Visit my website at www.rowmark.co.uk for details of all my crime novels

We all know that when choosing someplace to live location is important, it's equally important in novels. And Sweden is not the only location in the World for setting atmospheric crime novels, though you would hardly think that at the moment! While everyone seems to be obsessed with things Swedish there are many great crime novels set in various parts of the UK from gritty Glasgow to captivating Cornwall.  And there is also marine mystery country, the Solent area on the South Coast of England, which includes the harbours of Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester and on the Isle of Wight. Langstone Harbour from North Hayling across to Langstone Mill and Warblington Tower (just out of shot to the right) Readers of my marine mystery crime novels, thrillers and police procedurals come from around the world, as far afield as China, Turkey, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, America and of course from all over the UK where I live.  I often wonder how they picture th...

Last night, just as dusk had fallen, I peered into the garden to see at least two bats flying around. They were flitting about everywhere, making little calling noises, feeding on the insects in mid-air and fascinating to watch.  I wondered where they had come from, the garage, the house, the summer house?  Or perhaps a couple of barns in the fields nearby. It was lovely to see them and I certainly hope they come again. Perhaps they are living in my house, it's a possibility according to the  Bat Conservation website , which is well worth a visit. I've featured a bat in one of my Inspector Andy Horton crime novels .  I won't say which one, why or how because I don't want to give the plot away. This is Andy Horton country and the home of my marine mystery police procedurals. Above is a photograph of Langstone Harbour, about 200 yards from my house, looking across to Havant. Langstone Harbour features in a couple of Horton novels and in the forthcoming one Foo...

August is traditionally a quiet time in publishing because of the holidays. It's also usually quiet for authors in respect of fulfilling speaking engagements, although I suppose some authors could be running summer writing camps.  So while there is  comparative peace and quiet of a sorts, and no speaking engagements for me until September, it's a good time to crack on with the new Andy Horton crime novel, (number seven) which is exactly what I've been doing.  And I want to get some way into it before I have to break off to work on edits, copy-edits and proofs of Footsteps on the Shore  ,the sixth in the Andy Horton series, which, I think, is being published in the New Year.  I'll let you know for certain, as soon as I hear. This new novel then, as yet untitled, is progressing well. I have now written over 30,000 words of the first draft, but there is a long way to go yet.  Many readers want to know what happened to...