversity when it comes to race and LGBTQ+ representation. To have a lead character that is both Black and Brown and queer is still a rarity. 

Amanda: I’m so excited to talk to you about creating space for queer characters and queer characters of color in the thriller genre. I know you’re passionate about this, so what does making space for queer characters & queer characters of color mean to you? 

Christopher: My goal is to write the kind of books that I wish I had access to growing up. The type of books and projects that will inspire my audience and make them feel seen. I’ve always been a big fan of thrillers – not just in literature but also within film – but rarely do I see anyone who looks like ME. Black queer characters are rarely the lead in thrillers and if they do happen to make an appearance, it often feels like they are there to “check a box” and can come across as inauthentic and clichéd. Often, still, they are the funny co-worker, there for comic relief… or the hairdresser… of the gay bestie/sidekick. I really set out to shatter this trend and breathe life into authentic three-dimensional lead characters my audience sees themselves in. 

Books within the LGBTQ+ thriller genre have covers that tend to all look very similar and formulaic… The shirtless, impossibly handsome and chiseled lead character who is very rarely Black or Brown… So, I think about those Black and Brown queer community members browsing bookstore shelves and coming across someone who looks like them on the cover. Representation matters for so many important reasons. I truly want to be a part of the change we see in the thriller genre.   

Amanda: It sounds like you’re really working hard to break the mold by creating multi dimensional Black and Brown queer characters in your stories so the community can see themselves in your stories. Can you tell me about some specific choices you made while creating your characters that were important for you to include? Like, what are some stereotypes you’re intentionally pushing back on?

Christopher: As a Black queer author, producing the content that I do, everyone who touches my book during its journey to print is either within the LGBTQ+ community, the Black and Brown community – or both. From my editor… to my beta readers… I want to bring those voices to the table as part of my process. For example, I have a character who identifies as transgender within one my series. Being that I have not lived the trans experience, it’s very important for me to involve that community and bring those beta readers to the table as part of the discussion because I want to get that character right and do that character and my trans readers justice. I want to get that character right and have them truly be a part of the story, driving the story – instead of just checking a box. I always aim to create three-dimensional characters who are authentic and have their own storyline and purpose in the story. 

Amanda: You mentioned that representation matters for many reasons, and we are all about that here. How do you hope that your stories are contributing to the cultural narrative? What are you hoping that readers can take away from your stories?

Christopher: I want my readers to know that someone is creating space for them in the genre .I hope that my readers see themselves in my characters and feel SEEN and truly just enjoy the ride! My thrillers have a lot of fun twists and turns – and my hope is that with the story driven by authentic, queer characters, my audience will see my novels as a fresh take on the genre. 

Amanda: In what ways do you feel the thriller genre has a unique opportunity to subvert common stereotypes and misconceptions about the Black and Brown queer community? 

Christopher: I think it’s important to bring diverse voices to the table. That’s how deeper understanding, collaboration and change eventually happens. There’s a tremendous opportunity within the genre to tell these different kinds of stories that will touch and connect with people. Bringing Black and Brown queer characters and storylines into the genre does not have to be about checking boxes to appear more diverse. There’s a real opportunity for the genre to share the rich Black/Brown/queer culture with readers. 

Amanda: Thank you so much for all of these thoughtful answers! I want to close out by looking at the future and your dreams about the progression of the genre. How do you hope to see the thriller genre evolve in the coming years? 

Christopher: I would love to see more diverse storytelling with Black and Brown and queer characters – not just as supporting characters and cast  – but as the lead. I would love to see more original storytelling that breaks the mold and inspires others to write and share their stories, knowing that there is a place for them in the genre.