DI Andy Horton crime novel, UNDERCURRENT, compelling, multi-layered, gripping

Naval historian Dr Douglas Spalding is found dead in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard.It looks like suicide but Horton goes out on a limb to prove otherwise. Soon he's embroiled in a cover up at the highest level.

 'Rowson offers up a thorny, multifaceted plot; a profusion of unusual twists; a likable yet complex hero; and plenty of fast-paced, knuckle-biting action.' Booklist USA 

Available in paperback, as an e book on Amazon Kindle and as an audio book on Audible

Read an extract

One of the locations that inspired author Pauline Rowson for DI Andy Horton DEAD PASSAGE

DEAD PASSAGE is number fourteen in the DI Andy Horton series of crime novels and like the others it is set on Horton’s CID patch, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

As many of my readers know it is locations that often inspire me but with this crime novel while three locations inspired me the idea for DEAD PASSAGE also occurred to me while I was travelling on the Wightlink ferry, the St Clare, from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight one day.

Detective Inspector Andy Horton receives a mysterious telephone call from Adele Goldsby, the daughter of a dead Portsmouth politician, with an urgent request to meet her on the Isle of Wight ferry because she has something to reveal about her father’s death twelve years ago. When she doesn’t show, Horton is at first inclined to think it was a hoax until more information comes to light. As he unofficially looks into the circumstances surrounding the politician’s death he becomes more convinced that the initial investigation was cursory to say the least, a fact that is borne out by Sergeant Cantelli who was on the case. With increasing concerns over the continued silence from Adele Goldsby and as new evidence is unearthed connected to a long ago killing, Horton believes the politician was murdered. Now all he has to do is convince his bosses.

So here is one of the locations that inspired me for DI Andy Horton DEAD PASSAGE

Rat Island, Portsmouth Harbour

Rat Island is a small uninhabited island in Portsmouth Harbour between the town of Gosport and the city of Portsmouth. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence. Its official name is Burrow Island but locals know it as Rat Island.

Here is an extract from DEAD PASSAGE which explains something about Rat Island

Horton’s gaze swivelled over the boats moored up in Oyster Quays marina and alighted on a large luxury motor yacht on the outer pontoon. It wasn’t quite in the mega-yacht category but it was certainly veering towards that. He wondered who owned it – someone very wealthy was obviously the answer. His eyes travelled further up into the harbour to a small clump of trees on a slightly raised knoll on a tiny uninhabited island just off the shores of Gosport, opposite the Portsmouth International Port. Burrow Island, or Rat Island as the locals called it, was owned by the Ministry of Defence and nine days ago five skeletons had been discovered buried there. Thankfully the onsite forensic archaeologist, Dr Lauder, had deemed them all to be from the nineteenth century. Horton hadn’t briefed Bliss about it because it wasn’t an active investigation.


Or is it? I’ll leave you to find out when you read DEAD PASSAGE, but here is a clue in an exchange between the forensic archaeologist, Dr Lauder and Detective Superintendent Uckfield, head of the major crime team at a briefing at which Horton is present. Dr Lauder is telling the team what he has discovered about those five skeletal remains.

Rat Island - remains - Portsmouth Harbour

‘As we know the harbour contained a prison hulk, HMS York, between 1819 and 1854 after she had returned from serving time in the West Indies and the Mediterranean, it is possible they were either convicts or French prisoners captured during the Napoleonic War. The York would have had about five hundred men on board – many were transported to Australia. Some would have died of typhoid and cholera before they could be transported. Others served their time out on the York. During the day they were put to hard labour working on the fortifications around Gosport, on Burrow Island and in Portsmouth. At night they would have been chained to their bunks to prevent them escaping ashore.’
‘If I’d wanted a history lesson I’d have gone to the museum,’ Uckfield growled. ‘This recent corpse, how––’
‘Burrow Island or Rat Island, as it is more commonly known, was used as a burial ground for these convicts, guilty or not, and for French prisoners. Further tests will be conducted on the remains to ascertain from where they originated which might give us more information. Working with historians we can try to piece together their lives, but it’s not their history as you so rightly and eloquently pointed out that concerns you, Detective Superintendent,’ Lauder added as Uckfield’s scowl deepened and his mouth opened to protest, ‘but our fifth skeleton. This one.’

So how were the five skeletal remains found? Who discovered them? What was he/she doing trespassing on Rat Island? And what secret does the fifth skeleton hold?

DEAD PASSAGE, number 14 in the DI Andy Horton series, will reveal all.  DEAD PASSAGE is available in paperback, an ebook and on Amazon Kindle.

FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE a DI Andy Horton mystery

"The Harley Davidson–riding, boat-dwelling Horton is a fascinating man to get to know, and his thoughtful approach to detection is a pleasure to read." Publishers Weekly


Friday the thirteenth begins badly for DI Andy Horton when he wakes to find his Harley has been vandalized and his boss, DCI Lorraine Bliss, has returned early from her secondment to HQ. Then, convicted murderer, Luke Felton, released on licence, is reported missing and a decomposed corpse is washed up in Portsmouth harbour. But before Horton can get a grip on either case, he’s called to a house where a woman he’d only met the day before has been brutally murdered. Is missing Luke Felton the prime suspect, or is it his body in the mud of the harbour? Horton is under pressure to get results, but things are about to get much worse for the beleaguered detective …

Set against the atmospheric backdrop of the sea in the Solent area of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight on the South Coast of England.

On location with DI Andy Horton in FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE

Locations inspire me and so it was with FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE, number six in the DI Andy Horton mystery series now available in paperback, as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle, on Kobo and as an unabridged audio book.

This time my inspiration for the police procedural mystery Footsteps on the Shore came from a Roman castle at Portchester, at the north end of Portsmouth Harbour, the best preserved Roman fort north of the Alps!   Other locations used in this novel are the Hayling Coastal Path and the Hard at Portsmouth Harbour.

Portchester Castle in DI Andy Horton Footsteps on the Shore

Portchester Castle in DI Andy Horton Footsteps on the Shore

The Watergate, Portchester Castle in DI Ho Andy Horton, Footsteps on the Shore

Portchester Castle is owned and managed by English Heritage and is open to the public.   After the Norman Conquest a castle was built in one corner of the fort, which grew into an impressive royal residence. From 1665 Portchester was frequently used to house foreign prisoners of war, most notably during the wars with France between 1793 and 1815.

In Footsteps on the Shore Inspector Andy Horton is called to a house next to Portchester Castle, where a woman he’d only met the day before, Venetia Trotman, has been brutally murdered. Horton had been intending to buy a boat from her, which had belonged to her late husband to replace his small boat, which had been torched by a villain with Horton only just managing to escape with his life. Horton has been living on board his boat in Southsea Marina since his estrangement from his wife, Catherine.

Portsmouth Harbour in DI Andy Horton Footsteps on the Shore

 A convicted murderer, Luke Felton, released on licence, has been reported missing. Could he be Venetia Trotman’s killer? Or is the decomposed corpse washed up in Portsmouth harbour the missing Luke Felton? If so does Horton have two killers on his hands or one?  But what, if anything, connects an ex-criminal and a quiet unassuming lady?


Added to this is the return of Horton’s nit-picking boss, DCI Lorraine Bliss, from her secondment at HQ and she’s intent on making Horton’s life as difficult as possible.  Someone else also seems set on troubling Horton when he finds a symbol scratched on his Harley Davidson.  Horton is under pressure to get results, but things are about to get much worse for the beleaguered detective …

 "The Harley Davidson–riding, boat-dwelling Horton is a fascinating man to get to know, and his thoughtful approach to detection is a pleasure to read." Publishers Weekly

There are many twists and turns in this novel with a hint of international crime behind it but I will say no more. I wouldn’t want to spoil your enjoyment of it.

'Procedural fans who haven’t already read Rowson should be encouraged to do so in the strongest possible terms.' Booklist, Starred Review

DI Andy Horton, THE SUFFOCATING SEA, selected as the best of British Crime Fiction

A body on a burning boat leads Horton into an investigation that has startling personal consequences. As Horton is forced to confront his past he's faced with a dangerous adversary who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from coming out...

Selected as the "Best of British Crime Fiction" by The Book Depository

 "A gripping, suspense-filled murder case...an entertaining read in an engaging series..." Booklist

Available in paperback, as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle and as an audio book on Audible 

Read an extract

Footsteps on the Shore a DI Andy Horton crime novel - watch the video book trailer

DI Andy Horton crime novel FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE hailed as' a detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey,' has been re-launched in e book format and on Kindle and Kobo at a new reduced price!

It is also available in paperback for those of you who like the feel of a book and if you prefer to listen to a crime audio book then FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE is also available as an unabridged audio book narrated by Gordon Griffin.

Footsteps on the Shore is number six in the Inspector Andy Horton crime series of currently fourteen with Dead Passage the latest Horton mystery being published in paperback and as an e book in October 2018.

Researching police procedure and crime scenes for crime novels

I'm often asked how I research my crime novels and in particular the police procedure and crime scene investigation side of things. I'm not married to a police officer or a former police officer so I didn't start off with any inside knowledge. I am married to a retired fire fighter though so when it comes to fires, burnt bodies and serious traffic and other incidents which fire fighters attend, I have a wealth of information to draw on which can be incorporated into a crime novel. Indeed I have done so.

THE SUFFOCATING SEA (DI Andy Horton #3) begins with a body on a burning boat and Horton almost gets fried alive in a locked vestry while investigating a crime. In BLOOD ON THE SAND (DI Andy Horton #5) there is a fire in a house where Horton is with a possible suspect (and a cat) and in DEATH SURGE (DI Andy Horton #10) and FATAL CATCH (DI Andy Horton #12) victims are found after a fire, the first in one of the tunnels in the ancient fortifications around Portsmouth Island and the second in a house by Fareham Quay. But to get back to police procedure.

So where do I get the police procedural information from and how can writers obtain this kind of information?

 

Tide of Death - the first DI Andy Horton crime novel

When I first created the enigmatic, flawed and rugged DI Andy Horton in TIDE OF DEATH I approached Hampshire Police (the county in which my novels are set) and asked if I could visit the police station and talk to some police officers in CID and in what was then called the Vice Squad. Hampshire Police were brilliant. They let me visit them twice even though I wasn't then published. That gave me some basic background which I have since built on and now I know many police officers and those in civilian jobs attached to the police service. I'm grateful to Hampshire Police and forensic experts for their help and patience and for being so generous in giving me their time.

 

Police and government websites

The police websites, both the regional and national ones, are a good source of information for writers and there is considerable information on the Crown Prosecution Services website.(UK)

Social Media

It's also worth following the police on Twitter. There are many official feeds from the various police units as well as from individual police officers and ex police officers. There are also feeds from those involved in forensic science and other aspects of the law with links to some highly informative blogs written by these individuals. Linked In can also connect you with professionals. A search on the Internet or Twitter can help you find police officer blogs and articles.

Books and reference sources

Then there are some very handy guides available to buy from bookshops, on line or to borrow from your local library. The Crime Writer's Handbook is one, written by former UK detective Stuart Gibbon now a consultant and author with his second book Being a Detective due out in March 2019. Another well thumbed book I consult is again named The Crime Writer's Handbook by Douglas Wynn subtitled 65 ways to kill your victim in print!

Events, courses and the Crime Readers Association

I have also run events called CSI Portsmouth and CSI Southampton where I bring crime authors, police and crime experts together to debate crime fiction and crime fact. Nothing is planned at present on this front but if a new event is organized it will be posted here on my website.

There are also courses for writers run by serving police officers and ex-coppers, the Crime Writers' Association, of which I am a member, have a very useful website called the Crime Readers Association for crime fiction fans along with useful blogs, articles and information for budding crime writers.

Of course my crime novels cannot truly reflect real police procedure because if they did they would end up reading like a police manual and bore everyone to tears. So the basics are then spiced up and tweaked by my imagination.

One of the problems with writing contemporary crime novels though is that the police service in the UK is continually being re-organized by the government which means that no sooner do I mention a department than its name changes or it merges with another. It is not possible to be a hundred percent correct on this but they were correct at the time of writing.

Forthcoming historical crime novel

There are advantages in writing an historical crime novel, my first set in 1950 is due to be published this autumn (2019) and features a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Alun Ryga, who is sent to the coast to investigate a complex murder in DEATH IN THE COVE. In an historical crime novel I don't have to wrestle with the fact that the names of the police departments change, also the red tape that today surrounds serving police officers was practically non existent. The challenge though is to get what procedure there was correct and to incorporate that and the way of thinking and investigating into the novel to ensure it is an entertaining and intriguing read. I hope I have done so.

DEAD PASSAGE (DI Andy Horton 14) published October 2019. Available in paperback, as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle and Kobo

Pauline Rowson talks about Writer's Block, does it exist and how to overcome it

According to Wikipedia writer's block is 'a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work, or experiences a creative slowdown. The condition ranges from difficulty in coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years.'

I've no doubt that many writers have suffered from this kind of creative constipation and I have been asked at my talks if I indeed have ever experienced the condition. At present, with nineteen published crime novels to my name, another to be published in 2019, the next DI Andy Horton 15 written, and the fourth in the Art Marvik mysteries penned, the answer is 'no' I am pleased to report. (Although who can say what the future might bring?)

There are however times when I'm not sure how to develop a character or plot and therefore grind to a halt. When this happens there are three techniques I employ.

One

I can choose to write through this barren spot, thumping out words on the keyboard knowing they are rubbish but that eventually I will come out the other end with an idea and something that can be licked into shape.

 Two

I go for a long walk, usually around the harbours where I live or deep into the countryside. This is not only great for thinking through plots but also helps to give me more energy not to mention toning the muscles and keeping off the pounds. And as my novels are set around the sea can at the same time stimulate plot ideas for future novels.

Location used in DI Andy Horton crime novel DEATH SURGE

Three

I pick up my knitting, which is great for stimulating the creative juices and with  knitting not only does it help when thinking through plots and characters but  I also get a very nice cardigan at the end of it!

Here I am knitting while dressed in character for the last night of my 1940 set murder mystery Play, MURDER AT THE PELICAN CLUB performed by the Winterbourne Players, Bristol in November 2018.

Crime author and playwright Pauline Rowson knitting for victory

 So there you have it my three top tips for coping with or overcoming writer's block.

DEAD PASSAGE is the latest in the DI Andy Horton series, number fourteen. It is available in paperback, as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle.

A mysterious telephone call sends Horton on a complex and twisted investigation into the death of a local politician twelve years ago and uncovers a trail of lies, secrets and revenge with roots deep in the past.

"A detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey." Mystery People Magazine

DI Andy Horton A KILLING COAST in paperback and on Kindle

An investigation into a body found floating in the sea off Portsmouth harbour throws DI Andy Horton's capabilities into question. Not only does he need to find a brutal killer, but he also has to prove he's still up to the job.


 'Multilayered, twisted, and complex...a surprising conclusion and a satisfying read.' Booklist

 Available in paperback, as an ebook on Kindle, and as an audio book on audible.

  Read an extract

Crime author Pauline Rowson addresses audience at Creative Portsmouth event

I was delighted to be a keynote speaker at the Creative Portsmouth Collaborative event on 31 January 2019, which turned out to be a very interesting and successful event bringing together talented individuals from the world of art, literature, photography, film, design and more from all over the city of Portsmouth.

I was there to talk about my crime novels set in Portsmouth and the surrounding area featuring the rugged and flawed DI Andy Horton, what inspires me to create the varied and multi-layered plots and also what inspired me to become an author.  The latter was the discovery of a small local library in my home town of Portsmouth - the Alderman Lacy Library - at the age of eight which gave me a life long passion for reading and for writing.

 The event was introduced by Cllr Steve Pitt, Cabinet Member for Culture Leisure and Sport at Portsmouth City Council and was facilitated by Benjamin Clabon who introduced the keynote speakers: myself, James Sharp, Director/ Film Maker at Sharp Film; Professor Trevor Keeble, Dean of Creative and Cultural Industries at Portsmouth University, and Mark Graeme of ilovedust.

Music during the networking break was provided by James Tattington, Fugitive Orchestra. While throughout the morning event artist Emma Paxton of Imagistic drew the graffiti wall and cultural skyline, making sure that the locations of the  DI Andy Horton  novels formed part of it.

Caricatures were drawn by Steve Acheson and presented to the speakers at the end of the event. From left to right: Mark Graham, James Sharp, Pauline Rowson, Councillor Steve Pitt and Professor Trevor Keeble.

 

It was great to meet so many talented people at the event and to hear how they had forged their careers. Portsmouth is a very vibrant waterfront city and has thriving creative community as well as a great literary tradition. I'm keen to hear how those present, with the help of Portsmouth City Council and other organisations, can develop  greater collaborative working, bringing other creative people into the fold including musicians and writers.'

Dead Passage the latest in the DI Andy Horton series (14) was published in October 2018. It is set in Portsmouth and is available in paperback, as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo.  It can also be loaned from libraries in the UK, Commonwealth and the USA.

A mysterious telephone call sends Horton on a complex and twisted investigation into the death of a local politician twelve years ago and uncovers a trail of lies, secrets and revenge with roots deep in the past.

"A detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey." Mystery People Magazine

DI Andy Horton crime novel FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE relaunched in e book, Amazon Kindle and Kobo

The DI Andy Horton crime novel FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE hailed as a detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey, has been re-launched in e book format and on Kindle and Kobo.

Footsteps on the Shore is number six in the Inspector Andy Horton crime series of currently fourteen with Dead Passage the latest Horton mystery being published in paperback and as an e book in October 2018.

Footsteps on the Shore begins on Friday the thirteenth with DI Andy Horton waking to find his Harley has been vandalized and his nit-picking boss, DCI Lorraine Bliss, has returned early from her secondment to HQ. Then, convicted murderer, Luke Felton, released on licence, is reported missing and a decomposed corpse is washed up in Portsmouth harbour. But before Horton can get a grip on either case, he’s called to a house where a woman he’d only met the day before has been brutally murdered. Is missing Luke Felton the prime suspect, or is it his body in the mud of the harbour? Horton is under pressure to get results, but things are about to get much worse for the beleaguered detective.

Like the others in the DI Andy Horton series, Footsteps on the Shore is set against the atmospheric backdrop of the sea in the Solent area of Portsmouth on the South Coast of England.  Reviewers have hailed the crime novels as, 'compelling, multi-layered, gripping, and a great read for mystery lovers.'

Mystery People Magazine: 'Footsteps on the Shore, is a detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey. Like Rebus, Rowson’s DI Andy Horton is a detective who does not always work within the rules. As with all Rowson’s novels the ending is dramatic and deeply menacing. If you are a fan of traditional detective fiction in a vivid setting that makes you believe that you are there, you will love this one.'

 

 

Footsteps on the Shore is available in paperback, as an e book, on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo and as an unabridged audio book.

 

The DI Andy Horton novels in order then with the first in the series listed at the top, are:

Tide of Death
Deadly Waters
The Suffocating Sea
Dead Man's Wharf
Blood on the Sand
Footsteps on the Shore
A Killing Coast
Death Lies Beneath
Undercurrent
Death Surge
Shroud of Evil
Fatal Catch
Lethal Waves
Dead Passage

The Art Marvik mystery thrillers

If you enjoy the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels you might like the crime novels featuring former Royal Marine Commando Art Marvik, now working as an undercover investigator for the UK's National Intelligence Marine Squad

Silent Running (1)
Dangerous Cargo (2)
Lost Voyage (3)

What's on in February for crime author Pauline Rowson

February in the UK is traditionally a cold month but as it is also a short one many people welcome it because soon it will be spring. For me February 2019 will be one of progressing three writing projects.

DEATH IN THE COVE

I'll be working on the copy edits of my new 1950 set crime novel DEATH IN THE COVE which is to be published in October 2019. I'm very much looking forward to publication as I hope my readers will be because this is a new departure for me, an historical crime novel rather than contemporary ones like the DI Andy Horton crime novels and the Art Marvik mystery thrillers.

Death in the Cove features a Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Alun Ryga who is called out to investigate coastal crimes. The sea is my brand as my readers know because all my crime novels are set against the backdrop of it, primarily along the south coast of England. In the first of the series Inspector Ryga meets war photographer Eva Paisley and they strike up a partnership that will run through the series.

Death in the Cove is set in a nation still gripped by austerity and rationing after the Second World War. As the country tries to come to terms with peace many are disillusioned and suffering the deprivations of homelessness, hardship, poverty and loss. Recently promoted to Inspector in the Criminal Investigations Department of Scotland Yard, Ryga is on his first solo investigation outside of London and he is keen to prove his worth. Years working at sea in the Merchant Navy and then four years spent as a German prisoner-of-war have made him watchful and thoughtful, and given him insights into his fellow man, along with a promise to himself to keep an open mind.

Church Ope Cove featured in Inspector Ryga 1950 novel, Death in the Cove

Set on the Island of Portland in Dorset, the body of an unidentified man dressed in a pin-striped suit is found in the secluded Church Ope Cove and Ryga is sent to investigate. There he meets war photographer, Eva Paisley, who reported the body. The discovery of the body is far from harrowing for her. She’s seen and photographed much worse. Her observations of the dead man, seen through the lens of her camera though are summarily dismissed by the local police. Ignoring the warnings of the local police inspector, and the Dorset Chief Constable that his trust in Eva Paisley is misjudged, Ryga quickly realises that her insights could provide the breakthrough he needs in a complex murder investigation and the answer to the haunting circumstances that have sent the man in the pin-striped suit to his death.

New Murder Mystery Play

During February I'll also be putting the finishing touches to my new murder mystery play. This is the second play I have written, the first Murder at the Pelican Club has been performed with success by two amateur dramatic groups and I hope many more to come. Murder at the Pelican Club is set in 1940s Britain. My new play Murder at Hillingbrook Halt is set in 1948. More on this to come.

Second Inspector Ryga novel

I'll also be completing the first draft of the second in the Inspector Ryga 1950 crime novels in which Ryga is sent to investigate the death of a police constable and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the constable's wife. It is set in Newhaven, East Sussex which is also one of the settings of the Art Marvik mystery thriller, Lost Voyage.

DI Andy Horton #15

I think that will be enough to be going on with but if I work very quickly and have time on my hands then it's back to DI Andy Horton number 15 the first draft of which I have already written.

Footsteps on the Shore DI Andy Horton is under pressure to get results

"Like Rebus, Rowson’s DI Andy Horton does not always work within the rules." Mystery People Magazine.

Published in paperback as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle, and Kobo, also available as an audio book. 

Art Marvik mystery thriller DANGEROUS CARGO released as an audio book - the story behind Art Marvik

Art Marvik's second mission for the UK’s National Intelligence Marine Squad (NIMS) in DANGEROUS CARGO is now available as an audio book narrated by Peter Noble and published by Soundings.

It is also published in paperback as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle.

In his second mission for the National Intelligence Marine Squad, former marine commando Art Marvik finds himself on the trail of a 50-year-old mystery, his task to catch a ruthless killer whose murders span over half a century.

'Rowson’s superhero, Art Marvik, returns in another pulse-pounding adventure. Delivering more than enough action to keep adrenaline junkies reading.' Booklist

About Art Marvik

I like heroes and I’m a sucker for adventure stories, thrillers and mysteries which is why I created my enigmatic detective DI Andy Horton who currently appears in 14 novels. But I also had a hankering to create a new character for a new series, someone who was not bound by the official rules of the law, but who was nevertheless on the right side of it. The series also had to have all the hallmarks of my brand – a troubled hero, the sea, boats, interesting and diverse characters and lots of action. So already the stage was set for Art Marvik.

Marvik first appeared in Silent Running fresh out of the Royal Marines where he had served in the elite Special Boat Services. He’s tough, highly trained, fearless, intelligent and fit. But injuries inflicted while in combat have forced him to leave the Marines and seek a new life in Civvy Street. He’s not sure what lies ahead for him. Then his former Marine comrade, Shaun Strathen, enlists his help to find a missing computer scientist and a former girlfriend of Marvik’s goes missing after visiting him in his remote Isle of Wight cottage and Marvik finds his himself enlisted to work as an undercover marine investigator for the newly formed National Intelligence Marine Squad, headed by Detective Chief Superintendent Philip Crowder. (Silent Running)

Marvik’s role in the squad is to go into a mission practically cold with minimum information, to ask questions, to stir up trouble, to put himself on the line and to provoke a killer into the open. He’s done it often in the Marines. He sees no problem in doing it for the National Intelligence Marine Squad. Both Silent Running and the second in the series, Dangerous Cargo, focus on crimes that have a marine connection (obviously) and also have links to the past. In Dangerous Cargo Marvik is detailed to attend the funeral of a man found dead on the shores of the Isle of Wight only it’s a man who was officially identified as dead fifty five years ago.

Scarred physically from his combat injuries Marvik is also emotionally scarred by the death of his parents – his mother, a renowned marine archaeologist, his father an acknowledged expert in oceanography – were killed in an underwater earthquake in 1997. Dangerous Cargo introduces a new twist to their deaths and another marine mystery that Marvik is eventually duty bound to investigate.

"Dangerous Cargo is the sort of book where you can’t look away for a second, or you’ll be sunk, so to speak. Pauline Rowson is the queen of misdirection in this outing for former marine Art Marvik." Crime Review

Dangerous Cargo is available as an audio book narrated by Peter Noble and published by Soundings. It is also available in paperback as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle.