Category Archives: Crime

Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. III

We had thief catchers, and Bow Street Runners. Then, finally, in 1829, Bobbies, or Peelers, came along, when Sir Robert Peel established the Metropolitan Police Service with Commissioners, Superintendents, Inspectors, Sergeants and 895 Constables.  If you are writing crime fiction, even for TV, it’s important to get the ranks right. How did Christopher Foyle manageContinue reading “Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. III”

Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. II

Kings made laws and they wanted to see them enforced by more than wishful thinking. Someone had to do it. In England, the Normans preserved the Saxon role of Shire Reeve, or Sheriff, an appointed protector of the King’s interests in every county, with soldiers at his command. They could be hard-hearted extortionists, like RobinContinue reading “Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. II”

Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. I

It’s an odd thing that real crime, stalking in our own vicinity, terrifies us, but in fiction, and at a distance, we love it. There’s an obvious reason for that. It’s fiction. It’s not true. It allows us to enjoy all the thrill, the suspense, the exploration of our darker sides, without any danger ofContinue reading “Policing the Historical Facts and Fictions. I”

And so, with Changing Patterns the Story of the Haworth Trilogy continues: Sequel to Pattern of Shadows and the book before Living in the Shadows. #Excerpt #weekendRead #Promotion #Novelines #Honno

Originally posted on Judith Barrow:
Although all three of the books in the Haworth trilogy are based on the same family, they are also stand alone. And yet, to be completely honest, I do need to add this from one of the reviewers… “This is the part where I’m supposed to tell you that each…

Qui custodiet ipsos custodes

A funny thing happened to me on the way to writing my latest book, Bethulia. It’s a book in which, just for once, I feature a police investigation, and the opening sequence of that section portrays a young female police detective being treated disparagingly by a male senior officer, who exhibits decidedly misogynistic and racistContinue reading “Qui custodiet ipsos custodes”

Bethulia: The Master and the Mouse

My latest book, Bethulia, follows the story of several women, but they all revolve around a man, Simon Delaney. There are two things you need to know about Simon Delaney. a) he’s good-looking and b) he’s the bad guy. This is not a serious spoiler, because I think it’s fairly obvious to the reader fromContinue reading “Bethulia: The Master and the Mouse”

Bethulia: out now.

Well, here it is. Bethulia is officially launched today. My tenth novel – tenth published, that is, though probably my thirtieth in all. I’m venturing into new territory with this one. I mean geographical territory. I have set my previous books in West Wales, mostly north Pembrokeshire, where I live, and in Lyford which isContinue reading “Bethulia: out now.”

Bethulia: Truly Unreliable.

In my first published novel, A Time For Silence, there are two parallel stories. One follows Sarah as she investigates the mystery of her grandparents. The other is the story of her grandmother Gwen. The first is littered with confusion, as Sarah misunderstands just about everything that she discovers. The second is the truth, asContinue reading “Bethulia: Truly Unreliable.”