Heleen Kist
Heleen Kist, a multifaceted individual whose expertise spans strategic consulting to suspenseful novel writing, joins Host Simon Hodgkins on this episode of The Global Discussion.
Heleen's professional journey is nothing short of impressive. With over 20 years of experience advising private and public sector organisations, she's a force to be reckoned with in the realms of growth strategy, transformations, data strategy, and customer experience. Her extensive work in sectors like Technology, Retail, Financial Services, and Healthcare has positioned her as a go-to expert for businesses navigating the complex waters of digital transformation.
Heleen's prowess in Access to Finance is noteworthy. She's been instrumental in designing and launching innovative public sector venture capital funds and has consulted extensively across Europe. Her contributions to the Scottish National Investment Bank and her roles as chair of Scottish Health Innovations Ltd and a non-executive director of the British Business Bank further solidify her standing in the industry.
Beyond her strategic acumen, Heleen is a qualified mediator with a keen interest in pre-deal mediation. She firmly believes in the power of a trusted and creative third-party mediator to achieve better commercial deals.
When she's not donning her strategist hat, Heleen is crafting gripping suspense novels. Her latest, "Killer Bodies", is a locked-room thriller set in a gym in Edinburgh, inspired by her own aversion to exercise. With four novels under her belt and accolades from events like Bloody Scotland, Heleen's literary journey is as thrilling as her narratives.
Killer Bodies is a gripping locked-room thriller described as having "more twists than a corkscrew." Set in a prestigious Edinburgh apartment building, the story revolves around Evie, a gym receptionist with a peculiar hobby. She spends her hours doodling the deaths of residents who've irked her. But things take a dark turn when her sketches start coming to life.
"In a prestigious Edinburgh apartment building, gym receptionist Evie whiles away long hours doodling the deaths of residents who've annoyed her."
On her birthday, a man dies right off the exercise bike. As she tries to seek help, Evie finds herself trapped, with the doors locked and phones unreachable. With more residents meeting their end in ways eerily similar to her drawings and her sketchbook gone missing, Evie is faced with a chilling question: Was she framed, or is she the next victim?
Killer Bodies is a masterful blend of old-school 'impossible crimes' with a modern twist. It's suspenseful, darkly humourous, and filled with visual surprises that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
"A dark, devilish and wickedly wonderful locked room mystery with more twists than a corkscrew" - Marion Todd
Critics and fellow authors have lauded the novel:
S.E. Lynes describes it as a "tense, claustrophobic boiling pot of a psych thriller. Trust no one!"
Rob Parker finds it "unique, unpredictable and utterly gripping."
Sarah Moorhead praises its "deliciously fresh and gruesome take on the Locked Room mystery," highlighting its dark humour and fantastic characterisation.
Heather Fitt commends Heleen Kist's skill in maintaining the reader's interest despite the confined setting of the story.
Drawing comparisons to popular thrillers like Ruth Ware's 'The Turn of the Key', Catherine Cooper's 'The Chalet', and Sarah Pearce's 'The Sanatorium', "Killer Bodies" also carries a dash of 'Knives Out' flair, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.
We hope you enjoy this spotlight on Heleen Kist. Stay tuned for more insightful episodes and features on The Global Discussion.
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