Thriller writer, archaeologist and traveller
Whether to adopt a pen name is one of those questions that often comes up in writers’ discussion groups. For some aspiring authors, having a pen name cements their identity as a novelist, for others it’s a functional choice. Changing genre can make picking a pen name a sound commercial decision - publishers and agents... Continue Reading →
The day Blackshirt Rebellion was launched, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by crime blogger Donna Morfett. We ranged far and wide from my origin story to the Jeffrey Flint novels, then on to the Blackshirts. Then as interviews do we went off down side alleys to talk crime writing in general. The whole... Continue Reading →
Apart from being set in a gorgeous Pennine valley, Sedbergh prides itself on being England's premier book town. There are book shelters, book shelves in cafes and several book shops. It also hosts a rolling series of book festivals and for the first time one focussed on crime writing. Death in the Dales was ably... Continue Reading →
Blackshirt Rebellion was published by Level Best Books in the USA on 17 September, the third in my Room Z thrillers set in a 1930s Britain under the shadow of fascism. It effectively rounds off the set-up that began with Blackshirt Masquerade and took a big twist in Blackshirt Conspiracy. Many thanks to everyone at... Continue Reading →
A best-selling author advised me that an alternative history thriller was always going to be a hard sell. History has a framework of established facts which authors of historical fiction adhere to as closely as practical for the purpose of their plots. However, all historical fiction is alternative history to some extent. Other than facts... Continue Reading →
Charles, Viscount Wickersley is a recurring character in my 1930s thrillers. I named him after my home village in South Yorkshire, the place where the first of the Room Z series was written during lockdown. The line of the de Wickersley family that stemmed from Norman owners of the village has died out, giving me... Continue Reading →
An economic crisis, three million unemployed, a Tory government doing little for the poor, a split Labour party, the rise of populist leaders offering simplistic solutions and the scapegoating of immigrants and minorities…welcome to 1935. Blackshirt Masquerade is a thriller set within the British fascist movement. One thing I was advised to do is to... Continue Reading →
The cover for Blackshirt Rebellion can now be revealed! The events at the end of Blackshirt Masquerade and Blackshirt Conspiracy have changed history as we know it, and Britain has a fascist government. It's grip on power is weak, opposed by socialist groups on the streets and foreign agents in the shadows. And for some,... Continue Reading →
I paused before writing this week’s blog. Six miles away from where I type there are running battles between the police and a rioting mob. It’s the latest in a series of peaceful protests mixed with rioting that have run through England’s streets during this hot week in July. For the most part the unrest... Continue Reading →
It is said that as soon as you accuse someone of being like Hitler you have lost the argument. The word ‘fascist’ is thrown around carelessly in political debate and can mean essentially any decision the speaker disagrees with. Nevertheless, a number of heavyweight publications from Der Spiegel to The Atlantic have asked the question... Continue Reading →