I’m sure you have had quite enough of people talking about the thing which shall not be named but, in a roundabout way, I am going to talk about the current state of the world, or more particularly, the current state of my corner of the world. The forced upheaval to all of our lives has seen […]
I am a massive fan of David Simon, like many, chiefly due to his work on THE WIRE, a contender for the best TV show of all time. I’ve followed his work ever since, from larger pieces like TREME, to smaller works like GENERATION KILL and SHOW ME A HERO. I’ve just finished THE DEUCE, another of […]
You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. “Where do you get your ideas from?” is the all-time cliché question for anyone who has ever thought about writing at any kind of serious level. And understandably so. The question can sometimes mean “what’s the secret because I’d love to do it?” as I think nearly all of us enjoy the experience […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]