The Librarians' Q&A: with author and comedian Adam Kay

August 22nd 2025

Like you, our librarians love to get the latest on upcoming new books, as well as dive into the minds of our favourite authors. Introducing The Librarians' Q&A, our regular news feature where librarians ask the questions.

Step into Adam Kay's latest novel as we explore his transition into adult fiction writing and discover how his medical background has shaped his writing, plus exciting upcoming projects!

Congratulations on the publication of A Particularly Nasty Case!
Can you tell us a bit more about it – what led to you writing the book?

It’s a medical thriller, I would say – not sure if there’s a specific shelf for that. A doctor becomes convinced that his boss has been murdered, and sets off on a pretty chaotic investigation in an attempt to prove this – so I guess it’s an ifdunnit rather than a whodunnit. It’s a plot I’ve been brewing for years and have been desperate to find the time to finally get down on paper. 

You’re well known for your bestselling autobiographical books This Is Going To Hurt and Undoctored, which delved into the realities of life in the NHS, but A Particularly Nasty Case is your first novel. How did writing fiction compare to writing your previous books?

It’s been great fun, to be honest, not being restrained by the shackles of things that have actually happened to me! At medical school I learned all these fantastic ways to bump people off and I’ve finally had the opportunity to put them into action. 

This is Going to Hurt highlights the funny moments you experienced when working as a junior doctor, as well as the more serious aspects. Is there humour in the new book too?

I suspect I think I’m incapable of writing any other way. I love putting in big gear-shifts, to surprise the reader by going from the funny to the moving and vice versa, and I think this book does that. It definitely contains the funniest sentence I’ve ever written.

Given that life in the NHS is often politicised, did you find it difficult using your experiences as the basis for fiction?  Were there any topics/subjects you chose to steer away from?

I try to never shy away from topics if I think they’re going to be interesting or thought-provoking. A Particularly Nasty Case is ultimately a book about classism in the NHS ranks and how staff with mental illness are treated.

I’m a big fan of turning my hand to different things, so I don’t think there are particularly things I’d steer away from. That said, I’m probably not going to trouble the romantasy market any time soon. 

When I’m deep into a book, I probably don’t read quite as much crime fiction as I might otherwise. I don’t want to read fifty pages of a brilliant crime novel before I go to sleep then wake up thinking I’ve had a brilliant idea. So, perhaps there’s a bit more non-fiction than there might be otherwise. And there’s almost always a book about the Beatles on the go.

What’s your writing routine like?

I write at night, mostly because I have two toddlers who prevent me from writing during the day. I write my first drafts by hand, then type them up later, because I don’t think my publisher would like it if I posted them my doctory scrawl. 

What was your relationship with libraries growing up? Do you think public libraries are important?

The library was a hugely important part of my life growing up and I have no doubt is a major reason I’m able to now call myself an author. I don’t just think libraries are important – I think they’re crucial. This isn’t even an opinion, it’s just a statement of fact: libraries break down literacy inequality, they foster lifelong learning and often provide the very heart of a community. It’s a very shortsighted government who doesn’t realise this. 

Are there any fiction writers or books you’ve been inspired by? What do you like to read?

I’m by no means a crime expert, but it’s a genre that’s always been part of my reading life – from Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie at school through to modern legends like Ian Rankin and Kate Atkinson. I always look forward to the latest by Lucy Foley and Chris Whitaker.

What’s next – do you have any other projects coming up?

I try to maintain a varied diet of writing – I’m currently juggling two TV shows, a picture book, some kid’s fiction and the sequel to A Particularly Nasty Case . I should probably get back to those, in fact…

A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay When a toxic hospital consultant dies of a heart attack, fellow doctor Eitan Rose smells foul play. Nobody else does though, including some quite crucial players like the police and the coroner. So when another senior doctor dies in similar circumstances, he's determined to prove there's more to these deaths than meets the eye. DISCOVER

Discover our Q&A with crime fiction author Mark Billingham READ NEXT

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