**The mystery begins... A body is found beneath Southend's cliff lift. Minutes later... it's gone. How do you investigate a murder when there's no body? #InspectorRyga #HistoricalMystery #CrimeFiction**

**What really happens when an author finishes a novel? It's not always what people imagine. #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #FridayInsight**

Every Writer Knows This Feeling The manuscript is finished. You've revised it. Now comes the hardest part... Pressing "Send." #WritingLife #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity

Everyday Life in 1950s Britain The war was over—but life was still difficult. Housing shortages, rationing and bomb sites shaped Inspector Ryga's world. #InspectorRyga #1950s #BritishHistory

No Computers. No Databases. Detectives once solved murders using notebooks, observation and experience—not computers. Part 5 of my Inspector Ryga policing series explores how. #InspectorRyga #CrimeHistory #WritingCommunity

Working through copy edits for DI Andy Horton #20 for its November 2026 publication. Not my favourite part of writing, but every edit helps make the novel stronger for readers #WritingCommunity #BehindTheScenes #RoadToPublication #CrimeWriting #BritishCrime #AuthorLife #WritingJourney

Revision 6 of DI Andy Horton #21 has begun. Cutting out overused words, rephrasing and re-reading. Every revision moves the manuscript a little closer to publication. #DIAndyHorton #CrimeFiction #CrimeWriter #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

The Emotional Stages of Writing – Part 2 The first draft is finished. Relief. Then revision. Then doubt. Every novel takes me on this journey. #WritingLife #AuthorLife #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

Britain Rebuilding After WWII Bomb sites still scarred the landscape. Families lived in prefabs, bedsits and temporary homes. A glimpse into everyday life in Inspector Ryga's 1950s Britain. #1950sBritain #BritishHistory #InspectorRyga #HistoricalCrime

Crime Scenes Before CSI Before DNA and forensic science, detectives relied on observation, patience and experience. A fascinating glimpse into 1950s policing in Inspector Ryga's world. #CrimeHistory #InspectorRyga #HistoricalCrime

The Emotional Roller Coaster of Writing Every novel starts with excitement. Then comes frustration. Then more excitement. Writing books is rarely, or should I say never, a straight line. #WritingLife #AuthorLife #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

Life in Britain Before Mobile Phones Few televisions. Few telephones. Few cars. Rationing and war memories still shaped everyday life. A glimpse into the 1950s world of Inspector Ryga. #1950sBritain #BritishHistory #InspectorRyga #HistoricalCrime

The First Draft Is Just The Beginning I used to think typing "The End" meant I'd finished the novel. I was wrong. The revisions are where the real work begins. #WritingCommunity #AuthorLife #WritingProcess #BookSky #AmWriting

Why I chose the 1950s for Inspector Ryga A decade caught between the aftermath of war and the coming sixties social revolution. Full of fractured lives, stories, secrets and fascinating characters. #InspectorRyga #HistoricalMystery #CrimeFiction #1950sBritain #BookSky

What Was a Murder Bag? Before DNA, detectives relied on observation, patience and a Murder Bag full of essential investigative tools. A fascinating glimpse into 1950s policing and the world of Inspector Ryga. #CrimeHistory #InspectorRyga #HistoricalCrime

Revision 5 of 8 has begun on DI Andy Horton Solent Murder Mystery #21 Big read through. Editing out duplications, checking for over writing. Are the characters fully fleshed? Every revision moves the MS closer to publication. #DIAndyHorton #CrimeFiction #CrimeWriter #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

How did Scotland Yard solve murders before DNA? Observation. Interviews. Patience. Good detective work. A look at the real-world policing methods behind my 1950s Inspector Ryga mysteries. #CrimeFiction #HistoricalMystery #InspectorRyga #1950sBritain #BookSky

How Detectives Solved Murders Before DNA. No DNA. No CCTV. No databases. In 1950s Britain detectives often relied on the local village bobby who knew everyone and when something wasn't right. A fascinating glimpse into Inspector Ryga's world #CrimeFiction #HistoricalMystery #1950sBritain #BookSky

The Subconscious Is A Wonderful Thing Some of my best story solutions arrive when I'm not writing at all. Walking by the harbour, knitting, painting—while my conscious mind is occupied, my subconscious is often quietly working away. #WritingLife #CrimeFiction #BookSky

Cover Reveal: Death on the Pier Delighted to reveal the cover for the new Inspector Ryga mystery. Southend-on-Sea, 1951. A body vanishes. No evidence remains. Inspector Ryga investigates. Pre-order 13 August. #CrimeFiction #BookSky #HistoricalMystery

Writing Through the Difficult Days Some writing days feel effortless. Others feel like wading through treacle. I've learned that sometimes the best thing to do is keep writing anyway. #WritingLife #CrimeFiction #BookSky

What If the Truth Changes Everything? As Inspector Ryga investigates two deaths on the Cornish coast, disturbing truths begin to emerge. But this time Ryga finds himself questioning not only the case… but justice itself. #CrimeFiction #BookSky #Mystery

Revision 4 is underway for DI Andy Horton Solent Murder Mystery #21. Checking chapter order, whether clues are too obvious or too obscure, and if the plot holds together. Crime novels are puzzles—every clue, red herring and twist must fit. One step closer to publication. #CrimeFiction #writing

Do Writers Ever Run Out of Ideas? People often ask if I ever suffer from writer’s block after writing 31 crime novels. The truth is writers do get stuck sometimes — but often the answer lies in understanding the characters more deeply. #WritingLife #CrimeFiction #BookSky

Secrets on the Cornish Coast Wild Atlantic seas. Tiny harbours. Communities that distrust outsiders. Inspector Ryga arrives in Cornwall to investigate a suspicious death aboard a drifting yacht. #CrimeFiction #Mystery #BookSky

Two Dead Men… and the Same Strange Clue. A retired Harley Street specialist is found dead aboard a drifting yacht off the Cornish coast. Then another body is discovered nearby. Both men were wearing dinner suits.Both carried rocks in their pockets. Inspector Ryga investigates. #CrimeFiction #BookSky

Dungeness. Bleak, isolated and windswept. Inspector Ryga arrives on the Kent coast to investigate the death of a woman found in the dunes. But beneath the lonely landscape lie hidden lives, wartime scars and dangerous secrets. #CrimeFiction #BookSky #Mystery

Someone Is Killing to Keep the Truth Hidden A body in fishing nets. Then another death. Inspector Ryga realises someone is willing to kill to protect a secret. #CrimeFiction #BookSky #Mystery

A dead woman. A hidden spy camera. Inspector Ryga’s latest investigation on the Kent coast uncovers espionage, wartime secrets and murder in the dunes. #CrimeFiction #Mystery #booksky

Revision 3 begins for DI Andy Horton #21. Time to strengthen characters, refine personalities, identify plot holes and tighten the story. Every revision moves the manuscript a little closer to publication. #DIAndyHorton #CrimeFiction #CrimeWriter #AmWriting #WritingCommunity