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Crime fiction characters can begin as names on a page, but after years of writing them, they can start to feel surprisingly independent. I’ve spent so long with characters in my long-running series that it’s easy to become obsessed. That feels weird. They’re not real people, even though I spent ages trying to make them feel like real people for my readers. Two characters in particular have occupied my thoughts for many years: Colin Bailey in The Phoenix Series and Gus Freeman in The Freeman Files. They are very different men, living in very different worlds, but both taught me how important it is to understand a character before asking

Some murder mystery settings stay with readers long after the final chapter. The most memorable one from my youth featured in Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. Dartmoor offered the perfect blend of beauty and menace, and Conan Doyle understood how naturally readers would accept the West Country moors as the setting for such a dark mystery. Further west lies Cornwall, another county that seems to go hand in hand with crime. Then, on the long journey home, we pass through the Roman city of Bath. These two places could hardly look more different, but as murder mystery settings, each gives a writer atmosphere, history and plenty of room

One of the reasons I enjoy writing stories set in Wiltshire is that the county naturally creates atmosphere and suspense. But it’s certainly not alone. Some of the most memorable crime fiction settings are places where dramatic landscapes, close-knit communities and hidden histories combine to create tension before a mystery has even begun. Across the UK, there are countless locations that inspire writers, but two immediately spring to mind.   Dartmoor: Fog, Tors, and Buried Secrets There’s a reason Dartmoor captured the imagination of crime writers. The landscape creates tension before a single word of dialogue. Vast open moorland feels claustrophobic when fog rolls in without warning, swallowing paths, landmarks,

Why the West Country Feels Made for Crime Fiction There’s a reason so many mysteries are set in the West Country. The landscape alone does half the work for a writer. Mist drifts across the moors, cliffs rise sharply from the sea, and winding country lanes can turn a simple walk into a tense game of cat and mouse. In the West Country, isolation isn’t just a setting—it’s an instinct. Even the friendliest village can feel claustrophobic when secrets are buried deep, and everyone knows everyone else. Landscape Creates Atmosphere The West Country offers writers an endless supply of dramatic scenery. From windswept hills and rugged coastlines to quiet villages

The Perfect Blend & Something Darker If you are new to my books, the best place to start depends on what kind of reading experience you enjoy most. My novels combine traditional crime-solving with strong characters, dry humour, and a steady pacing that keeps readers turning the pages long after they meant to stop. Whether you prefer police procedurals, private investigations, or darker psychological mysteries, there is a clear entry point into my work. The Freeman Files For most readers, the ideal starting place is The Freeman Files series. ‘Fatal Decision’ introduces Gus Freeman, a retired detective inspector who finds himself drawn back into investigations. Gus is not a superhero

Another Bump In The Road? In keeping with the theme of my blog posts, have I just hit another bump in the road? Or should I be thankful that a pothole hasn’t ended my journey already? The Kindle ecosystem in 2026 is mature, highly competitive, still growing and dominant. The boom days may be long gone, but with global eBook revenues of over twenty billion dollars predicted for this year, things aren’t too shabby. Indeed, that revenue is expected to continue growing over the next five years. Amazon controls roughly two-thirds of the U.S. eBook market and a substantial global share. Indie authors are uploading over a million titles annually.

Lingering Doubts I’ve finished writing another title and passed it to Vinci Books for their approval. I hadn’t written anything longer than a newsletter since March 2023, and despite insisting I wasn’t suffering from writer’s block,  it was clear something was holding me back from doing what I’d loved for a decade. When you’ve written that final page, read through the manuscript for the hundredth time, you get an indescribable feeling. A mixture of euphoria, relief, satisfaction, and fear. Fear that it’s not as good as what came before. I thought The Freeman Files needed a prequel —perhaps even deserved one — so readers would understand why Gus Freeman came

How Can You Tell? If you’ve followed me from the beginning, you know I was fiercely independent for the first decade. There was no way I was interested in going cap in hand to a traditional publisher to get my books published. Of course, I made mistakes. My early efforts received the reviews they deserved, but occasionally, some readers appreciated the characters and storylines without cringing at the punctuation and grammar. As the original titles were corrected and later books received a more thorough edit before publication, my band of readers grew, and the reviews became less critical. With practice, I became a better writer. At the very least, I’d