“Strike a pose.” Madonna said it best in Vogue. I never thought I would borrow the line for myself, yet there I was, on the cover of Ulster Weekend . The feature focused on my novel A Violent Heart , and on growing up in Belfast. Two things tied together in ways I did not fully see until I had to talk them through. Belfast shaped my voice. It shaped how I see conflict, loyalty, and silence. Those ideas sit at the core of the book. Being asked to talk about both felt grounding

In June 2025, something rare happened. A Violent Heart  won the public vote Capital Crime Fingerprint Award  for Thriller of the Year. The room at the Leonardo Hotel St Paul’s  was packed. Writers, readers, industry folk. And there I was, standing there, trying to take it in. I felt proud. Proper proud. This award came from readers, not judges or panels. People who spent time with the book. People who chose it. That matters. I wrote this story quietly, over long days, trustin

I’m stoked to see A Violent Heart shortlisted for the Capital Crime Thriller of the Year Award. It’s now gone to the public vote and it’s...

Publishing 27 February, 2025. The fourth in the Grace Archer and Harry Quinn series. Can be read as a standalone though. Available from...