Martin's Writing

Crime Novels

Martin's latest novels include The Hanging Wood and The Serpent Pool, the latest Lake District Mysteries, and Dancing for the Hangman, a fictional take on the Crippen case. His most recent Harry Devlin book, Waterloo Sunset, received excellent reviews in both the UK and US. The Arsenic Labyrinth, is the third Lake District Mystery featuring DCI Hannah Scarlett and historian Daniel Kind; it was short-listed for Lakeland Book of the Year in 2008. Like the first two books in the series, The Coffin Trail (which was short-listed for the Theakston's prize for best crime novel of 2006), and The Cipher Garden, as well as Waterloo Sunset, it is published in the UK by Allison & Busby and in the US by Poisoned Pen Press. Martin earlier published seven novels set in Liverpool and featuring Harry Devlin. The first, All the Lonely People, was short-listed for the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger for the best first crime novel of the year. Take My Breath Away is a stand-alone novel of psychological suspense set in London. In addition he completed the The Lazarus Widow, the final novel by the late Bill Knox, featuring his Scottish detectives Thane and Moss.

Short Stories

Martin is an award-winning author of over 40 short crime stories, many of which are collected in Where Do You Find Your Ideas? and other stories, which has an introduction by Reginald Hill. 'Test Drive' was short-listed for the CWA Dagger for best short story of the year in 2005, and 'The Bookbinder's Apprentice' won the award in 2008.

Crime Anthologies

Martin has edited twenty collections of crime fiction, including (since 1996) the CWA's annual collection. The series has yielded several Dagger winners and nominees. In 2003 he edited a special volume, Mysterious Pleasures, to celebrate the CWA'S Golden Jubilee. He has also edited Murder Squad, featuring members of the Murder Squad crime writers' collective, and with an introduction by Val McDermid.

Writing about Crime Fiction

Martin has written about and reviewed crime fiction for numerous books, magazines, websites and blogs. His essays appear in collections such as 100 Great Detectives (ed. Maxim Jakubowski), Twentieth Century Crime, & Mystery Writers (third ed. Lesley Henderson; fourth ed. as St. James Guide to Crime & Mystery Writers ed. Jay P. Pedersen) The Great Good Place? (ed. Peter Nover), Oxford Companion To Crime & Mystery Writing, (ed. Rosemary Herbert), TheGood Fiction Guide (ed. Jane Rogers), The Encyclopaedia of British Crime Writing (ed. Barry Forshaw) and Following the Detectives (ed. Maxim Jakubowski). He writes a monthly column for the online magazine Bookdagger.

True Crime

As well as occasional articles about true crime cases, he has written an illustrated book on how the police take a homicide case from crime scene to court. Its titles are: Catching Killers, Urge to Kill, and Motive to Murder, depending on whether you look at the UK, US or Australian editions!

Legal Writing

Martin has published seven legal books (two as co-author) as well as over 1000 articles for newspapers and magazines as diverse as The Times, Good Housekeeping, Car Mechanics, International Management and Amateur Gardening. He has also contributed to a number of multiple-author textbooks, mainly on his specialist subject of employment law. His Tottel's Equal Opportunities Handbook is currently in its fourth edition.

Reviews

Martin is a well-known reviewer of crime fiction and legal books. Many of his reviews appear on the Tangled Web UK site as well as on his blog 'Do you write under your own name?'

Blog

Martin's blog 'Do You Write Under Your Own Name?'(see the link on the sidebar) started in October 2008 and is updated at least three times a week.