On the case with Inspector Andy Horton in these gripping marine set mysteries

 In DEAD SEA, no. 4 in the series, things get personal for undercover investigator Art Marvik who works for the UK Police National Intelligence Squad when he finds himself on a quest for the truth behind his parents deaths in 1997. Professor Dan Coulter a renowned oceanographer and Dr Eerika Marvik an equally renowned marine archaeologist were killed in an underwater tremour while diving off the Straits of Malacca. Marvik is forced to face the past and expose the secrecy and scandal behind their deaths.

When Marvik visits his safe deposit box in his London bank and discovers that a three-and-a-half inch floppy disk he had placed there a few weeks previously has been stolen he is surprised and deeply troubled. What’s more it has been taken only the day before his arrival by a man Marvik has never heard of. Puzzled and disturbed, Marvik is left cursing his reluctance to ask his former Royal Marine colleague, intelligence and cyber expert, Shaun Strathen, to open the disk and reveal its contents when he first discovered it in the possession of murdered marine archaeologist, Sarah Redburn. Now its theft indicates that Sarah was killed because of its highly toxic contents. Convinced it holds the key to the truth behind the deaths of his parents, Marvik, with Strathen’s aid, sets out to track down the thief. As they follow a trail of abduction and murder it soon becomes clear that the computer disk holds the key to a secret that a ruthless killer is determined must never be revealed.

Read an extract from DEAD SEA- Page three

Marvik made for the train. When seated he let his mind return to the notebook and disk. He’d discovered them in the belongings of a marine archaeologist called Sarah Redburn, whom he had met during an investigation for the UK police’s National Intelligence Marine Squad in March, the unit that both he and Strathen worked for undercover. Marvik recalled his one and only meeting with Sarah in a steamy café on the seafront in Swanage. She had professed to be a great admirer of his late mother, Dr Eerika Marvik, a renowned marine archaeologist. Shortly after that Sarah’s body had been found at the foot of the cliffs just outside the Dorset coastal town. She’d been strangled. Her killer had, so far, eluded the police. Marvik’s boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Crowder, had told him that he believed Sarah’s murder was connected with the death of Marvik’s parents, Professor Dan Coulter, a leading expert on ocean turbulence and the world’s ocean seabed, and Dr Eerika Marvik. Both had been killed in an underwater explosion in the Straits of Malacca in 1997. Crowder wouldn’t or couldn’t tell him more. Perhaps because he had no more to tell, or perhaps he didn’t know, but something had triggered that idea. Marvik didn’t think that Crowder had seen the notebook or disk, or was aware of them, though he could be wrong.
Whatever was on that computer disk was obviously of sufficient interest to one party for it to have been stolen by them. But what could it be? And how had the notebook and disk come to be in Sarah’s possessions? Who knew of their existence? More importantly, who knew he had found them and placed them in his bank deposit box three weeks ago? Not Crowder because Marvik hadn’t told him. And not Colmead either. Strathen was the only person and Marvik trusted him implicitly. Strathen also had the ancient hard drive able to open the disk, and the skill to retrieve and analyse its contents. Contents, which Marvik now thought, must be explosive, certainly to someone.
The train seemed to take an age to reach the south coast town of Southampton, and it was close to five when Marvik finally alighted and hurried towards the solicitors’ offices. He was relieved to find it still open but disappointed and then suspicious to be greeted with the news that Michael Colmead was on holiday.
‘When did he go?’ he asked the receptionist.
‘Yesterday,’ she answered readily enough, but Marvik sensed and noted her unease. His suspicions deepened.
‘When will he return?’
‘I … er… I’m not sure.’

DEAD SEA Amazon. co.uk

DEAD SEA  Amazon .com

Where to buy my books

All my crime novels are available to buy in paperback, ebook, Amazon Kindle and for loan in public libraries.

How to choose characters names in fiction - tips and pitfalls

What's in a name? An awful lot as far as an author is concerned. Getting the right name for the characters in my crime novels can be a tricky business. Sometimes they can come to me completely out of the blue, other times I will struggle to find the name that best suits that particular character and until I do the personality refuses to come alive. The name also needs to fit with the age and nationality of that character although you can have exceptions.

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See where A Killing Coast is set and read some extracts to match the locations

A Killing Coast, like all the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels, is set against the atmospheric backdrop of the sea in the Solent on the South Coast of England, in the waterfront city of Portsmouth and the surrounding towns, and the stunning coastal locations of the Isle of Wight. It's April and Andy Horton finds himself engaged in a new complex murder investigation. 

"Meticulous police work leads Horton to a particularly callous and ruthless killer as well as theft and blackmail…includes a few unexpected twists.” Publishers Weekly

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

See where A Killing Coast is set and read some extracts matching the locations

An Inspector Ryga mystery by Pauline Rowson Death in the Cove, "A great read."

Read an extract of Inspector Andy Horton in A Killing Coast by Pauline Rowson

 A Killing Coast, like all the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels, is set against the atmospheric backdrop of the sea in the Solent on the South Coast of England, in the waterfront city of Portsmouth and the surrounding towns, and the stunning coastal locations of the Isle of Wight.

It's April and Andy Horton finds himself engaged in a new complex murder investigation. 

See where A Killing Coast is set and read some extracts

Two DI Andy Horton crime novels set during April- a man defined by a tormented past, but with hopes for his future.

The story behind A Killing Coast, an Inspector Andy Horton crime novel

 

Locations are always a great inspiration for me and trigger ideas for many of my crime novels particularly those in the series featuring my flawed and rugged Portsmouth copper, Inspector Andy Horton.

For number seven in the Horton crime series, A Killing Coast, I was first inspired by the beautiful and rugged coastline on the east of the Isle of Wight, in particular the stretch from Ventnor to St Catherine’s lighthouse which takes in the rocky Woody Bay, a good place to put a body! 

Read more about the story behind Inspector Andy Horton, A Killing Coast

 

 

 

Ten killer tips for writing crime fiction

 

In 2012 the Guardian newspaper ran an article asking writers for their ten rules for writing. I penned my top ten tips for writing deadly crime fiction and now looking back on them they still hold true with one or two little tweaks and additions.

After writing twenty-three crime, mystery novels and thrillers to date it never hurts to remind myself of some of these little writing tips.

 

Top writing tips for writing crime fiction

 

 

Inspector Andy Horton has two multi-layered crimes to solve in April - watch the short video

A taste for murder at Bishops Waltham Library with Pauline Rowson

It's always a pleasure to talk to a library audience and those at Bishops Waltham Library in Hampshire got the taste for murder on Thursday 6 April 2017 when I revealed the secrets of my successful crime writing and talked about my crime novels featuring the rugged and flawed sailing detective, Inspector Andy Horton, who appears in fifteen crime novels and Art Marvik, undercover investigator for the UK's National Intelligence Marine Squad (NIMS) who is appears in four crime novels

This was, of course,  long before the Coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020 and all social gatherings like these were banned. I know many people are missing events and I am missing entertaining the lovely audiences . However the good news is that my first LIVE talk is booked for July 2021 when once again we will be free to socialise in England (hopefully).  Meanwhile I am looking back at some of the talks  I have conducted over the years.

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Fascinating Forensic Facts – Bodies and soil – crime scenes with DI Andy Horton

In A DEADLY WAKE, (15) Andy Horton discovers a buried body exposed during a landslip on the Isle of Wight.

Here are some snippets of forensic facts uncovered during my research for this and for the others in the DI Andy Horton mystery series.

Investigators will check whether the soil has been disturbed. They  will look for any unusual depressions or indentations in the ground. As a body  beneath the surface decomposes, the soil above it will slump further into the  grave. The soil will also be looser and softer than the surrounding compacted  soil, which can be another indicator of disturbed earth.

Studying the soil  colour, texture and consistency can also be used to determine if the soil has  been previously disturbed.

Soil collected will be analysed by forensic soil  scientists.  The type of soil a body is  buried in can alter its rate of decomposition—acidic soil can cause a body to  break down up faster than alkaline soil so this can be useful if the body has  been missing for several years.

Forensic archaeologists also look at plant growth or  death, and at changes in appearance to an area. These clues can help  investigators obtain information regarding the presence of a possible  grave. 

So there you have it!

 

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Inspector Ryga is called to investigate a baffling coastal crime in Death in the Harbour by Pauline Rowson

On the case with Inspector Andy Horton in April