David Whish-Wilson is one of WA’s most prolific writers. He’s the author of ten novels and three creative non-fiction books. His latest, Cutler, is, says Tim Winton, a “ripping page-turner.”
David talks to The Starfish:
What’s your new crime thriller about?
Cutler is set on a tuna longliner fishing boat, out in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean, where no law exists except that meted out by fishing captains. Paul Cutler is a specialised undercover operative, hired to go undercover on the vessel to discover the fate of a missing fisheries scientist and observer, the son of a wealthy Australian fishing magnate. Mistrusted by the Captain and his ruthless second mate, and a long way from any kind of help, Cutler soon realizes his only allies are the crew – enslaved men drawn from various countries in the region. When a mysterious video emerges of an atrocity aboard another fishing vessel in the area, the lives of Cutler and crew are further imperilled, leading Cutler to make a deadly choice.
From the opening page, there’s violence. Is this one suitable to give grandma for Chrissy?
Yes, I think so. The prologue describes an incident that led Paul Cutler to leave his career as a policeman, following the discovery of his undercover identity on a previous operation. The experience was traumatic enough to make him quit his job, and take on irregular work afterward for his previous handler Malik Khalil, which is what leads him to the job on the fishing longliner.
Tell us about the research you did that led to this book?
I tend to spend a lot of time researching. Historical novels of course require a lot of research, but so too do contemporary crime novels, often involving conversations and interviews with people from the worlds I write about. Cutler required a lot of research, given its broader themes of environmental and labour crimes, set in an offshore world, out of sight and out of mind, where the usual laws that govern us don’t apply. This meant speaking to people from the fisheries and conservation worlds and reading up on the topic. Fortunately, the plight of the global ocean is receiving a lot of attention at the moment, and so there’s a lot of current research and data available.
With all that you now know, how hard was it to keep it down to 300 pages?
Knowing what to leave out is always as important, and as difficult, as knowing what to put into a story. In the case of Cutler, as a work of fiction, it’s important to let the story do the hard work of taking the reader on a journey, rather than the research. No reader enjoys info-dumps or expositional prose in a novel, or feeling like the writer is preaching to them. Integrating the research into a narrative that is suspenseful and framed by characters and their actions is always the aim so far as my novels go.
Which of your characters do you most relate to and why?
I’ve enjoyed working with what for me is a new character in Paul Cutler. Based on a story told to me by a friend of the family, a shocking incident which led to the retirement of an AFP undercover policeman after he was discovered, I became fascinated by the kind of role that requires men and women to not only adapt and respond to their situations, but also to reinvent themselves via fictionalised personae, becoming entirely new people depending on the role, much like actors. The daring and skills this requires was something I wanted to explore in the novel – the idea of a character with a difficult childhood who lives without a fixed identity, moving from role to role, where the consequences for letting the mask slip, even for a moment, might be fatal.
You’re clearly a big fan of Sea Shepherd. What is it about the organisation that inspires you, and how did you first get to know some of its members?
Fishing is an enormous industry, and illegal fishing is also very lucrative. Trying to ameliorate the worst excesses of industrial fishing is a difficult thing to do, with the usual problems of state capture and powerful corporate lobbyists weakening regulatory reform in every jurisdiction. I admire direct action organisations like Sea Shepherd which operate largely outside of what is a compromised regulatory system, putting conservation at the forefront of their operations and being uncompromising in their actions. It seems to me this is the way forward – negating the power of industry to dictate terms and corrupt institutions and governments to achieve their aims.
Though you live in WA, you weren’t born here and have lived overseas. Do think this helps you look more unflinchingly at the darker elements within our society?
I think it gives me a broader perspective, although I’ve lived about three-quarters of my life in Western Australia, including the impressionable early childhood and teenage years. The landscapes and environments of this place have made a deep impression on how I see things such as conservation, especially framing my views of the ocean and its creatures. The darker aspects of human behaviour I personally experienced and witnessed while overseas have certainly helped me to see things more unflinchingly about my home here, as well as the many things that I’m very grateful for.
Do you think Cutler is your best book so far?
I’m afraid that this is not for me to say, although I’m certainly proud of it. I think crime fiction is a useful genre to use to both entertain a reader while exploring societal ills, in this case the rapaciousness of a largely lawless industry. All I can do as a writer is to put forward the best work that I can and hope that it resonates with readers. So far, the feedback I’ve been getting has been very positive.
No doubt you’re already working on your next book.. too soon to tell us anything about that?
In my next work I’m staying with my character of Paul Cutler and with maritime themes, placing him undercover in Fremantle Port with a gang of drug smugglers, exploring the cocaine gold rush that’s going on in Australia at the moment. The novel aims to explore the broader issue of how the money garnered in this lucrative business has led elsewhere to the corruption of public institutions and increased violence and social harm.
What does your schedule look like when writing?
I try and write every workday, even if it’s only editing a manuscript late at night, but often this isn’t possible. I have three kids still at home and I’m a full-time lecturer, so finding time isn’t always easy. I try and write into the gaps in my otherwise busy life – an hour here, an hour there, and sometimes, and what joy, a whole day opens up. When this happens I treat the day like any other workday; working a shift in the morning, and another shift in the afternoon. I really treasure such days.
Where can our readers follow you?
I can be contacted through my website – davidwhish-wilson.com – and via the socials:
Insta – @davidwhishwilson
X – @davewhishwilson
Facebook – DavidWhish-Wilson
Cutler, by David Whish-Wilson (Fremantle Press) is out now.
