Subscribe for FREE: robertmurphy.substack.comThe creator of The Snowdonia Killings talks true crime, pivoting from screenplays to novels (via teaching) and how his own publishing company has proved far more lucrative than being traditionally published.When, in 2020, Simon couldn’t get an agent or a publisher, he decided to self-publish his first novel, expecting just a few friends to buy it.But soon it was soaring up the Amazon charts.The Snowdonia Killings, with its lead character of Det Insp Ruth Hunter, seemed to touch a nerve with fans of crime fiction.Since then, Simon has written more than THIRTY books and has sold millions of copies.Simon’s books are fantastic reads, with great characters, evocative settings and terrific twists.You can find out more (and claim a free book) here: https://www.simonmccleave.comTo WATCH this interview - click here: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertmurphy/p/simon-mccleave-the-screenwriter-turned?r=1lsdh7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Mark Gatiss’s new crime drama is set in 1946 London: a city recovering from the Blitz, when gangs ran wild and gun crime was rife.Bookish is inspired by both true crimes and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction which preceded the Second World War.But what were the true crimes of this period?And how does Mark, who works across so many genres (comedy, horror, sci-fi, action, period-drama) and platforms (TV, books, theatre, film) create a show which resonates? Bookish is already posting big audience numbers on U&Alibi in the UK.You may know Mark from The League of Gentlemen, Sherlock, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Dracula - and MANY other shows.But what is it that brings him back to crime?To watch this interview, click here: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertmurphy/p/sherlocks-mark-gatiss-true-crime?r=1lsdh7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
The Detection Club, established in 1930, is the world’s first social network for crime writers. It’s founder fathers and mothers included Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers and Anthony Berkeley.Its current membership includes Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Richard Osman.The current (and only the eighth) President, Martin Edwards, has released an updated edition of his book ‘The Golden Age of Murder’ in which he talks about the true cases which inspired the literary greats of the Inter-War years.And he describes how many of our classic crime novels riff around the subject of a ‘justified murder.’To WATCH this interview, click here: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertmurphy/p/video-interview-martin-edwards-president?r=1lsdh7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueMore about Martin Edwards : https://martinedwardsbooks.com/ and https://substack.com/@martinedwardsbooks/This podcast mentions an earlier episode about the Thompson-Bywaters with laura thompson case. You can hear that here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
How do you take on one of the biggest literature legacies of the past half-century? That’s what Nick Harkaway was asked to do after his father, David Cornwell (aka John Le Carré) died in 2020.Karla’s Choice, Nick’s latest in the George Smiley world puts us in a sinister world of subterfuge, Hungarian agents and 1960s London.In this interview, Nick tells us how he approached the writing of Karla’s Choice, what he learned from his father - and what he had to learn on-the-job, and how he balances writing in the Le Carré world with his own books.You can get Karla’s Choice here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Karlas-Choice-John-Carr%C3%A9-Novel-ebook/dp/B0CZPPHPCR?ref_=ast_author_mpbPLUS: My book ‘Decoy’ won ‘Book of the Year’ at the True Crime awards in London last week. Judges praised the quality of the writing, the high-end research and journalism and the issues raised.You can grab a copy here: UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Decoy-secretive-historical-undercover-operations/dp/0008666814/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0USA: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Decoy/dp/B0CS6XNB54?ref_=ast_author_dpCanada: https://www.amazon.ca/Decoy-secretive-historical-undercover-operations-ebook/dp/B0CLTGQDQJ?ref_=ast_author_dpAustralia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Decoy-secretive-historical-undercover-operations-ebook/dp/B0CLTGQDQJ?ref_=ast_author_dpWant to watch this interview? Check it out here: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/165538997/share-center This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
# Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com #Recorded at CrimeFest in Bristol, England, May 2025Lee Child on how his TV career helped him write, his favourite authors, how he ‘writes the fast stuff slow and the slow stuff fast’ and handing the Jack Reacher baton to his brother Andrew.Links mentioned in the show:https://www.jackreacher.com/us/https://www.crimefest.com/Decoy book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Decoy-secretive-historical-undercover-operations/dp/0008666814/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0To Hunt A Killer: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunt-Killer-gripping-Longlisted-non-fiction/dp/0008507473/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0Want to watch the interview? Paste this into your browser: https://robertmurphy.substack.com/p/lee-child-talks-reacher-his-craft This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Neil Woods spent fourteen years as an undercover police officer, helping dismantle some of Britain’s most notorious drug gangs.Yet after his biggest victory he came to the conclusion: was it worth it?He started to feel that the problem was helped by repeated failures of governments to tackle the cause of Britain and America’s drugs epidemic. In fact by handing control of drugs supply to criminals governments were the cause.‘A doctor controlling it (drugs supply) with a prescription pad has no incentive to find new customers and so the market doesn't develop. So what happened is it becomes a pyramid scheme. If you're organised crime, you want to find new customers, you find someone who's addicted and you say, ‘Look, if you find five more customers and you sell to them, they'll pay for your habit’ and the pyramid scheme explodes.’Neil’s views are controversial views. But they are compelling. In this interview Neil describes:* How the world used to experience two competing drug policies: The American System and The British System - with the American System winning.* How following criminalisation in the 1960s, addicts fell into the hands of organised crime.* How some schemes decriminalising drugs have worked in recent years.To find out more about Neil and to get copies of his books ‘Good Cop, Bad War’ and ‘Drug Wars’ click here: https://www.neilwoods.net/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
On November 7th 1974, a children’s nanny Sandra Rivett was murdered at the home of the family in which she was in service.It was the Lucan family.Lord Lucan - her suspected killer - may have been targeting his estranged wife. But a man who had squandered his family fortune at Belgravia’s gaming tables proved to be as inept at murder as he was at gambling.And he killed poor Sandra. This is the perceived wisdom - and the finding of an inquest.But with so little known for sure, conjecture fills the gaps facts leave behind.What really happened on November 7th 1974?This is a compendium episode - a trilogy re-released to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Sandra’s murder.In the first two episodes, I’ve interviewed the brilliant author Laura Thompson - who has written a wonderful book A Different Class of Murder about the run up and aftermath of the killing.And in episode three, I speak with screenwriter George Kay about the nanny who could have been on-rota that night, managed to swap shifts - and cheated death.Yet Christabel Boyce met a dreadful end a decade later - leading some to believe there was a curse of the Lucan nannies. George has a personal connection with this second tragedy.You can find out more about Laura, her writing and her books here: http://www.laurathompson.co.uk/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Neil Woods spent years as an undercover police officer. He says his techniques in included ‘weaponising empathy’ - using the good nature of society’s most vulnerable.And as Britain was being hit by a wave of cheap drugs and a rise in heroin and crack cocaine addicts, Neil had the most staggering results.In just one operation against Britain’s most notorious gang - The Burger Bar Boys - his work led to 96 arrests.But what impact did living a double-life have on this family man? What was it like having knives held at his throat?And why does he now believe undercover policing should only be used in the rarest and most extreme cases?Neil Woods has written two thought-provoking books. Links to them and him are here: https://www.neilwoods.net/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.comIn Cold Blood started as a study in how a heartbreaking killing impacted a Mid-West community. But Truman Capote got sucked into the story.At first, the folk of Holcomb, Kansas, distrusted the flamboyant writer.But slowly, he won the small city round.And when the killers were caught, he built an unbelievable and controversial bond with them.In this episode, Capote’s friend and biographer, Gerald Clarke, describes the awful murders of the Clutter family in 1959, how Capote spent six years writing his masterpiece and its legacy on true crime and non-fiction literature.You can get a copy of In Cold Blood here.You can get a copy of Gerald Clarke’s Capote here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Subscribe for free at Robertmurphy.substack.comMaxim Jakobowski has sold millions of books. But you may not have heard of him.After releasing a book aged 16, he moved into publishing and worked with Patricia Highsmith (‘an incredible talent… a very difficult lady…’) he then turned to crime writing.When ‘50 Shades of Grey’ was released, he was drafted into writing a series of erotica - which sold millions of books.And how did he sell the rights of a novel to Nicole Kidman… for a fortune?A quick warning… if True Crime is your thing, this episode may not be for you. But fiction fans may find it fascinating.But Maxim speaks in detail and depth about how to publish crime, the state of the book industry and fiction trends which have come and gone. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Billie-Jo Jenkins was a talented 13-year-old schoolgirl who had found what appeared to be the perfect foster family: four daughters, a mum who was a social worker and a dad who was a deputy headteacher.Sion Jenkins was an upstanding member of an affluent town’s community. But he had secrets. Like the lies about his academic qualifications and the affair with a teenage girl who looked a lot like Billie-Jo.When Billie-Jo was found dead in her garden in 1997, it was Sion who called 999. Detectives first arrested a mysterious figure, known as Mr B.But then they turned their attention to Billie-Jo’s own foster father.He had just a three-minute window to have killed the 13-year-old. Could he have done it? And why?What followed was a roller-coaster of a police inquiry, prosecution and series of trials.For her series ‘Who Killed Billie-Jo’ podcaster Naomi Channell has gone back to the schoolgirl’s friends, family and the inquiry team to find out more about what happened.You can listen to her series here:To learn more about Naomi and her podcast, click here:https://linktr.ee/realtruecrimepodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
#Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com #Jackie Kabler met one of Britain’s most notorious killers for her job as a breakfast TV correspondent. Years later, she used her experience covering crime for her fictional thrillers.Her psychological drama The Perfect Couple has sold over 400,000 copies and she has sold nearly a million books in total.Her latest story, The Life Sentence, is based on a case of wrongful prosecution which she heard about on a true crime podcast.You can find out more about Jackie here: www.jackiekabler.com@officialjackiekabler and @jackiekablerSubscribe to robertmurphy.substack.com to watch the video interview. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE: ROBERTMURPHY.SUBSTACK.COMBy the late 1980s, Jackie Malton seemed to have it all. She was one of only three female detective chief inspectors in the Metropolitan Police. She had worked on major inquiries and was a noted leader.But she had also stood up against the force’s grey male authority, against corruption, misogyny and freemasonry. Bruising encounters which left her unliked by some, stymied in her career and battling with alcohol.Then she received the phone call which changed her life.After retiring, Jackie has continued to work with television firms. She advises TV drama producers and is an expert used for crime analysis on shows and podcasts.She also works in prison to rehabilitate killers. In this episode she speaks about her work helping to reform murderers: how its done and the successes and failures she has encountered.Jackie’s book is The Real Prime Suspect. You can grab a copy here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
#Subscribe for FREE: robertmurphy.substack.com #Jackie Malton was a policing pioneer, joining a British provincial force in 1970, then transferring to the Metropolitan Police where she served in the Fraud Squad, Flying Squad and murder squads. She was often the only woman serving in each team.In this episode, she describes how she overcame homophobia and misogyny, clashed with corrupt officers and worked on one of London’s most controversial inquiries: The New Cross Fire investigation. Jackie’s book is The Real Prime Suspect. You can grab a copy here.Please rate and review Behind The Crimes wherever you get your podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
It was the early 1990s and Lynda La Plante was desperate. She had a few TV drama successes under her belt, but everything she was pitching was greeted with a ‘no’ from commissioners.Then, in a pitch meeting, she dreamt up Prime Suspect when the TV boss said she wanted a ‘cop show with a female detective and a murder.'But to create Det Ch Insp Jane Tennison, Lynda needed to research true crime. Enter Met detective Jackie Malton - and months of research.This interview coincides with the release of Lynda’s final Jane Tennison book, Whole Life Sentence which takes readers to the detective’s life before Prime Suspect.In this episode, Lynda talks Tennison, Jackie Malton, the importance of grounding her fiction in fact and research.Whole Life Sentence is released on July 4th 2024. You can grab a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-Life-Sentence-pulse-pounding-Detective-ebook/dp/B0CSTSGNS8To learn more about Lynda, click here: https://lyndalaplante.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
For extras subscribe at: robertmurphy.substack.comSamantha Robins was the Intelligence Manager on the Major Crime Team at Surrey Police in May 2010 when, late in the evening, the call came in: a young mother had been murdered in her home.What followed was a multi-pronged inquiry.Sarah Thomas was a 38-year-old mother of three who was found in her flat in a quiet English village.Her boyfriend raised the alarm - and was arrested. But when it became clear he was not responsible for Sarah’s death, suspicion passed to a dark character with an horrific criminal record.As the inquiry moved through the gears and a major manhunt was begun, detectives started leaning heavily on Samantha and her team of analysts which was sifting through the influx of sightings and clues.* Who was Sarah’s killer?* Why had he murdered her?* Where had he been spotted?And when the full history of the killer’s criminal record became known, the manhunt became a race against time.You can learn more about Sam here: https://x.com/SamRobins This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
Janice Hallett has created three of the most inventive crime books of recent years. When I first started reading ‘The Appeal’ I was a bit dubious. How could a crime novel with big characters really be told through emails and messages?Then I got into the book…Next came The Twyford Code with a main character, a prisoner Steve Smith who can neither read nor write, who reveals his story through transcripts of audio recordings. It is GENIUS!And now there is the Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, told through research papers left by a journalist investigating a cult. Another triumph.In this episode Janice talks of how she is inspired by true crime, how she never plots her books and how her previous careers as a screenwriter and speechwriter have helped her as a fiction writer.To find out more about Janice and her books, click here.Her latest book, The Examiner, will be available from August 29th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
#To watch this interview - subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com#Det Insp Paul Franklin was in charge of the inquiry to bring the murderous, cheating husband Emile Cilliers to justice.But it wasn’t easy. There was little direct evidence that Cilliers had tampered with the parachute of his wife, Victoria.There was no CCTV nor DNA.And Victoria did not support the investigation into her husband.A new docudrama about the case is being broadcast in the UK. To coincide with this, Paul has given this new interview to Behind the Crimes to discuss how he built the case, the challenges of Victoria becoming a hostile witness, how dangerous Cilliers is - and the long-term impact of the inquiry on everyone.And it is now the subject of a brilliant three-part docudrama, made by Story Films for Channel4 in the UK:https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-fall-skydive-murder-plot/on-demand/75275-002Victoria has written her own account too.If you are impacted by issues raised in this interview, please read more here: https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/coercive-control/https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
#To watch this interview - subscribe at robertmurphy.substack.com#Emile Cilliers made global headlines in 2018 when he was convicted of the attempted murder of his wife Victoria.He was an upstanding army sergeant, a family man, who led a debaucherous double life of sex clubs, girlfriends and payday loans.He tried to murder Victoria by tampering with the gas meter in their home. When this failed, he sabotaged her parachute - both her main and reserve canopies.Somehow, Victoria survived the 4,000-foot drop.There was little direct evidence: no DNA, no CCTV. No clue that Emile was responsible.But after taking a spine-tingling call and arresting Cilliers, detective Maddy Hennah became convinced he was the perpetrator.What followed was a long, arduous inquiry leading to a sensational pair of trials.It has been the subject of my own eight-part podcast series: And it is now the subject of a brilliant three-part docudrama, made by Story Films for Channel4 in the UK:https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-fall-skydive-murder-plot/on-demand/75275-002Victoria has written her own account too.If you are impacted by issues raised in this interview, please read more here: https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/coercive-control/https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com
#Subscribe for free: robertmurphy.substack.com#Laura Lippman spent more than 20 years as a journalist working in Texas and Baltimore.She has won Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, Barry, Nero and Shamus awards (among many others) for her 25 novels - which include 12 featuring the private investigator Tess MonaghanHer latest, Prom Mom, has a loose inspiration by the 1997 case of Melissa Drexler a New Jersey teenager who gave birth during her prom, but then something truly awful happened…Laura discusses the ethics of True Crime - including the aftermath of Baby Reindeer, how being a journalist helped her ‘research to task’ and why Nick Hornby likened Laura to ‘a big American cheeseburger’ (Patricia Highsmith was a steak!)There’s more about Laura here: https://lauralippman.com/And subscribe for extras: robertmurphy.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com