Tag: Ian Robinson

I was very excited this week to see that the good people over at The Good Folks have republished Ian Robinson’s dynamite debut, with a new title and with out a nom de plume. You can go read what I said about Criminal Justice‘s first incarnation back in 2018, here. I wanted to do something to celebrate this release and hopefully draw some eyes to Robinson’s work, so we hastily set up this Q&A. It’s a little different than my usual M.O. (it’s been years since I read the book for one thing, so I couldn’t ask a lot of specifics). I like the results, hopefully you do, too.

But first…what is Criminal Justice? (you should check out the publisher’s site for details on getting a copy)

The first book in a totally gripping hard-boiled crime fiction series

Undercover detective Sam Batford is through with police budget cuts and ineffectual superiors. But has he gone rogue?

He is sent to work with a serious crime team in London to take down a big drugs boss. Their chief, DCI Klara Winter, doesn’t appreciate Batford’s presence. The feeling is entirely reciprocal.

Batford has his eyes on the money, except when they are drawn to Stoner, an attractive blonde who is pivotal to the organised crime syndicate’s operations.

Now embroiled in the gang, as Batford plays one side against the other, the risk of his cover being blown increases. This comes to a head when he is faced with the option of confession or torture.

Who will have the last laugh in this high-octane battle of wits?

CRIMINAL JUSTICE is the first book in this riveting series of pulp crime thrillers by Ian Robinson. The second book, STATUS DRIFT, is coming soon.

So, this is not your first time doing a Q&A here, but it’s the first time as Ian Robinson. What brought on the name change? I assume since most of your books are out now (with at least one more on the way) using this name that it’s going to stick?
A pleasure to be invited back on your blog. That’s a reasonable question, and the answer is yes, Ian Robinson is the name I’ll be writing under. I used Ian Patrick (my first and middle name) originally, as I’d just left the police due to ill health. I had a crippling fear of failure, rejection, and self-doubt. I left school at 16 with nothing and figured my books would bomb. Seven books later and, I guess, I proved myself to be wrong.

We’re supposed to be talking about Criminal Justice, so let’s focus on that for a bit. The publisher’s blurb is above–but let’s hear it from you—give the reader an elevator pitch for this book, and while we’re it, the Batford series.
I’m terrible at elevator pitches! If you enjoyed the TV series Line of Duty, then these books will appeal. If you like fast-paced thrillers, you won’t be disappointed. I inject some realities of policing within the fiction which gives the narrative a feel of authenticity you won’t get from other books in this genre.

What was behind the decision to re-brand this series now? You’ve said that the editing was updated, too—what kinds of (I’m assuming relatively minor) changes have been made to this?
I wanted to reach a new audience and I’ve been impressed with the way The Book Folks operate. They’ve helped me reach new readers with the Nash and Moretti series and getting my stories out there is what it’s about for me. I want people to be entertained. I want the reader to feel that time spent with my work has been of value. The story is the same as the original, but it’s been valuable for me to work with editors to ensure we got the maximum out of the novel in terms of structure and plot. Things have changed since it was first published, particularly with police departments and place names. The editing team were superb in picking these details up.

After all this time—and seven published books—what was it like coming back to Criminal Justice? Was it good to be reacquainted, or did you spend a lot of time second-guessing choices you made back then?
Great question. I didn’t second guess anything. I know how good these books are and will stand by them to the grave. I did realise that my mind wasn’t in a great place when I originally wrote the books, but that added to the creativity.

You won’t read another crime thriller series like this one. How can I claim that? I used my own policing experience to convey the adrenaline rush on the page. I’ve been in many confrontations, fights, and chases and I can express how this feels from reality. I didn’t read crime fiction either. The realities of the job were enough. This gave me the advantage of putting my own voice on paper. I feel this comes across in a fresh and exciting way and why the BBC optioned the originals for a six-part TV series. The producers could see this too. Sadly, it never progressed beyond the script outline as the pandemic hit the industry and decisions were taken to go in other directions as a result.

I will always be proud of these books, and I wish to acknowledge Chris McVeigh at Fahrenheit Press for supporting me with the originals. Times change, and I have too. I’m embarking on a new chapter in my writing and it feels wonderful to have Batford back with a new brand and to see where it takes him.

The last time we talked about Sam Batford, you mentioned that “writing about a corrupt man goes against all my core values.” Particularly in light of the new look that society is taking at policing in general, and police corruption in particular—is it harder to bring Batford back? Were you tempted to soften him up a bit (last time you said you tried, but it didn’t work) now?
Corruption is, and always will be, an issue for society and isn’t solely within the police. With any public body you’ll have issues of corruption. The beauty of creating a character like Batford is that you can write from a place that disturbs you and that’s where the writing takes on a life of its own. This is where the creative energy takes you to places you thought you’d never want to explore. It can be liberating in terms of story. My Nash and Moretti series is based on investigating murder so this limits how you can approach the writing in some way (to me anyway). With Batford, he is a cop with very few boundaries. He will cross the line, but he does have his own moral code he wouldn’t breach. I can explore the official side through Winter and her team and Batford’s world where anything could happen. Not being constrained in this way is liberating when it comes to the story.

According to your publisher, the second book, Status Drift, is coming soon, can you share the new title of the third book yet? More importantly (for me, anyway), does this rebranding open the door for further Batford books? Maybe a prequel?
There’s no confirmed title for book 3 and never say never for more from this character.

That’s not the definitive “yes” that I was hoping for, but it’s good enough. 🙂

What is next for Ian Robinson, author, in that case?
To remain grounded and not get hung up on the future. I’m waiting to see what the response is to Criminal Justice then I can decide on a direction to take. I’m hoping Batford will be positively received. I love this character and the scope to expand his world is exciting to me.

Thanks for your time, sir! It’s always a pleasure.

Readers—there’s no better time to introduce yourself to Ian Robinson and/or Sam Batford than right now. You won’t soon forget either of them.

Shots Fired by Ian Robinson: The Hunt for a Gun

By HCNewton

On November 18, 2021

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Shots Fired

by Ian Robinson
Series: DI Nash and DS Moretti, #3

Kindle Edition, 179 pg.
The Book Folks, 2021

Read: September 10-13, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Shots Fired About?

Oddly for a London-based series, we start with a murder in Glasgow. The gun used is quickly tied to a three-year-old murder case in London. This connection reinvigorates the investigation into the old case.

A theory or two comes up about the gun—the leading theory involves the idea that the gun is rented out, and if they can follow the gun back to the source they can solve both crimes—and maybe more.

Nash and Moretti look into shootings in Glasgow and Northern Ireland to look at the evidence around them to see if they led to the gun’s provenance and maybe shed some light on the London murder.

A Cultural Divide

I’m very, very carefully and intentionally not making an evaluation of any set of laws here, I’m simply describing the experience from the point of view of an American raised and living in one of the “reddest states” and a watcher/reader of a lot of US Crime Fiction.

But wow…it is so weird for an American to read about the police so focused on one gun as it is used in multiple crimes over a long period of time in different countries. This is the kind of thing that would be tossed in a river or a dumpster and easily replaced in a US-based police procedural. And the travel involved in tracing the gun’s whereabouts is mind-boggling to me, if only because it suggests that the gun did that at least that much traveling, too.

So, what did I think about Shots Fired?

I’m still mystified by the way that Nash treats Moretti—hot and cold at the same time, and with little to provoke a change (from my perspective). Pretty much everything I said about Cover Blown applies here*—although there’s at least one moment where she seems to notice that she’s not treating him quite the way he deserves. So maybe she’ll come around.

* I actually had a couple of paragraphs more to say on this point, but before I hit publish, I glanced at my Cover Blown post and realized it was largely the same.

Compared to the previous volumes in this series, the procedural nature of this novel seemed a bit light—as did the realism. But maybe that’s just me. Either way, it’s a fun read with a solid cast of characters. I’m hoping a fourth Nash and Moretti is arriving soon, and I’ll be jumping on it as soon as I can.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

There’s a Reason I Write by Ian Patrick Robinson

By HCNewton

On October 7, 2021

In Books, Ian Patrick, Miscellany, News/Misc., Strolling Down Amnesia Lane

Strolling Down Amnesia Lane

There’s a Reason I Write

by Ian Patrick Robinson

In 1996 I was reading the hardback edition of Fight Club. This is the only book that’s really resonated with me. The power of the language and the themes it explored have stood the test of time. If you’ve seen the film then it would be easy to think the book’s all about toxic masculinity – it’s far from that.

The following is my own opinion based on reading the book many times. It’s not to be considered in any way a critique worthy of note. So, without trying to give any spoilers, here’s my take on the book that resonated with me in 96.

The narrator’s going through what could be described as existential angst. He’s in a job he hates and can see no way out of until he meets Tyler Durden, a soap salesman who introduces him to his take on life. In 1996, I was six years in a police career that would last twenty-seven. I was young, but not what I would consider to be impressionable. I was working in the Criminal Investigation Department where the regular fallout of many a punch up would await me in the cells each morning. Each one with a tale of innocence to tell. Innocent until proven guilty, that is.

It was a time where CCTV wasn’t prominent, mobile phones weren’t a thing, and pagers were only beginning to come in. It was a time of face-to-face engagement, or you picked up a landline and had a conversation. Witness statements were taken on paper and interviews were just beginning to be taped—yes, taped. Fight Club was all about conversation—conversations between the narrator and those he would seek in self-help groups he didn’t belong to. Conversations with all walks of life who’d come together to fight, to bond, to express their desire for freedom, freedom from expectations of conformity to the “norm” and freedom to be themselves.

Every individual I came in contact with had a choice of how they would react at the time prior to committing the offence. They just didn’t take the option of least resistance. There are many quotes in Fight Club that the author, Chuck Palahniuk, nailed. Google them to see the best, or better still read the book.

In 2015 I was diagnosed with an incurable muscle-wasting condition. A condition with no name that fell under the umbrella of Muscular Dystrophies.

My policing career was over after 27 yrs. Yes, I could have stayed on doing a desk job, but that wasn’t why I joined. Now I write books. Books of crime fiction and I’m working on others that aren’t. Rubicon, Stoned Love, Fools Gold, and How the Wired Weep are my attempt at urban noir. Latent Damage, Cover Blown, and Shots Fired a stab at police procedural.

There’s a reason I write and that’s due to Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club:

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

What will you do?

It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.

Header image by jplenio from Pixabay

Cover Blown by Ian Robinson: DI Nash’s Professional Worlds Collide

By HCNewton

On March 10, 2021

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Cover Blown

by Ian Robinson
Series: DI Nash and DS Moretti, #2

Kindle Edition, 185 pg.
The Book Folks, 2021

Read: February 24-25, 2021

What’s Cover Blown About?

Fresh off the events of Latent Damage DI Nash’s team dives into a new murder case. Two women have been murdered in clearly connected events, sadly, that’s the only thing that seems to connect them (well, that and they’re cat owners, but does that count?). Nash and Moretti are quickly stymied by the strange circumstances around the cases.

Meanwhile, Nash is helping out an undercover unit on the side. She’s as disciplined as possible with this, keeping her priority on the homicides, but she occasionally has to step away, leaving Moretti to direct the team’s efforts. At some point (and I’m only saying this because it’s in the publisher’s description), evidence is uncovered that indicates DI Nash had been in communication with both victims.

A Thought About DI Nash

I like Nash—watching her juggle the murder cases and the undercover operation is something you don’t get to see often in procedurals (particularly from someone of her rank). We haven’t (so far) gotten too deep with her and what makes her tick—but I like what we’ve seen so far, she’s an interesting character. Which is all I’m looking for—an interesting and compelling character.

That said, I wouldn’t want her as a boss. She’s mercurial, she seems to manage primarily through threats, and while she’ll come through or her team when the chips are down, it’d be good to see her do that before I got to that stage (she’s also better at looking out for them with outsiders than among themselves).

Basically, I like reading about her but wouldn’t want to work for/with her. There’s part of me that hopes she grows into a better manager as the series progresses—but I also enjoy seeing someone successful and flawed.

So, what did I think about Cover Blown?

While this is the Nash and Moretti series, in the first book, there was a definite emphasis on Moretti. This book focused on Nash—I really hope this balancing act continues (think Lydia Chin/Bill Smith books by S. J. Rozan, but in the third person), it’s a good way to tell the duo’s story (and the team’s) without the perspective becoming stale or allowing one character to take over.

The dialogue issues I had in the first book were either absent or so rare in this installment that they never bugged me—and that goes for some of the other stumbles I thought were made in Latent Damage—it feels like Robinson’s more comfortable in this new voice, this new world, and that’s good news for the reader.

The procedural element of this novel is one of the strengths, the sheer effort involved in making the slightest progress in a murder inquiry is something to behold. With these books, Robinson is blending the murder team, the work of those who handle informants, and an undercover unit, which is another layer of difficulty to portray well, and Robinson nails that. I can’t remember if I talked much about it in the post about the last book, but this team spends a lot of time and effort on avenues that don’t ultimately lead where they want to go. I love seeing that—particularly (and I expect realistically) when they end up turning up other criminal activity.

Good characters, fascinating cases, a couple of exciting moments, and an all-around entertaining novel. I’d encourage you to grab hop on to this series here at the beginning—this is a keeper.

4 Stars

Latent Damage by Ian Robinson: A Compelling Series Debut

By HCNewton

On March 10, 2021

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Latent Damage

by Ian Robinson
Series: DI Nash and DS Moretti, #1

Kindle Edition, 199 pg.
The Book Folks, 2021

Read: February 16-17, 2021

What’s Latent Damage About?

Being awakened at 5 in the morning on a Saturday morning to come to a crime scene is not what DS Nick Moretti had planned. He’s got a vacation—sorry, holiday—coming up in a couple of weeks, and a homicide investigation could derail that. All part of the fun in the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

When he arrives at the crime scene, Moretti discovers that the victim is a Muslim man whose throat was cut just across the street from his mosque. Automatically, the assumption is this is some sort of right-wing group acting out Anti-Muslim sentiment.

Moretti’s DI, Pip Nash spent some time in an undercover unit and still has a lot of contacts there—she’s able to use some of them to help once they get a direction to look in, but first they need to get a motive and some suspects.

While they’re still struggling to get some momentum for the investigation, another body shows up—with his throat cut in a similar fashion—this time, however, it’s an Anglican priest who was the victim.

Now, the team has two members of religious communities murdered in December—this is a PR nightmare in the making for the Met. Will these detectives and the rest of their team be able to stop the killer before another corpse shows up?

DI Nash and DS Moretti

DI Pip Nash is career-oriented, by the book type. She knows what she wants out of members of her team and isn’t afraid to demand it. Her background with the UC team adds a fun twist to things, and watching both the informants’ team and the UC team work with the homicide team is a nice change of pace—I’m used to seeing one of these entities at work, watching them cooperate (to whatever degree) is a great way to start a series.

DS Nick Moretti is less career-oriented (it seems), he’s definitely less by the book (he’s lucky if his alarm gets set in the morning). But he seems to do a good job of rallying the troops and putting the pieces of the murder together. His personal life is in an interesting state (although he has one, and it doesn’t seem that Nash does), and seems like it will prove fertile ground for drama in the future.

I’ve seen versions of both of these characters in books here and there—rarely as a team sharing the name of the series. I think watching their dynamic grow and develop over the next few books will prove just as interesting (maybe more so) than the crimes they investigate.

A Couple of Misgivings

So much of the dialogue in this book was awkward—some was even painful. The characters were trying to joke around or banter and it came off as stilted or excessively wordy—and it’s just off-putting. There were also a few instances of “I’m going to explain my job duties as I carry them out, despite the fact that everyone I’m talking to already knows this is my job.” The latter happens a lot with procedurals, so it’s easy to shrug off (even if these were some egregious examples). The former, however, is another matter. These are supposed to be friends or at least close colleagues, banter should feel natural. I’m going to chalk this up to Robigins just getting used to this world, and (if you count the works under his pen name) this is at least his fifth novel, and the first that I know of where practically every character wasn’t lying to everyone they talk to—it’s possible he doesn’t know how to write for people who aren’t deceiving.

So, what did I think about Latent Damage?

One thing that I’ve always really enjoyed about a good police procedural is the procedure. Watching a team go through the steps, grinding away to get the desired result is a pleasure. Sure, the procedure is dramatized, and usually only bears a passing resemblance to reality. But you can generally get a feel for what authors skew toward authenticity (few of these would be U.S.-based procedurals). And that’s pretty much what Robinson gives us—naturally, that’s helped by his years of actual experience. As such, there are investigative paths that go nowhere, and some that lead to unexpected places—and the amount of effort that goes into making small progress is a great realistic touch.

Yes, the ultimate reveals about the way the killer went about things seems a bit on the outlandish side*—but the way the team came up with his identity wasn’t. Nor was his motive, which seemed very grounded in reality.

* not unforgivably so, I’m not reading True Crime here, I don’t want a dramatized police blotter.

This is a solid, entertaining novel with a few stumbles along the way. But I’m recommending it, and am planning on coming back for at least a couple of more installments in this new series. Nash and Moretti are both the kind of characters you could build a series around, put them together and you’ve got a great foundation; the procedural element was well done, and the ending was as satisfying as you could ask for. Also, under his pen name, Robinson has crafted some of the best Crime Writing of the last few years—this series is going to improve, I know it (and even if it stayed at the same level, it’d still be worth coming back for).

3 Stars