Thriller writer, archaeologist and traveller
Most articles about British fascists in the 1930s mention antisemitism sooner rather than later, and often it’s the only focus of the story. When writing the Room Z series, it is an issue I had to confront straight away. Although there is a light touch to some of Hugh Clifton’s adventures and he throws himself... Continue Reading →
When researching Blackshirt Conspiracy I continued to read up on Oswald Mosley and the Blackshirts, dipping back into chapters of my array of textbooks that cover 1936. I acquired more books to allow a deeper insight into what motivated the rank and file members of the British Union of Fascists, especially outside London. The seminal... Continue Reading →
It's publication day for Blackshirt Conspiracy, the second in my series of alternative history thrillers set in a Britain under the shadow of fascism. Cheerful stuff eh? Well, I'll raise a glass to it! Writing a novel is immense fun, but is an incredible amount of work once the research, drafting, editing, re-editing and proofing... Continue Reading →
“A powerful and gripping narrative with a shocking outcome.” Million-selling crime writer Leigh Russell It's been a busy week with the launch of Blackshirt Conspiracy, and has meant a blizzard of social media posts, cross-posts and interactions. A number of blogs and websites have carried interviews and short pieces about challenges in writing the book... Continue Reading →
A British prince falls in love with a divorced American commoner and scandal rocks the establishment. Wouldn’t happen these days, would it? The Abdication Crisis took place in the autumn of 1936 and the relationship between King Edward VIII and his American mistress Wallis Simpson has been portrayed frequently in fiction as a love story,... Continue Reading →
October 4th marks the anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, one of the most infamous pieces of public disorder in inter-war Britain. For years afterwards, right up to modern times, socialists trumpeted that it was the day British fascism was defeated by the workers, but this is little more than romantic myth. This day... Continue Reading →
For the most part, our fictional heroes are working for the good guys, even if the twists and turns of the plot throw some doubt onto how ‘good’ our masters really are. However, I have been inspired by a thread of books where the hero is working for the bad guys, at least ostensibly, or... Continue Reading →
As part of the launch of the Agents of Room Z series, I enjoyed a transatlantic chat with Verena Main Rose as part of her Hystery Chronicles; Sunday Tea with V podcast series. Among other accomplishments, Verena is a major force behind Malice Domestic. The podcast can be downloaded here: https://tinyurl.com/Twith-V-podcast We talk about how... Continue Reading →
https://videopress.com/v/3bD411Qh?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true 1936, the king and his mistress are in danger and the fascists make their bid for power. Now available to pre-order on Amazon and free to review on Netgalley.
It was hard to believe the coincidence. I wanted an obscure, slightly silly but real English name for a character in Blackshirt Conspiracy. Much was my surprise when I bought a copy of Dorothy L. Sayer’s The Nine Tailors in a second-hand bookshop this weekend, and noticed she had made the same choice 90 years... Continue Reading →