Penny Matheson character development, In Plain Sight by Sarah Martin
When you write a series character across multiple books, they stop feeling like ink on a page and start acting like an independent collaborator. That was certainly my experience with Penny Matheson, the young police officer at the heart of Finding Marco.
While plotting Finding Marco, I didn't initially realise how deeply I would invest in Penny's psychological arc. But writing fiction is often a process of discovery. Here is a look behind the scenes at how Penny evolved, the real-world sparks that shaped her journey, and how her character arc set the stage for In Plain Sight.
Character Autonomy: the Protagonist "Finds" Herself
In the closing pages of Finding Marco, Penny successfully locates Marco and brings him home to the physical family he never knew. But finishing that primary plotline brought a realisation: Penny needed to be found, too.
The human need to belong is a powerful psychological driver. Penny had spent years shielding herself with falsehoods about her childhood. It was only through empathising with Marco that she recognised those protective lies were hollow.
For a twelve-year-old boy, the path forward is relatively straightforward. For a young woman in her twenties, building an authentic sense of belonging is far more complex. Penny had to confront deeply suppressed history, grapple with heavy ethical dilemmas, and earn her wholeness the hard way. I started the novel without a rigid roadmap for her, choosing instead to trust her organic development—she ultimately carved out the life she needed.
Finding sparks in the Courtroom & the Coastline
Transitioning into the sequel, In Plain Sight, required fresh thematic fuel. Two distinct real-world sparks guided the narrative structure:
The Magistrates Court Volunteer Experience: A few years ago, I volunteered within the Court Network system at the Magistrates Court. Witnessing firsthand how impulsive, ill-conceived crimes devastate innocent lives left a lasting impression. That observation simmered in the background until it provided the ideal narrative engine for In Plain Sight.
The Meditative Power of Saltwater Swimming: Personally, saltwater swimming has always been my go-to method for processing complex problems. It made complete sense for Penny to adopt this meditative practice as well.
Landscape as a Character
This swimming habit naturally shifted the geographical canvas of the story. While Finding Marco anchored itself primarily in Geelong, In Plain Sight expands outward. By utilising Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsula, the landscape itself became an active character in the book, offering a brilliant backdrop to explore familiar locations through Penny’s perspective.
Writing Difficult Choices
In In Plain Sight, Penny is called in to assist Alicia, a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl navigating the aftermath of sexual assault. As their stories intertwine, both characters face intense, emotionally tough decisions.
As an author, you quickly realise that characters don't always take the neatest path, and readers won't always agree with their conclusions. In many instances, I might have chosen a different narrative shortcut. But authenticity demands that characters act according to their own internal compass. When faced with high-stakes trauma, they had to choose whatever path granted them ultimate peace of mind—so I stepped back and let them walk it.