IT, And The Hopeful Death Of The Jump Scare

As a complete u-turn from my usual choice of viewing fare, I thought I’d treat myself to a nostalgia trip, and see whether the latest iteration of IT created anything that might cut through culture like the first iteration of Pennywise did all those years ago. Like most people, I have read a few Stephen King […]


Hell Or High Water, And Challenging Expectations

As I’ve mentioned, I’m finding it important to take solace in distraction at the moment, for obvious reasons. With that in mind, I sat down to watch a few films this week, with HELL OR HIGH WATER the first one I’m going to talk about.   I’m definitely someone who likes to be surprised by the […]


No Safe Place

My brother Craig has just written his first book. It’s a tense and addictive thriller that isn’t a million miles from my own books.    And, of course, now that Lee Child is ceding the writing of the Reacher books to his brother…    Kidding. I’m not ready to stop writing yet – and won’t […]


Escapism And The Need To Find Your Own Peace

My head is spinning. Pretty sure yours will be too, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve found it hard to concentrate on anything much this week, as an abstract health story from halfway around the world has now become the single most dominating and pressing story in possibly my entire life. What I’m finding most […]


Better Call Saul

I am incredibly excited to see that BETTER CALL SAUL is back for its penultimate season. It’s such a good show, on every level, possibly even surpassing the heady heights of BREAKING BAD in terms of the slow-burn characterisation and the intricate, Swiss-watch plotting, as Jimmy completes his journey to becoming Saul Goodman.   As […]


True Detective, The Outsider and Southern Gothic

The release of THE HOUSE IN THE WOODS, the first Atticus Priest novel, looms large. I’m excited about the book and can’t wait for you to read it, and, of course, let me know what you think of it. It’s something a little different from me in terms of tone, and whilst it has many […]


Sherlock Holmes, Atticus Priest and Inspiration

One of the inspirations for Atticus Priest is Sherlock Holmes, the quintessential flawed detective. I’ve loved Sherlock for years, since I was a child, and I got my hands on a second-hand omnibus of all of the short stories, and then, another omnibus containing the four longer stories – both books still sit proudly on […]


Fighting Fantasy and the gateway to reading

It was impossible to ignore the Fighting Fantasy series of books as a kid in the 80s. I grew up in a home where imagination was nurtured, with books and stories, and a well-used library card, never far from hand. How could I not be drawn to these books?   For those who don’t know, […]


Thoughts on STAR WARS – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

SPOILERS FOLLOW – I saw the latest Star Wars film over the Christmas holidays, and then, because it’s a Star Wars film, noticed the debate that sprang up around it.   Star Wars creates debate over and above any other series – over forty years of films, a massive extended universe, and a fandom that […]


Thoughts On THE VAULT And The Berlin Wall

It’s thirty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall – one of the key events of my lifetime, without a doubt, and the inspiration for my new story, THE VAULT. Even with the distance of time, it’s hard to overstate how monumental the Wall falling felt at the time, especially given what came before. […]