We last spoke to James Comey in early 2023 when Central Park West hit the shelves. We are huge fans of the Nora Carleton Thrillers, which draw on his thirty years in law enforcement with the FBI. They are authentic, fast-paced and bursting with tension. And the reviews, they’ve been stellar. Harlan Coben called his work “truly outstanding”, Ian Rankin has commented: “it reeks of authenticity and the plot goes like a train”.

Comey's debut novel Central Park West introduces Assistant U.S. Attorney Nora Carleton as she navigates a complex mob trial intertwined with the murder of a disgraced former governor. In the follow up - Westport - Nora transitions from her role as a prosecutor to a legal advisor in Connecticut, only to find herself entangled in a murder investigation where she's the prime suspect. FDR Drive, the third installment delves into themes of political extremism and the challenges facing democracy, with Nora confronting a right-wing podcaster inciting violence.

We just had to chat to him again to see how things have progressed.

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Who is James Comey?

James Comey was born in New York City and attended the College of William and Mary and Chicago Law School. He worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in New York, prosecuting organised crime figures, and worked on terrorism cases as assistant US attorney in Virginia. He served as the seventh Director of the FBI from 2013 until May 9, 2017, when he was dismissed by President Donald Trump.

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Did you find it harder to write truth (in your memoirs) or to invent truth (in your thrillers)?

Inventing is much harder. With memoir, you simply need to get the details right. In a thriller, you need to come up with the details and characters and keep them consistent, which is much trickier than just remembering accurately.  

Do you outline your plots in detail or let them unfold organically?

I start with a general summary of the plot and then let the way we move unfold organically. I think of it as a plan for a trip: I know where we are going to end up, but I decide what stops and detours to make as we drive.

Have you ever had to stop writing because the reality of a case or experience crept in too deeply?

Not yet, although I have intentionally avoided areas that I fear might trigger such a reaction, with the world of Donald Trump being a prominent example.  I haven’t yet taken readers to Washington, but I’m going to try.

Benny Dugan is a fan favourite in this series, did you expect that? And what makes him fun to write?

I love Benny because I loved the person Benny is closely based on—my dear departed friend Kenny McCabe, the best investigator there ever was. I hoped readers would love him as I do, and they have. It’s fun to write because I can close my eyes and hear Kenny’s booming voice. He died in 2006 at the age of 59 and I miss him dearly.

Your novels deal with justice, power, and extremism. Do you see fiction as a way to reach people more effectively than op-eds or public speeches?

I hope so. One of my goals in writing fiction is to show people the real world of law enforcement and the real challenges professionals face today.

Do you ever worry that readers might view your fiction as commentary on real political figures or events?

I try not to base any of my evildoers too closely on real people, although I confess to sometimes combining several bad people into one character. I also confess to hiding Easter eggs that will be spotted by people who know a particular office or court well.  

What’s something about the publishing world that surprised you?

How little money people in publishing make and their passion for the mission despite that. 

We can imagine Nora Carleton on screen, who would you cast as her?

Taylor Swift. She’s tall, talented, and I hear she’s looking to expand her creative portfolio.  

Can we expect more from Nora?

Yes! I’m just finishing the fourth book, in which Nora and Benny grapple with Russian espionage. Unfortunately, it will still be topical next spring.  

What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?

I’m putting the final touches on the fourth book, thinking about the fifth, and also playing with the idea of writing a non-fiction book about a really interesting FBI case.