About Me

I’m an independent crime author, living in a village called Fishbourne, about three miles west of the beautiful city of Chichester, West Sussex. I set my police procedurals right here, using nearly twenty years of policing experience to craft stories full of twists, turns, and authenticity. That’s what I do, and my life is full of amazing people who support me.

I’m married to Valerie, who is a talented charity consultant and a skilled life coach. She is also my editor, a role for which she is exceptionally qualified. We have three grown-up children and two grandchildren. I’m also a carer for my autistic son, who also has Down syndrome.

A Brief History

I spent the first 20 years of my working life in electronics and software engineering, but I made a radical career change after my son was born and joined Hampshire Constabulary as a police officer. I served in Hampshire as a PC and, in my later years, in Sussex as a special constable; a total of nearly twenty years plodding around the city centre or zipping off on 999 calls in a response team.

About My Interests

In addition to writing, I’m a folk musician specialising in meditative music. I play a blend of Irish, Scottish, and English tunes, and compose meditative pieces. From the Irish whistles to the melodeon, ukulele and an EWI, my instruments are as diverse as my musical influences, which include folk icons like Cara Dillon and Kate Rusby to gospel bands like Casting Crowns. I’ve also performed live and recorded tunes for others, including most recently on the Prayerscapes albums, playing whistles.

I also keep a hand in with the programming, and enjoy writing my own chess software. I admit it’s an unusual special interest. What does that tell you about me, I wonder?

About the Inspiration Behind My Writing

I’m drawn to suspense and mystery in my reading. Authors like Cara Hunter, Elly Griffiths, Lee Child, and Ian Rankin often inspire me, as do the fantastical worlds created by C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Frank Peretti. One book that had a particularly profound effect on me was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; I love the beauty of magic realism. With such a mix of influences, my writing—primarily crime fiction—sometimes blends the gritty with the ethereal.

My Learning

Every day is a tough learning curve. I wasn’t born a writer; in fact, English was a tough subject for me in school. But I’ve come a long way, honing my craft through trial and error, endless reading, and a handful of writing courses—including an eye-opening Crime Fiction Certificate course at West Dean College with Elly Griffiths and Lesley Thomson. Writing, publishing, marketing—it’s been a journey of continuous growth and discovery.

I took my first steps as a crime fiction author during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At the time, I was reading a Cara Hunter novel featuring DI Adam Fawley and found myself inspired to try something similar. With my years of police experience, I thought I’d try my hand at writing a police procedural novel. It was a steep learning curve. Writing about police procedures can be dry, so I aimed to write compelling stories with characters I care about—stories I would want to read myself.

See my books here.

Ready to give a talk at the Oxmarket in Chichester