Take a look inside Inspector Andy Horton Mystery FATAL CATCH, no. 13 in the series

The story behind FATAL CATCH a DI Andy Horton Mystery, now re-published

Fatal Catch, is number 12 in the Inspector Andy Horton mystery series set on the South Coast of England. There are 14 in the DI Andy Horton series with number 15 to be published in June 2020, A DEADLY WAKE, now available to preorder. 

FATAL CATCH has been re-issued in paperback, as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo (March 2020)  Read about the inspiration behind this DI Andy Horton crime novel.

The sea has always held a fascination for me, probably because I was raised in the coastal city of Portsmouth with its vibrant waterfront, its great contrasts of modern and historic, its diverse multicultural population, its international port, its historic dockyard, fishing fleet and the home of the Royal Navy.

Portsmouth Harbour is one of the busiest in the World and the Solent offers up every kind of sailing vessel you could wish for from giant container ships to ferries, naval ships to leisure craft, fishing boats and even a regular hovercraft service. It also offers up some rather gruesome findings.

Sadly body parts do get fished out of the Solent and do get washed up on the shores as the my newspaper occasionally reports and as my research with Hampshire Police Marine Unit uncovered.

In FATAL CATCH two fishermen haul just such a gruesome catch – a human severed hand. But to make this more unusual and intriguing I decided to put the severed hand inside a container. This throws up numerous questions for DI Andy Horton just who does the hand belong to? Where is the rest of the body? Who put the hand inside the container and why? Is it the hand of missing criminal Alfie Wright?

Added to which Horton receives a request to meet with a Dr Carolyn Grantham who claims that she is undertaking research into missing persons including Andy Horton's mother, Jennifer, who vanished thirty years ago. As always Horton is suspicious, why now just when his own personal investigations into his mother's disappearance are beginning to yield answers? Maybe it is because of that and Carolyn Grantham has been sent to discover how much he knows and to make sure he stays silent. But Horton tells himself he is being paranoid. He shouldn't let his suspicions sour every relationship he has and, ignoring the silent warning voice in the back of his mind, he finds himself emotionally involved.

As Horton desperately tries to keep his emotional feelings under control and focus on his work the investigation into the gruesome catch gets more complex when one of the fishermen goes missing and the other into hiding. Was the fishing up of the hand accidental after all, perhaps it had always been on board that boat. Horton is determined to get to the bottom of the case, but the deeper he digs, the more lies and secrets he uncovers. His instincts tell him to trust no one and believe nothing; he’s not sure though whether this time he’ll succeed.

Two Inspector Andy Horton Mysteries Published

Two DI Andy Horton mysteries, SHROUD OF EVIL (11) and FATAL CATCH (12) have now been re-issued in paperback, as ebooks and on Kindle and Kobo.

There are fourteen in the DI Andy Horton series with DEAD PASSAGE (14) published in paperback and as an ebook in October 2018 and number fifteen in the Inspector Andy Horton series, A DEADLY WAKE (15) to be published on 2 June 2020, available for pre-order on Kindle.

The Inspector Andy Horton crime series is set against the atmospheric backdrop of the sea in the Solent area of England in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.  They have been hailed in UK, USA and Commonwealth as "exemplary," "multi-layered" and "cleverly plotted" with reviewer, Booklist, claiming that Andy Horton is an "especially good series hero, a likeable fellow with plenty of street smarts and the requisite personal baggage"

Shroud of Evil no. 11 in the DI Andy Horton mystery series.

"A compelling protagonist and mounting suspense make the book hard to put down." Publishers Weekly

When Horton of Portsmouth CID is assigned the case of a missing person: Jasper Kenton, a private investigator, the formidable Eunice Swallows, Kenton’s business partner, seems unwilling to give Horton any useful information, and Horton – irritated at being assigned such a low-ranking investigation – suspects the disappearance has a mundane explanation. Either Kenton is with a woman, or he’s stolen from a client and absconded with the money.  But when Kenton’s car turns up, and a shocking discovery is made, things turn serious. Immediately, Horton finds himself embroiled in an investigation that has major personal ramifications, and one in which he has no choice but to withhold vital information. As he struggles to crack the case, he knows it is only a question of time before someone discovers he’s kept silent, and when that’s revealed, his part in hindering a major investigation will end his career . . .

Shroud of Evil a DI Andy Horton Mystery

Fatal Catch no. 12  in the DI Andy Horton mystery series

"Plenty of red herrings and a surprising culprit. Series fans will appreciate additional clues about the unsolved murder of Horton’s mother, Jennifer, more than 30 years earlier." Publishers Weekly

"A great read for mystery lovers with plenty to keep you guessing until the last moment." Crime Book Club

DI Andy Horton is called out to examine a gruesome catch by two fishermen: a human hand.Is it that of missing violent criminal Alfie Wright – or is he the killer? And where is the rest of the corpse?   Soon Horton finds himself immersed in a complex case where everyone has a reason to lie and no one is who they seem. Assailed by doubts both in his personal and professional life, Horton desperately tries to keep his emotional feelings under control and his focus on his work. His instincts tell him to trust no one and believe nothing; he’s not sure though whether this time he’ll succeed …

Fatal Catch a DI Andy Horton Mystery

 Inspector Andy Horton is a man very much defined by a tormented past spent primarily in care when his mother disappeared when he was ten. He is an instinctive copper tough and resilient, but deeply empathetic.

The DI Andy Horton novels in order

 

A Deadly Wake no 15 in the DI Andy Horton series is now available to pre-order 

 

As DI Andy Horton follows the trail of a man found dead in a log cabin on the Isle of Wight, he uncovers some startling revelations into his own mother’s past and the truth behind her disappearance over thirty years ago.

Fatal Catch, A DI Andy Horton Mystery "A great read for mystery lovers."

On location with DI Andy Horton in DEADLY WATERS no 2 in the series of 14

What's on in April 2020 for crime author Pauline Rowson

Coronavirus has put paid to speaking engagements so it's time to knuckle down to more writing with the continuation of number three in the Inspector Ryga 1950 set mystery series and the re-publication of two DI Andy Horton mysteries in paperback, e book, Kindle and Kobo.

DI Andy Horton mysteries, SHROUD OF EVIL (11) and FATAL CATCH (12) have now been re-issued in paperback, as ebooks and on Kindle and Kobo.

There are fourteen in the DI Andy Horton series with DEAD PASSAGE (14) published in paperback and as an ebook in October 2018 and number fifteen in the Inspector Andy Horton series, A DEADLY WAKE (15) to be published on 2 June 2020, available for pre-order on Kindle.

 Shroud of Evil is number eleven in the DI Andy Horton series.

"A compelling protagonist and mounting suspense make the book hard to put down." Publishers Weekly

When Horton of Portsmouth CID is assigned the case of a missing person: Jasper Kenton, a private investigator, the formidable Eunice Swallows, Kenton’s business partner, seems unwilling to give Horton any useful information, and Horton – irritated at being assigned such a low-ranking investigation – suspects the disappearance has a mundane explanation. Either Kenton is with a woman, or he’s stolen from a client and absconded with the money. But when Kenton’s car turns up, and a shocking discovery is made, things turn serious. Immediately, Horton finds himself embroiled in an investigation that has major personal ramifications, and one in which he has no choice but to withhold vital information. As he struggles to crack the case, he knows it is only a question of time before someone discovers he’s kept silent, and when that’s revealed, his part in hindering a major investigation will end his career . . .

 Fatal Catch is the twelfth DI Andy Horton mystery

"Plenty of red herrings and a surprising culprit. Series fans will appreciate additional clues about the unsolved murder of Horton’s mother, Jennifer, more than 30 years earlier." Publishers Weekly

"A great read for mystery lovers with plenty to keep you guessing until the last moment." Crime Book Club

DI Andy Horton is called out to examine a gruesome catch by two fishermen: a human hand.Is it that of missing violent criminal Alfie Wright – or is he the killer? And where is the rest of the corpse? Soon Horton finds himself immersed in a complex case where everyone has a reason to lie and no one is who they seem. Assailed by doubts both in his personal and professional life, Horton desperately tries to keep his emotional feelings under control and his focus on his work. His instincts tell him to trust no one and believe nothing; he’s not sure though whether this time he’ll succeed …

Also in April you can pre-order the NEW Inspector Andy Horton Mystery no. 15 A DEADLY WAKE to make sure you get your copy hot off the press

As DI Andy Horton follows the trail of a man found dead in a log cabin on the Isle of Wight, he uncovers some startling revelations into his own mother’s past and the truth behind her disappearance over thirty years ago.

Published in paperback, ebook, on Amazon Kindle and Kobo 2 June 2020 - available to pre-order on line and from all booksellers

On the writing front

I am continuing to write the third in the 1950 set Inspector Ryga mystery series. DEATH IN THE COVE is the first Inspector Ryga novel and the second will be published in November 2020. Number three I hope to finish by the end of 2020 to be published in 2021.

 1950 set mystery DEATH IN THE COVE

Introducing Inspector Alun Ryga of Scotland Yard

England 1950, a country still struggling to come to terms with peace in the grip of austerity and rationing.

When the body of a man wearing a pinstriped suit is found in a secluded bay on Portland Island, Dorset Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Alun Ryga is sent to investigate.

' Death in the Cove is a great read and one I recommend to any crime fans.' BH Living Magazine

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

Inspector Andy Horton has a mystery to solve- that of a body on a burning boat

On location with Inspector Andy Horton in DEAD MAN'S WHARF

New videos on my You Tube Channel

Here are links to a couple of new videos posted on my You Tube Channel.  Along with these are some book trailers and videos taken from my talks.   

Some basic tips on writing dialogue for a novel or short story

How I come up with ideas for my crime novels

You can subscribe to my channel.

Inspector Ryga's world in 1950 set mystery DEATH IN THE COVE

Policing and detection in Inspector Ryga's world in 1950 set mystery DEATH IN THE COVE

DEATH IN THE COVE is set in 1950 England, a country still reeling from the aftermath of war with austerity and rationing biting hard. Newly promoted to detective inspector, Ryga from Scotland Yard, is on his first solo investigation outside of London, to solve the mystery of why a man in a pin-striped suit is found murdered in an isolated cove on the Island of Portland in Dorset.

This article looks at some of the aspects of policing in 1950 England - communicating with the police, reporting in, women in the police and police vehicles.

Read more

On location with DI Andy Horton in TIDE OF DEATH - A naked body of a man found on the beach

DEAD PASSAGE with Inspector Andy Horton -"A detective novel in the tradition of Rankin and Harvey." Mystery People Magazine

A Deadly Wake, DI Andy Horton mystery number 15 coming June 2020

A DEADLY WAKE - DI Andy Horton Mystery 15