Another 3 entries for The Squad today (2 American - both deceased, and 1 British - a couple), bringing its numbers to 445.  One entry is a couple team writing together, so they count as one for The Squad. That's 445 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction.  You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad! We have joining us today: 1.  Michael Carey (pseudonym for Edward J. Burton) who served with the NYPD.  He is deceased, although there is no date available.  His novels were published in the 1950s. 2.  Gareth and Louise Ward - our couple crime writing team - who both served as officers in the UK, Northamptonshire Police and Nottingham Police respectively. They now live in New Zealand.   3.  Ann Rule (deceased in 2015) who served with the Seattle PD in the USA.  She is very well known for dozens of true crime books, but she did one crime fiction novel. Our Squad now consists of: 300 American, 76 British, 19 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French, 4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish, 2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish 1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian, 1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements) I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line. Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime ​ And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is). ​ ​Cheers, ​ABP

Another 4 colleagues (2 British, 1 American, and 1 Australian) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 442.  That's 442 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction.  You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad! We have joining us today: 1.  Simon Dinsdale who served with the Essex Police in the UK. 2.  Shawn Wilson who served with the US Marshall's Service.   3.  Harry Tangye who served with the Devon & Cornwall Police in the UK. 4.  Stephen Donnelly who served with the Queensland Police in Australia. Our Squad now consists of: 298 American, 75 British, 19 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French, 4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish, 2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish 1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian, 1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements) I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line. Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime ​ And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is). ​ ​Cheers, ​ABP

​Another 3 colleagues (all American this time) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 438.  That's 438 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction.  You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad! We have joining us today: 1.  Gary Edgington who served with several law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles and California. 2.  Adam Plantinga who served with both the Milwaukee PD and the SFPD.   3.  Sarah Cortez who served with the Harris County PD in Texas. Our Squad now consists of: 297 American, 73 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French, 4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish, 2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish 1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian, 1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements) I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line. Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime ​ And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is). ​ ​Cheers, ​ABP

​Another 3 colleagues (all American this time) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 435.  That's 435 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction.  You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad! We have joining us today: 1.  W.C. Gordon who I believe is still a serving officer somewhere in Florida. 2.  Vic Kusske who served with the Yakima PD in Washington State.   3.  John Good who served with the Illinois PD. Our Squad now consists of: 294 American, 73 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French, 4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish, 2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish 1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian, 1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements) I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line. Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime ​ And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is). ​ ​Cheers, ​ABP

​Another 3 colleagues (2 British and 1 American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 432.  That's 432 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction.  You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad! We have joining us today: 1.  James D. Mortain who served with the Avon & Somerset Constabulary in the UK. 2.  Charlie Owen who served with both the Home Counties Police and the London Police in the UK.   3.  Jeff Shaw who served with the police in Florida in the USA. Our Squad now consists of: 291 American, 73 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French, 4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish, 2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish 1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian, 1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements) I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line. Check out The Squad: Also: Cops Writing Crime ​ And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is). ​ ​Cheers, ​ABP

This superb and powerful novel is utterly relentless in its brutal and thrilling action from start to finish: one of those reads that literally has your adrenalin pumping.  I loved every moment reading it and was again stunned by the quality of storytelling by an indie author who I hadn’t read before. Mr Engel confronts the reality of organized crime and police-cum-government corruption without fear or restraint, and I know from my own experience he does so in a way that would make the Establishment squirm with severe discomfort: they can’t handle the truth, to borrow a great line. This is a classic tale of vengeance, with our protagonist, Ghost, having lost everyone he loved and cared about.  And he is a consummate expert in the arts of violence and killing.  Not that you’re going to feel sorry for anyone he deals with and dispatches from this world, because they all deserve their fates.  There’s a deeply visceral enjoyment as the reader as you witness the scum being eradicated, and the scenes are not for the faint-hearted.  But, damn, they are so well written. Being ex-law enforcement myself, I thoroughly enjoyed, albeit with a twinge of bitter experience, the depiction of decent cops versus corrupt cops.  Mr Engel has that subject nailed to a fine point, and his ability to paint the harsh ethical realities is one of the highlights of his writing.  He also vividly depicts the nature of power, predators and prey in human society.  This is a tale with suffering and tragedy underpinning everything and the blunt reality of this is starkly presented. Aside from master storytelling, Mr Engel can sure as hell draw memorable characters as well.  I was on team empathy with the main man, Ghost, from the start, and then with his reluctant detective sidekick, McCrary.  The Russian mob boss, and his son, are perfectly drawn as the ruthless, narcissistic monsters they are, and so typical of organized crime.  But the real treat in terms of unforgettable characterization were the psychopathic twin contract killers.  As despicable and horrifying as they were, the brilliance of their depiction left me with a fascination for them, although one that required a bottle of sanitizer afterwards. Mr Engel, you are a hell of writer and you epitomize the value of indie writing that transcends the routine and bland offerings of mainstream publishing these days.  I look forward to a lot more of your fine work. Cheers, ABP

I could easily rename this novel A Delicious Deluge of Noir, since it hits every high note of the genre. Or should that be low note, given the tone? As I got into the gripping storyline, and it is flawless storytelling, I was captured by both the atmosphere evoked by Mr Phillips’s biting prose and the wonderfully drawn characters. I’ll certainly never again casually think of Palm Springs as some cookie-cutter retirement village, that’s for sure! The main protagonist, Creeley, is a female toughened by her background, richly detailed and woven in, and by the environs she inhabits. She’s every bit as flawed and troubled as a memorable noir protagonist should be. And you really want to back her from the get-go. However, survival is never a given for this lady, as she mixes it with a cast of dissolute and depraved characters, including a perfectly portrayed corrupt cop, a staple of the genre. The odds are so not in Creeley’s favour. You’ll just have to read this to see how it pans out for her. This was my first taste of long-form fiction from Mr Phillips and I loved it. I will be back for more. Superb noir writing! Cheers, ABP

This novella was simply so much fun! One look at the title and you know it’s going to be. It’s classic pulp writing expertly blending a glorious mishmash of sci-fi, horror, and crime. The action rolls fast and non-stop, and there’s plenty of lascivious sex, always good to read. The alien has a libido bigger than Texas, and the title announces the lusty intentions. No spoilers, but there’s a very dark side to this randy alien. Fun, fun, fun! Exactly what good pulp should be. And one gets the distinct feel that Berry had a whole lot of fun writing it. This was my first taste of Berry’s work and based on my sheer enjoyment I’ve bought a couple more. We need more tributes to great pulp like this. And this is another superb example of the raw and honest writing that indie authors produce, free from the censorship of trad-publishing houses. Love your work, Mr Berry. Cheers, ABP

With my recent forays into horror writing courtesy of meeting some great indie authors online, I happened upon this novella by Ms Schiecke. It’s well written, well plotted, and boiling with action. For a novella, its cast of characters is impressive, with truly all sorts in the mix. Schiecke does an excellent job at evoking one of those middle of nowhere backwaters with its collection of strange freakish people, to put it mildly. The townsfolk are ominous enough, but soon we meet the titular death cult. Then the horror truly starts. And into the fray come our unsuspecting naïve protagonists, the proverbial lambs. And the torrents of blood start. Schiecke’s tight, descriptive prose is uncensored indie writing at its best, and it had me seeing the scenes clearly in my mind, as if watching the screen. I’ll be seeking out more of her work. Thank you, Ms Schiecke, you have added no end to my new-found enjoyment in reading horror. Cheers, ABP