The setting for DI Andy Horton #14 DEAD PASSAGE

One of the locations which inspired me for DEAD PASSAGE 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.

Rat Island, Portsmouth Harbour

Here is an extract from DEAD PASSAGE about Rat Island

Horton’s gaze 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? 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.’

Which is far more recent, so what secrets 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. It can also be loaned from UK, USA and Commonwealth libraries.