Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they are actually falling together.

– African proverb.

I served as a soldier from 1975-78 and Metropolitan Police officer from 1978 -1999.

My debut novel Wicked Game – a crime thriller – was published by Orenda Books in March 2016. The sequel Deadly Game, was published in March 2017, the finale End Game, in March 2018. Crow 27 came out at the end of 2022.

In 1999, I was discharged from the police with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Whilst undergoing treatment, I was encouraged by my counsellor to write about my career and experience of murders, shootings and terrorism.

I was eventually persuaded to give this a go, and one evening, I sat at my computer and started to weave my notes into a work of fiction that had a tremendously cathartic effect on my condition. I used my detailed knowledge and recollections to create what has been described by many readers as a fast paced, exciting and authentic tale of modern day policing and terrorism.

I am now represented by Broo Doherty of DHH Literary Agents and Emily Haywood-Whitlock at The Artists Partnership.

Bio facts

Born 1957, in Middlesex, UK.

Lives – South Wales and Cornwall.

Ten things about me.

 

1. I play the guitar. As a teenager I played in a band that gigged in local pubs. We mainly did David Bowie covers as our lead singer looked and sounded like Bowie. Deciding that we needed a second singer, we auditioned. The only applicant didn’t play an instrument and, at the time, didn’t sing too well. We turned him down. His name – Simon Le Bon.

 

2. I keep bees, having become fascinated watching a bee keeper at work and deciding five years ago to have a try myself. I enjoy the hobby, even if monitoring my sugar levels means limiting my consumption of the resulting honey.

 

3. I scuba dive, having done the PADI courses up to advanced level some years ago. I’ve now over 100 dives under my belt including in the Red Sea, Cuba and Malta, as well us home waters off Cornwall and the south coast. One of my favourite dives was Lundy Island where we swam with the seals. A wonderful experience.

 

4. I walk every day – mostly in the Welsh hills with my two dogs. I find walking to be very relaxing as well as good exercise. Now that I’m writing, it’s also the time when I mull over and come up with ideas, so I always carry a digital recorder to help remember thoughts.

 

5. My mother and father were great friends with Leslie Thomas, the author of Virgin Soldiers and The Tropic of Ruislip. I used to walk to infant school with Leslie’s daughter, Lois. Again, rather sadly, with both my father and Leslie now no longer with us, I won’t get the opportunity to celebrate my being published with them.

 

6. I once played rugby for London Wasps. I say once, as it wasn’t a great experience. I was at school when our PE teacher – who was Wasps fly half – took a few of us young lads to help as Wasps were short. We donned the black and gold kit and turned out, only to be smashed to bits when put up against men who were much stronger and more experienced than we were. It really was a case of men against boys. The next time we were asked, not a single one of us said yes.

 

7. I used to run an animal rescue specialising in cats and dogs. The idea grew after I left the police and, over the years, we found new homes for many thousands of abandoned and stray animals. Spiritually, it was very rewarding work but extremely demanding.

 

8. As a soldier and police officer, I trained in the use of many vehicles. I completed a number of driving courses for both cars and motorcycles and, even now, my love of them continues. For pleasure, I ride a ’99 Harley Davidson Fatboy. Although trained and qualified to drive fast, I have a family reputation as a bit of a slug. I tend not to rush, following the adage that nothing is so urgent as to justify an accident. I’ve seen what happens to people when they crash at speed and that tends to have a sobering effect on your own driving.

 

9. I’m patron to The Armed Forces On-Line Charity. Being a patron to them is an incredible honour and I’m more than happy to do what I can to help.

 

10. And probably of least interest is the fact that I collect hats. And I’m not talking just a few. It started during my Army service and continues now. I even wear some of them. I include in my collection a Foreign Legion Kepi, a WWII Tommy helmet, an Australian Akubra and a Russian Submariner officer fox fur hat. Many of the hats used to be displayed on a wall until a house move confined them to boxes where many of them remain.