Background to the story

Killing the Beasts

For this novel, I drew on my experience of seeing Manchester as it was transformed in the run up to hosting the Commonwealth Games. It was an incredible time; millions of pounds were pouring in and landmark buildings were springing up all over the place.

But what fascinated me was how so many of the city centre’s older buildings – many of them derelict throwbacks from Manchester’s industrial past – were simply hidden behind huge building wrap advertisements.

Once the games were finished and the crowds went away, these massive posters came down. With their disappearance, the teams of litter pickers and additional bins also vanished. Soon the real city – dirtier and dilapidated – reasserted itself, and a series of bizarre killings start to occur in my book.

Lead character in ‘Killing the Beasts’ is DI Jon Spicer. As a member of the city’s Major Incident Team, he soon finds himself hunting the killer. The pace of events begins to pick up and, along with it, Jon’s concern for an old friend called Tom Benwell. Jon’s worries are justified – Tom’s mental health is starting to fragment, making him ever-more vulnerable to a sinister figure who lurks in the shadows of the city.