I have mused in previous blogs about the role played by detail in writing and, as my latest DCI Jack Harris novel passes 25,000 words (authors are great ones for milestones!), I have yet again been reminded of the part it can play in plot development.

During the writing process on the book, I had written various short scenes and fleeting…

As is the case with most, probably all, authors from time to time, I recently reached an impasse with my writing. Work on the new DCI Jack Harris crime novel had been going well and I knew what I wanted to happen in chapter twelve but, for some reason, found myself struggling to bring it all together.

As so often, the answer was provided by my…

Book Review Murder by the Seaside by Jackie Baldwin (Storm Publishing)

As with all Jackie Baldwin’s crime novels, her latest book shows her innate understanding of the importance of secrets in telling a story that holds the reader’s attention from the first page to the last.

Murder by the Seaside…

I am looking forward to meeting up again with fellow crime writers Jackie Baldwin, Ian Robinson and Ann Bloxwich for a special event entitled Walking on the Darker Side at the first ever Kirkcudbright Fringe Festival in the Dumfries and Galloway town.

Introduced and chaired by myself, the event will sees us exploring some of the main themes…

Book Review

Murder at the Caravan by David Pearson (The Book Folks)

The opening pages of this novel tell you everything you need to know about David Pearson as an author, that he is supremely confident in the way that he handles the task of crime writing. The story begins at Christmas when nothing is happening and few people…

As you may know if you have read my recent blogs, I am at work on the latest DCI Jack Harris crime novel for my publisher The Book Folks.

A number of readers who follow the series have told me that they look forward to meeting the members of the regular ‘cast’ but it is crucial that I, as the author, put as much effort into creating new…

Today, I read a couple of excellent online reviews of my latest DCI John Blizzard mystery The Name On The Bullet (The Book Folks), which were welcome, but both mentioned that it was a good way to sign off the series because Blizzard will not return.

Which was a surprise to me and the man himself. Indeed, I have just come off the phone from the…

I have just started work on my latest DCI Jack Harris crime novel for the good people at The Book Folks. Although I have a strong idea about the plot, there have been times when I have run up against brick walls and am not sure how to break through. It’s a situation with which most writers are familiar.

One of the methods I have always used to…

My latest book review - Impunity by Ray Clark (The Book Folks)

Ray Clark’s hugely enjoyable series of crime novels featuring Yorkshire detective DI Stewart Gardener go from strength to strength, combining inventive, thought-provoking plots and a cast of believable characters led by the detective inspector himself.

The…

My recently-published crime novel continues to sell well. Thank you to everyone who has bought and/or reviewed it. Your support is much appreciated.

The Name on the Bullet has been published by London-based The Book Folks and is the latest in the series featuring DCI John Blizzard.

In the book, my twenty third crime novel to be…

I recently led my first ‘in-person’ writing workshop for a group in Dumfries and Galloway, where I live. It was the first such session I had taken for two-and-half years due to the restrictions which came about due to the covid pandemic and I took as my theme one of my favourites, backstory. I thought that the notes I sent round to group members…

The latest novel by Dumfries and Galloway crime writer Ann Bloxwich will be published on June 10, 2023.

Goodnight, God Bless is the second book in the DI Alex Peachey series written by Ann, who was one of the writers who appeared at the recent Kirkcudbright Book Week in March, and is being published by  Red Dragon Publishing.

It tells…

National Crime Reading Month  begins tomorrow (June 1), including the Scottish launch in Edinburgh tomorrow night with guest speaker Professor Jim Fraser, a leading forensic scientist and author. You can find out more (including what's happening in your area) at…

I am looking forward to appearing during the Crime Writers’ Association’s National Crime Reading Month (NCRM), run in conjunction with The Reading Agency, in June. I will be giving a talk about the inspiration for my novels, my first talk in two and a half years due to covid lockdowns etc.

During NCRM, authors will be taking part in events in…

The latest crime novel by Jackie Baldwin, who appeared at the recent Kirkcudbright Book Week, is due out on Thursday May 18.

Murder by the Seaside is published by Storm Publishing and begins when dawn breaks over the empty beaches of Portobello and Grace McKenna emerges from the icy water after her daily swim, her loyal dog Harvey by her side.…

I am ten thousand words into the latest DCI Jack Harris novel for The Book Folks, which means that plotting is very much at the forefront of my thinking.

To make a plot work, you need a strong story and in crime fiction that comes from watching characters overcome challenges – a murder, a mystery etc.

My initial plots tend to be very…

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review my latest crime novel The Name on the Bullet, published by The Book Folks.

You can find out what the reviewers thought of DCI John Blizzard's latest outing, and buy the book in ebook, paperback and hardcover format, at…

Leading forensic scientist and author Professor Jim Fraser will be the guest speaker at the Scottish launch of the Crime Writers’ Association’s National Crime Reading Month (NCRM) in Edinburgh.

National Crime Reading Month runs throughout June and is organised by the CWA, which is celebrating its 70^th jubilee year, in partnership…

It might not be true that you can entirely judge a book by its cover but you can certainly judge it by its opening pages and this novel is a perfect example of how to get it right from the off. Fast-paced and tension-filled, they plunge the reader straight into the story and the narrative does not loosen its grip, keeping the reader hooked until the…

As you will have become aware from my blogs on the subject over the years, an author’s use of back story carries with it many perils, namely the temptation to pack in far too much information.

Back story refers to the characters’ history and one of the most common mistakes I note when I’m called upon to offer comments on inexperienced…