When I first sat down to write The Case of the Bolted Door, I knew I wanted to craft a story that harked back to the golden age of detective fiction while keeping it firmly grounded in the modern world. The inspiration came from a classic Sherlock Holmes tale, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, which I first encountered as a teenager and which has stayed with me ever since. It’s a brilliant example of how a locked-room mystery can be both chilling and satisfyingly clever.

I began by asking myself a simple question: how would a locked-room puzzle work today, in a world filled with CCTV, forensics, and high-tech security systems? The answer was to lean into that modernity while keeping the mystery rooted in the kind of human greed and betrayal that never goes out of fashion.

Without spoilers, at the heart of the story is a character driven by desperation and arrogance, which leads him to commit what he believes is the perfect crime. Writing him was a fascinating challenge; I wanted readers to see him as outwardly composed while his darker motives simmer just beneath the surface.

The process of writing the story was as much about peeling back layers of deceit as it was about constructing them. Atticus Priest’s rational, methodical approach allowed me to build the mystery piece by piece, planting clues for readers who enjoy matching wits with him. Jez Hardwicke serves as both observer and participant, capturing the action with his usual wry humour.

I’m particularly excited to share this story with you because it represents everything I love about writing mysteries: a compelling puzzle, layered characters, and just enough twists to keep you guessing. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

You can get The Case of the Bolted Door as an ebook and audiobook on my store (for all devices, including Kindle), or at Amazon.