From Mark's Desk: June 2026
It’s been a busy few weeks, but also productive - and that means there’s plenty to look forward to as we head into the summer.
I spent a week in America to combine a little father-and-son time with research for the new Milton. We were in Huntsville, Alabama, staying with friends, and then took an internal flight for a cheeky three days in Orlando and the Disney parks. We haven’t been back to Disney since the kids were much younger, and it was a lot more fun now my son was old enough to ride everything and stay up late for the fireworks.
While I’m not sure Milton will be following our footsteps all the way—he’s not really the Disney type—it was a useful chance to gather some local colour for the next book in the series. One of the things I enjoy most about writing Milton is dropping him into a new location and figuring out how he would see it. He’s always looking at places differently from the rest of us, noticing the things that don’t fit, spotting details most people miss, and asking awkward questions that sensible people would probably leave alone.
Research trips are rarely as glamorous as they sound. There’s a lot of walking around, taking photographs, making notes, and trying to absorb the atmosphere of a place. Sometimes a location ends up playing a major role in a story. Sometimes it simply provides a detail or two that helps make a scene feel authentic. Either way, I’ve always found that there’s no substitute for being there in person.
And we also confirmed something: the Mouse really does take all your money.
Still, it was worth it. We rode rollercoasters, survived the Florida heat, consumed our body weight in questionable theme-park food, and made some great memories together. My son is now at that age where every trip feels a little different, and it was nice to spend some uninterrupted time together before he decides that spending a week with his dad is no longer quite as exciting as it once was.
Back home, it was straight back to work. The new Atticus Priest book has occupied most of my attention recently, and I’m pleased to report that it’s finally behaving itself. More on that below.
Charlie Cooper - Sanctuary
I've finished the new Cooper and have bumped up the release from November to... next week!
When Cooper is sent into a remote rehabilitation centre off the Northumberland coast, his mission appears straightforward: identify a dangerous target and eliminate him. But nothing about Sanctuary is what it seems. Cut off from support and surrounded by people with secrets of their own, Cooper soon discovers that the real threat may not be what he thought it was.
Fast-paced, tense, and packed with twists, Sanctuary puts Cooper in one of the most unusual and dangerous situations of his career. If you enjoy the Cooper books, I think you’re going to love this one.
Preorder SANCTUARY (and read it next week): Amazon.
Atticus Priest - The Forest
I also had a chance to spend a bit of time on the new Atticus book and, as a result of that, it's almost entirely through the editing process and will be out early next month.
The Forest sees a series of murders in the New Forest that bear an unsettling resemblance to crimes committed fifteen years earlier, forcing Atticus to revisit a case that should have remained buried in the past. As the investigation deepens, old secrets emerge, innocent lives are put at risk, and Atticus finds himself hunting the most dangerous adversary he has ever faced.
It was a challenging book to write, but I think it might be the twistiest Atticus novel yet. I can’t wait for you to read it.
