Kate Robards
Only the Guilty Survive
A podcaster digs into strange connections between a cult’s mass suicide and the murder of a local beauty queen in this twisty psychological thriller about true crime culture, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lisa Jewell.
The Writer’s Dossier 1/1/2025 – The Kate Robards interview
DOSSIER: With your latest novel, ONLY THE GUILTY SURVIVE, you delve deep into how a cult sets up shop in a small Michigan town and the tragedy that follows. You’ve said you’re “a bit fascinated” by cult stories (NOT weird), so … how far does the rabbit hole go? What’s the deal with cults these days?
ROBARDS: I’ll admit, I’m completely fascinated by cult stories. I’ve read a lot of nonfiction books about cults, from the Manson family to Jonestown and beyond. It was actually a memoir by one of the Jonestown survivors that inspired one of the main characters in ONLY THE GUILTY SURVIVE. There are a lot of psychological elements at play with cults, and that was really interesting to explore in my book. It follows a cult survivor, defector, and leader, all of whom have very different motivations for their actions.
What’s perhaps most interesting to me is that cults are not all that far-fetched. It could be easy to think that—Jonestown was in a remote jungle in the 1970s—but the reality is, they’re closer to home than most realize. There are modern cults, and sometimes cult-esque leaders are so thoroughly engrained in our lives that we don’t realize their influence. I examined a popular Instagram “guru” when crafting another one of the main characters in my book. At the end of the day, cults aren’t about brainwashing, they’re about community. When you understand that, it’s harder to dismiss people who have joined such groups as gullible or weak-minded.
Working titles
DOSSIER: When we met at the Midwest Mystery Conference, we talked about the awesome title of your debut novel, THE THREE DEATHS OF WILLA STANNARD. Most people not familiar with how book titles go might not know that authors often labor under a working title (often only in their head), but when the book comes out, it has a completely different title. How did that work out for you?
ROBARDS: Yes, the book had a different working title that I used while querying it before it was published. I’d originally called it “The Songbird Baby,” but my agent felt it wasn’t strong or evocative enough to match the story. So, I pulled together a few alternate ideas, and THE THREE DEATHS OF WILLA STANNARD was born. I’ve had readers message me to ask for an explanation of the title, but I can only say you’ll need to read it to understand it!
Similarly, ONLY THE GUILTY SURVIVE went through a long titling process. It’s safe to say I considered dozens of different titles before landing on the final one, and while the process was arduous at times (what do you mean, submit 10 more ideas?!), I feel the title encapsulates the story perfectly.
Give her a blanket tent and a flashlight
DOSSIER: When and where do you do your best writing? At the park, in a coffee shop, a quiet bedroom closet covered in a blanket tent?
ROBARDS: I write at my rather unexciting desk at home, preferably with total privacy and quiet. (A closet under a blanket tent sounds perfect, actually.) I like to write late at night when I can be sure my kids won’t distract me. Usually, I sit down with an outline and spend a lot of time whispering dialogue or imagining how the characters would move within a scene, then type furiously to capture my imagination on the page.
She has plans for your small town
DOSSIER: Looking back at your two last books, what is it about murders and small towns that’s put you on a path to combine them in your writing? You live outside of Chicago, so, we get the murder vibe. Got something against small towns, Kate?
ROBARDS: Ha! I find small-town dynamics intriguing. There’s usually a feeling that “it can’t happen here,” whereas I think crime is almost expected in a big city. Small towns are often thought of as safe places, making (fictional) crime even more unsettling. I like that people in small towns often have connections and knowledge about each other. They know family histories, they’ve been in each other’s houses, and they know when something is amiss. I like my characters to act as amateur sleuths, so a larger city, with a more sophisticated investigative unit, is not helpful to that end. Also, I like to build the atmosphere through the setting, and I feel that I can use my imagination more by creating a small town rather than inserting characters into a big city where readers would be quick to point out any discrepancies with the real place.
Book #3!
DOSSIER: Do you have any breaking news or special announcement you’d like to disclose in your Dossier?
ROBARDS: I’m in an idea generation/outlining stage for a third book! It’s too early to share specifics, but it’s a story I’ve been turning over in my mind for a long time, and I recently had some “revelations” about where the plot needs to go for maximum dark, twisty, creepiness. Stay tuned!
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