Ms Ferris often saw the darker side of life while working (for a number of years) as a police officer and a paramedic.
Her colourful and diverse background has given her a unique insight into today’s society and an endless pool of experiences to draw from.
Her newest novel — a fast-paced adventure — tells the story of teenager Ben Parker, who is sent to stay with his father’s family for a week in the home town of generations of Parkers.
Ben and his cousin Josh soon find themselves uncovering generations-old family secrets and a century-old crime, which they are determined to solve but with only seven days, the clock is ticking.
Ms Ferris said the novel was written sporadically over a few years.
“The concept of the story brewed up on long drives, visits to country zoos, and while I was researching and writing other material,” she said.
“The voices were always boys in this story, which is odd after writing five books from the point of view of strong, young women.
“It’s as fast as any of my previous thriller books, wilder in some ways, and hopefully just as entertaining.”
Seven Days, published by Penguin, follows her highly successful novels Risk, Black, Wreck, Nullaboo Hullabaloo and Found.
Ms Ferris’s first young adult novel, Risk, won the Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature, the Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards for Best Young Adult Novel and Best Debut Book 2016, as well as a YABBA in 2017.
Aimed at young adults, Seven Days is available from most book stores or can be bought online at https://www.penguin.com.au/books/seven-days-9781761043352