Book news and writing tips from Pauline Rowson - one of Britain's most exciting crime writers

Want to get the latest up-to-date news of Inspector Andy Horton as he battles to solve complex crimes on the south coast of England while wrestling with his own personal problems, and the search for the truth behind his mother's disappearance over thirty years ago?

Or perhaps you'd like to know when former Royal Marine Commando, Art Marvik is on a new mission to solve a mystery for the National Intelligence Marine Squad.

Then there's news about a brand new forthcoming crime novel set in a Britain still reeling from five long years of war.

Also news about my forthcoming talks, murder mystery plays, photographs and writes ups of my previous talks and interviews, plus articles on writing and the life and times of an author....

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Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's…

This video was taken at a talk I gave to an audience at Sandhurst Library, from inspiration and ideas to plot lines. Writing a crime novel. It's one of my most popular videos on my You Tube Channel. I hope you enjoy watching it.




Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's books UK From your local bookshop

Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK,
USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries

I'm busy proof reading the new Inspector Andy Horton DEAD PASSAGE, no. 14 in the police procedural crime series featuring the enigmatic Harley Davidson riding, boat dwelling Portsmouth detective.  It's not my favourite job but it's got to be done.

Dead Passage will be published in October 2018 in paperback and as an e book. It is available for pre-order on Amazon, The Book Depository, at any bookshop and will also be available for loan from libraries in the UK, USA and Commonwealth.


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.








Set against the back drop of the sea on the South Coast of England, in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

"Andy Horton is an especially good series hero, a likeable fellow with plenty of street smarts and the requisite personal baggage…

"Procedural fans who haven’t already r…

"Marvik is an interesting and credible central character. He is a loner who can take care of himself in a fight, but he is no ‘superhero’ and there is a nice sense of vulnerability about him. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it should appeal to most readers who like British crime stories with a strong regional feel." Net Galley Pre-order the paperback of Lost Voyage out 31 August 2018.

Lost Voyage is currently available in hardcover and as an e book on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo.





Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's books UK From your local bookshop

Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK,
USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries

The crime genre is one of the most popular. It is also one of the most competitive in terms of publication and maybe one of the most diverse in terms of story telling. Crime novels range from gritty gruesome, (hardboiled), cosy comfortable, to cops, (police procedural and detective novels) private eyes, gangsters, suspense, thrillers, psychological, historical, contemporary or even futuristic and probably many more variations in between.

Then there is the setting: the city, the sea, countryside, mountains, home or abroad. Exotic or bleak. So there is plenty of scope to work with and the type of crime novel you decide to write is often linked to the type of crime novel you like to read.

Here are my ten top tips to help you get started on how to write a crime novel.

1. Choose your location - it can be real or fictitious.

2. Choose your type of crime novel - detective, thriller, private eye (you might find that as you write your type of crime novel begins to choose you!)

3. Is there a theme …

Lost Voyage, the third in the mystery thriller series featuring former Royal Marine Commando, Art Marvik, is to be published in paperback on 31 August 2018.  It is already available in hardcover and as an ebook, on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo.

Lost Voyage, like the others in the Marvik series, Silent Running and Dangerous Cargo, is set against the backdrop of the sea. In Lost Voyage Marvik's mission takes him along the south coast of England to the Severn Sisters cliffs, Beachy Head and the coastal towns of Newhaven and Eastbourne.

Art Marvik, former Royal Marine Commando, is surprised by a late-night summons to meet Helen Shannon, a woman he helped on his first mission. He's convinced that Helen Shannon is being framed for murder after a body is found in her flat. And when he is asked to investigate the disappearance in 2003 of a salvage vessel, the Mary Jo, it soon becomes clear that that there is a ruthless assassin at large - one who is determined to protect the secret of the …

Watch the video to learn more about the enigmatic, flawed and rugged Inspector Andy Horton. Thirteen crime novels published in this popular series set against the backdrop of the sea on the south coasts of England with number 14, Dead Passage being published in October 2018.






Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's books UK From your local bookshop

Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK,
USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries

During July 2018 I will be busy continuing to write Inspector Andy Horton number 15, which might just see Andy discovering the truth behind his mother's disappearance when he was ten years old. I know many readers are eager to learn what really happened to Jennifer Horton (as is of course Andy!) so all might be revealed. I only said 'might'.

July and August 2018 see me taking a break from giving talks about my crime novels, saving my voice and energy for a packed programme of talks in the autumn, which coincides with the publication of number 14 in the Inspector Andy Horton series, Dead Passage. I hope readers enjoy Andy's latest investigation. It is available for pre-order and will be published on 18 October in paperback and as an ebook

For this blog entry then I thought I would take a look back at what was on in July 2017 and July 2016 and Art Marvik features heavily in both months on assignment for the National Intelligence Marine Squad.

July 2016 saws the publicatio…

"Rowson’s solid eighth police procedural featuring Det. Insp. Andy Horton...convincing characters and a coherent plot bolster a crafty solution to the crimes." Publishers Weekly






Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's books UK From your local bookshop
Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK,
USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries

Ex con Daryl Woodley is found dead in the remote location of Farlington Marshes, in Portsmouth. The body of a woman dressed in black is found during a boat salvage operation in Portsmouth Harbour, what links the two? 'A fast paced excellent mystery, with an interesting diverse set of characters, and an intriguing hook at the end. Highly recommended." Mystery People Magazine.





Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books at The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery) Pauline Rowson's books USAPauline Rowson's books UK From your local bookshop

Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK,
USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries

If you love listening to a good crime story or mystery then you might have already tuned into the audio books of one (or more) of the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels or the first in the Art Marvik mysteries. And perhaps you've wondered about the narrators. A good narrator makes a huge difference to audio book listening and I'm delighted and proud to have two of the best, Gordon Griffin MBE who narrates the Inspector Andy Horton crime novels and Peter Noble who has narrated the first in the Art Marvik series.

Here is more about these talented actors and narrators.

Gordon Griffin MBE   Gordon has been an actor for over 50 years and has done everything from Shakespeare to rock musicals. For quite a while his was the voice telling you to ‘Mind the Gap, Please’ on the London Underground.He has also presented PlaySchool and in his first film acted a scene with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. Just the three of them! He was in the first two series of Byker Grove and spoke the v…

Members of Southampton East Probus were entertained on Wednesday 20 June when I talked about the secrets of successful crime writing and about my crime novels set on the South Coast of England.

I spoke of  how I research my crime novels, including the police and forensic research and how I create my characters including the hunky, flawed and rugged sailing detective, Inspector Andy Horton and my new hero on the block former Royal Marine Commando, Art Marvik, now an undercover investigator for the UK's National Intelligence Marine Squad.