A man walks into a bar and starts talking to a random stranger who turns out to be one of the most celebrated SAS legends of all time... no, it's not a joke, this is real, and this was the night that forged my future as a crime writer. It was August 2012, and I had recently resigned from my job as a police detective within Bath CID. After twelve action-packed years serving my community, I had called it a day to relocate to North Devon with my wife and eight-month-old daughter and give her the best possible start in life. However, after a couple of jobless months, I became homesick and returned to Bath for a night out with my old police pals. What happened next was simply life-changing. You see, the unknown stranger beside me was none other than the international best-selling author of the Danny Black action thrillers, Chris Ryan. As we chatted, Chris suggested that I had a wealth of police knowledge that most crime writers would literally die for, and, he suggested, why didn't I give writing a go myself? The next day back in North Devon, I relayed my thrilling encounter to my wife and mentioned what Chris had said about me taking up writing. To my surprise, she agreed! So right there, right then, I opened my laptop, and Detective Andrew Deans was created. Eight years on, and I cannot imagine life without writing; it has become an integral part of me. I have fostered friendships, have a loyal readership and enjoyed international success that is still beyond my comprehension. I've always been a firm believer in things happening for a reason, and now I am my own living proof of that theory. Just imagine for a moment - what if I hadn't been standing next to Chris Ryan - would any of this have happened to me? So, if you like authentic edge-of-your-seat suspense and gripping action, why not try one of my books. The DI Chilcott series is contemporary British crime - gritty and compelling. The Detective Deans series shares all of those qualities with the added spice of the paranormal.