MY LATEST book Killing for Pleasure will be the eighth, and most probably last, in the series of crime novels set in Bradford.
I started writing it soon after Christmas 2022 and completed it in record time for me, before the end of May. It’s focused mainly on the Greengates, Idle, Eccleshill and Thackley area, and mentions a few local landmarks, mainly pubs.
During my research I came across the history of Buck Wood, where there was an open-air school between 1908-1939. Post-war it was used, among other things, as a summer holiday camp for local children whose parents worked in Bradford’s factories. In 1958 I spent a week there and had the time of my life. Recalling this, I decided to include it in the book, but with a much darker twist which is purely fictitious.
Apart from this storyline, there are the usual villains: two serial killers, a savage moneylender, drug dealers and paedophiles - all in a day’s work for Bradford CID.
Inspiration for the storylines came from many sources: newspaper articles, local events, conversations in pubs and my own vivid and warped imagination.
Writing and research has kept me occupied, and sane, since I retired. Some weeks I hardly write a word, other weeks are highly productive. I don’t have a pattern as such. I’m lucky that my wife, Lorraine, indulges me and my work.
My first foray into professional writing was way back in 1995, when, having moved to Bridlington, I noticed how the townspeople’s attitude to visitors changed when the holiday season closed. Holidaymakers were welcomed from Easter until September because they were spending. Through the winter outsiders were contemptuously referred to as Wessies as most came from West Yorkshire.
So, I decided to approach the editor of the Bridlington Free Press with an idea for a fortnightly column of satirical humour called A View from the West, using the byline Wessie. He agreed and the column ran successfully for two years, during which time it was voted runner-up in the annual national awards held by the publisher EMAP.
Killing for Pleasure follows Premonition, The Devil Finds Work, Games People Play, Unfinished Business, The Pandora Program, Retribution and The Darkness of Night. I also wrote a trilogy of adult humour - Losing Lucy, Light Years On and Light At The End Of The Road. I also wrote a novel of satirical humour - my particular favourite - called The Forkham Predicament. This one started life as an online blog titled Mrs Pendragon’s Diary. All my books are available from Amazon in paperback or Kindle format.
The future? I don’t know, other than I’m taking time off.
*Ian's books are all available from Amazon.
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