The world of St John Screech is a cosy and comforting world. Terrible things happen but the baddies invariably get their comeuppance. The tone is light-hearted and humorous but serious topics are dealt with. The grittiness and bleakness and shocking violence of many of the Glaswegian and Scandinavian thrillers we have come to know and love are entirely absent.
About the Author
I have a degree in English Literature and a BTEC in journalism. I spent ten years of my life in Africa teaching English, setting up resource centres, writing and editing workshop reports. For a brief period in 1992 I was the Acting Oxfam Representative for Somalia in Nairobi when things got so bad in Somalia and Oxfam had temporarily pulled out.
My Interests
Music – I love all kinds of music from opera to blues, rock, scar and folk. I play viola in ELLSO, a learning orchestra. Travelling – a lifetime’s passion. Tennis – I have a mean serve but haven’t hit a ball for too many years. Theatre. Ballet. Art, including Japanese woodcuts. Having adventures. Spending time with old friends and making new ones. My KG. Many of these interests, you will note, are those of Inspector Screech’s.
My Writing
After some years of magazine journalism in London, I decided to have a go at writing fiction. I joined a small informal writing group run by the inspired Ruth Beni – producer, screenwriter, children’s author and the driving force behind the award winning educational animation films Eva Goes Foreign, Two Little Girls, A Dangerous Journey and Our Girl.
Our weekly meetings generated a huge amount of material and under her gentle guidance and in an atmosphere of co-operation we read and discussed our efforts. One term’s assignment was to write a ten part thriller, each part ending on a cliff hanger. I particularly enjoyed this method of telling a story and it has become the template for all the Inspector St John Screech stories –easy to read bites of narrative that keep you hooked.
Why St John Screech?
At an opening of a sale of Japanese woodcuts at Sotheran’s, a short talk was given by Professor Timon Screech from the School of Oriental and Asian Studies. I was so taken by his name that I thought I must have him for my stories. Obviously, I could not use Timon, so St John was born.
Why Cecilia?
The patron Saint of Music and Musicians, of course.
Why Potemkin?
The famous Russian general but I don’t know why and I am sure Screech doesn’t either.
Bruce Bravo?
Detective Juliet Bravo, and my sadly deceased cat Bruce, on whom Potemkin is based.
Vladimir Vladimirov?
I just liked the sound. But I know there are many with the same name in Russia.
Quentin Michaelfish?
The most famous Michaelfish is the weather man but I wasn’t thinking of him. The name Quentin reminds me of Quirk – I worked briefly for Professor Randolph Quirk and it was his demeanour and his looks that came to mind when I thought of the Chief Superintendant though Professor Quirk himself was quite short and spent a lot of time lying on the floor because of his bad back.
Many other characters that appear in the stories are entirely based on people I know – and many have requested cameo appearance in the books – but as all writers will tell you for fear of litigation:
“All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”