Ahead of the release of her gripping new novel, In Safe Hands, author Ivy Ngeow spoke to us about the inspiration behind her work, the challenges of writing, and why she’s fascinated by modern families and the complexities of caregiving.

Q: Your new novel, In Safe Hands, is described as a psychological thriller rooted in family conflict and elder care. What inspired you to explore these themes?

Ivy: Funnily enough, it’s something that came from personal interest—and life. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of trust in caregiving. What happens when the people paid to care for our loved ones slowly start to take over their lives—sometimes more than the family themselves? In In Safe Hands, I wanted to dig into that discomfort, and explore how a caregiver might subtly usurp a daughter’s place, especially in today’s world where families often live far apart.

Q: Do you plan your books in detail before you start writing?

Ivy: Oh yes, I’m definitely a planner. I might spend weeks or even months mapping things out. If the writing gets stuck, I go back to the planning. It’s like architecture—if the foundation is shaky, the whole thing collapses.

Q: What’s your actual writing process like? Are you digital or more traditional?

Ivy: I start longhand, definitely. There’s something about pen and paper that helps me think deeply—especially in the early stages. But I usually switch to typing after a few chapters, mainly because I can’t read my own handwriting!

Q: How do you stay original in a genre that’s so popular?

Ivy: I genuinely believe it’s hard not to be original. Even if you start with a familiar trope or character type, your voice will naturally make it your own. Just like if you tried to copy Picasso—it would still be your version.

Q: Before being signed by Penguin Random House, did you self-publish?

Ivy: I did! I had four books out before Penguin came calling. I didn’t get my first book published until I was 48, after 86 rejections. On the 87th, I won a literary prize in Hong Kong—and that changed everything.

Q: How did you keep going through all that rejection?

Ivy: I think it’s just life experience. At that point I thought, “What do I have to lose?” And I’d learned that rejection is just part of the deal. Most people face it all the time—in jobs, in life—it’s normal.

Q: You’ve lived in London for nearly three decades. Has the city influenced your writing?

Ivy: Absolutely. London is this amazing mix of cultures and stories. I moved here from Johor Bahru in Malaysia and worked in the NHS first—immediately I fell in love with how diverse it was. That’s shaped so much of what I write about—displacement, class, identity.

Q: What advice would you give young aspiring writers, especially teenagers?

Ivy: Read. A lot. Read for fun, but also read analytically—ask yourself how a book is structured, how characters work, how the story is built. And most importantly, finish what you start. Finishing a book is a huge achievement in itself. I would say read, read, read. You probably should read 10 times the amount that you want to write. So if you want to write a book, you should probably read 10.

Q: Can you give us a spoiler-free glimpse into In Safe Hands?

Ivy: It’s about a woman, Genevieve, who returns to London to look after her father after years abroad. But she finds that the new caregiver has become closer to her father than she is. As she tries to reconnect, secrets start surfacing—and it becomes clear that someone is watching her.

Q: And finally, what’s next? Are you already working on a new book?

Ivy: I am! I’ve just started my next one—it’s likely to be a gothic mystery. I love atmosphere, suspense, and a bit of darkness.

In Safe Hands will be published by Penguin Random House SEA on 21st October 2025.

You can find out more about In Safe Hands and pre-order the book via the official Penguin Singapore page.