In Cold Daylight by Pauline Rowson

Publication of the Paperback and Kindle versions of DI Horton Crime Novel Footsteps on the Shore by Pauline Rowson

2011-08-22T07:22:00.001+01:00

I'm delighted to announce that Footsteps on the Shore, the sixth in the DI Andy Horton series of marine mystery crime novels set on the South Coast of England, is to be published in paperback this month by Severn House Paperbacks and in Kindle in September by Severn House Digital.

Footsteps on the Shore has received some great reviews from the States, and readers have been kind enough to tell me how much they have enjoyed reading the hardcover version which was published in January in the UK and in May in the USA. It was given a starred review by Booklist who said:

'It deserves mention in the same breath as works in the upper echelon of American procedurals (those by Ed McBain or Joseph Wambaugh for example) and their British counterparts, including the work of Peter Robinson and John Harvey. Procedural fans who haven’t already read Rowson should be encouraged to do so in the strongest possible terms.' Booklist, Starred Review

Footsteps on the Shore is number six in the DI Andy Horton series of police procedural crime novels and like the others is set against the backdrop of the sea in the Solent area on the South Coast of England, in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

The paperback version of Footsteps on the Shore is published on 25 Aug 2011 you can pre-order it on Amazon.Or if you prefer the Kindle version it is listed on Amazon as being available from 1 September.

Footsteps on the Shore by Pauline Rowson

Friday the thirteenth begins badly for DI Andy Horton when he wakes to find his Harley has been vandalized and his boss, DCI Lorraine Bliss, has returned early from her secondment to HQ. Then, convicted murderer, Luke Felton, released on licence, is reported missing and a decomposed corpse is washed up in Portsmouth harbour. But before Horton can get a grip on either case, he’s called to a house where a woman he’d only met the day before has been brutally murdered. Is missing Luke Felton the prime suspect, or is it his body in the mud of the harbour? Horton is under pressure to get results, but things are about to get much worse for the beleaguered detective …

In Cold Daylight , a fast-paced thriller, by Pauline Rowson on special offer on Kindle

2011-08-19T07:21:00.001+01:00

There are some special summer offers on my marine mystery crime novels featuring DI Horton and my thriller novels on Kindle at Amazon. The Suffocating Sea, the third in the DI Andy Horton series of crime novels is available on Kindle, for a limited period at only 99p on Amazon UK and at $1.63 on Amazon.com

Also on a special offer at the same price is one of my stand alone thrillers, In Cold Daylight, which was chosen as the third most popular novel for World Book Day in 2008.

The Suffocating Sea is a Marine Mystery crime novel featuring DI Andy Horton. It was selected as the 'Best of British Crime Fiction' by The Book Depository, where this novel and others in the series are also featured with some great prices.

'A gripping, suspense-filled murder case...an entertaining read in an engaging series...' Booklist (USA)

DI Horton is called to investigate a suspicious fire on board a boat, but as soon as he arrives at the marina he experiences a premonition so strong that it’s almost audible. As he views the charred remains of the dead man he knows instinctively that this investigation will be like no other, and he’s right. Soon Horton is forced to confront the past, not just the victim’ past, but the mystery surrounding his mother’s disappearance over thirty years ago. As the pieces of a long ago puzzle begin to unravel, it soon becomes clear to Horton that this is one case someone is determined he should never solve – masterminded by a dangerous adversary who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from coming out...

In Cold Daylight is a fast-paced thriller

Before fire-fighter Jack Bartholomew can reveal the cause of his own – and his colleagues’ cancer- he is murdered and silenced forever. But in a cryptic message he orchestrated before his untimely death, he has left a trail of clues that will lead his best friend, Marine Artist, Adam Greene, into a labyrinth of lies, secrets and government conspiracy.

There are also some keen prices on my other crime and thriller novels and not only on Kindle, but in paperback, hardback and in audio book format. Hope readers enjoy them.

In Cold Daylight is dedicated to fire fighters and my husband's former watch in Hampshire.

In Cold Daylight, a thriller, by Pauline Rowson, voted in top three most popular novels by the public for World Book Day 2008, repeat performance for World Book Night poll 2012?

2011-08-17T07:23:00.001+01:00

World Book Night is calling for the public to submit their nominations for World Book Night 2012 titles. The ballot opened on 25th June, coinciding with National Reading Group Day, and I am very proud to say that in 2008 my thriller In Cold Daylight was voted by the public as their third most favourite novel in an on line poll for the World Book Day Prize.

In Cold Daylight has now also been published in Indonesia, Polish and Turkish. It is a hard-hitting, fast-paced thriller about one man's quest to discover the truth behind the deaths of fire fighters. In his quest for the truth, reluctant hero, marine artist Adam Greene, soon finds himself caught up in a mysterious and dangerous web of deceit. By exposing a secret that has lain dormant for years he is forced to face his own dark secrets, and as the facts reveal themselves the prospects for his survival look bleak. For Adam though there is no turning back; he has to get to the truth no matter what the cost, even if it means his life.

I'm not looking for a repeat performance for 2012 (although it would be nice to have one of my marine mystery crime novels or thrillers featured as a favourite read in the public poll) but I am hoping to see an interesting and diverse list, including, of course, some crime novels. I'll start thinking about my favourite reads but know that some of them won't be featured because they are out of print. Pity. I suspect that could happen with quite a few titles.

The ballot is on http://www.worldbooknight.org/ until 31st August. Readers are asked to submit their top 10 favourite books and 25 titles will ultimately be selected to be given away. The top 100 will be selected in September and the final list of 25 titles, as decided on by the WBN panel, will be announced mid-October.

Happy voting.

In Cold Daylight is dedicated to fire fighters, and to my husband's former watch - Red Watch, Southsea, Hampshire.

Crime Fiction Festivals- CSI Portsmouth 5 November 2011, Crimefest in May 2012 and Harrogate International Crime Festival in July 2012

2011-08-15T07:18:00.001+01:00

The grime may have settled on Crimfest in Bristol and the dust on the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate but still to come for all you crime fiction fans in the UK is CSI Portsmouth - where crime fact meets crime fiction, and there is a stellar line up of top UK crime authors, to be announced soon.

CSI Portsmouth takes place on Saturday 5 November 2011, so make sure to mark that date in your diary. You can read about last year's highly successful CSI Portsmouth on my official web site.

And if you are keen to make sure you don't miss 2012 events then here are some more dates to mark in your diaries. I will be at all these events and looking forward to mingling with my fellow crime writers and lots of crime fiction fans.

Crimefest, Bristol 24-27 May 2012

2012's featured guest authors include Lee Child and Jeffrey Deaver, plus many more great crime writers and lots of fun. Visit the Crimefest web site for more details and to see who is currently appearing.
info@crimefest.com

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate - 19-22 July 2012.

2012 Programming Chair, Mark Billingham, has put together an astounding line-up of Special Guests, with Harlan Coben, John Connolly and Charlaine Harris already confirmed. Visit the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival web site for more details crime@harrogate-festival.org.uk

But before the above you might wish to add another date to your calendar of exciting crime fiction events -

Saturday 4 February 2012.

More details to follow. As they say in the film and TV business the project is currently in development. Watch this space.

In Cold Daylight, award winning thriller by Pauline Rowson, is dedicated to fire fighters, thanks for a great party, guys!

2011-08-12T07:20:00.000+01:00

Last night I attended a reunion. They're not usually my scene, but this one was different. It was in the fire station in Southsea and it was members of my husband's former watch, Red Watch, who had come together to wish one of their colleagues good luck as he retires from full time service to take a job share with another fire fighter (a new innovation in the fire service) as a fireman. It was a moving experience to step inside the fire station again, I haven't been there for a few years, and to see again all the wonderful firemen my husband used to work with over the years of his career in the service cut short because of a knee injury. It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. What struck me was the kindness, friendliness, humour, camaraderieship of those there. I shouldn't have been surprised because I have witnessed all of these traits for years along with these men's dedication and commitment to their work and their unquestioning bravery.

Southsea Fire Station was where I first overheard a conversation about several fire fighters from one watch contracting cancer and the concerns that this had been as a result of a shout they attended where unknowingly they had been exposed to dangerous chemicals. Nothing was ever investigated but this conversation stuck in my mind and became the basis for my thriller In Cold Daylight which was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize in 2008 and voted by the public in an on line poll as one of their top three favourite novels.

In Cold Daylight is dedicated to my husband, Bob, Red Watch, and fire fighters everywhere, the true heroes. Guys I salute you and thank you. You do a great job and long may you continue to do so.

Before fire-fighter Jack Bartholomew can reveal the cause of his own – and his colleagues’ cancer- he is murdered and silenced forever. But in a cryptic message he orchestrated before his untimely death, he has left a trail of clues that will lead his best friend, Marine Artist, Adam Greene, into a labyrinth of lies, secrets and government conspiracy. By exposing a secret that has lain dormant for years Adam is forced to face his own dark secrets, and as the facts reveal themselves the prospects for his survival look bleak. But Adam knows there is no turning back; he has to get to the truth no matter what the cost, even if it means his life.

Taken in 2008 when In Cold Daylight was voted the third most popular novel in an on line poll, with some of the guys from Red Watch, Southsea.

Where did the title for In Cold Daylight come from?

2010-02-04T18:22:00.001Z

The title for In Cold Daylight represents the fact that marine artist, Adam Greene, the reluctant hero in the novel, emerges from the story a different man than when he started. His journey forces him to relive past traumas and face up to the shame of his mental breakdown on a quest forced upon him to discover the truth behind the death of his friend, fire-fighter Jack Bartholomew and several of his colleagues of cancer.

In Cold Daylight is dedicated to fire-fighters across the World.

This novel is published in Polish, Indonesian and will shortly be published in Turkish.

Pauline Rowson discusses how she started writing

2009-06-15T16:22:00.001+01:00

In this new video I discuss how I started writing my crime novels and the difficult road to publication.

In Cold Daylight - a thriller dedicated to fire fighters

2009-05-26T18:31:00.007+01:00

Pauline Rowson discusses the inspiration behind her action-packed thriller, In Cold Daylight, and reads the prologue from the novel.

Was fire fighter, Jack Bartholomew's death an accident or arson? Who is determined to stop him from discovering the truth behind the cancer deaths of so many fire fighters from one watch? His closest friend, marine artist, Adam Greene, is forced to take up the quest. His mission to get to the truth no matter what the cost, even if it means his life.

Money raised for injured fire fighter

2009-01-23T01:39:00.000Z

I am pleased to announce that through the sale of my thrillers, In Cold Daylight and In For The Kill in November and December I am able to donate £250.00 to The Fire fighters Charity in respect of the Steve Morris Appeal.

Steve Morris, a fire fighter from Green Watch, Bolton, (UK) attended a fatal incident on 23 June 2008 in which three fire fighters received burns, Steve received 50% burns. A special web site has been set up to record Steve’s progress and the views, feelings and support of his family, friends and colleagues.http://www.fireservice.co.uk/steve/index.php

My husband is a former fire fighter from Red Watch, Southsea and my thriller, IN COLD DAYLIGHT, is dedicated to fire fighters and was inspired by a true and tragic story which I heard on the Watch one day about the high number of fire fighters contracting cancer. I took this idea and weaved it into a fast–paced thriller, which was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize 2008. This web site was set up specifically to highlight the novel and the dangers that fire fighters face every day in their careers.

I would like to thank everyone who bought a copy of my books. Steve is making steady progress and shows tremendous courage and determination but then that’s fire fighters for you. I wish him all the best for his recovery.

So far £3,253 has been raised and the target is £5,000.

About The Fire Fighters Charity

Every 30 seconds in the UK, fire fighters are called to an incident, putting their lives on the line, and often sustaining physical injuries whilst carrying out their duties. The Fire Fighters Charity is for fire fighters during their times of need, and assists over 11,000 individuals every year, by providing pioneering treatment and support services. It costs over £9 million every year to keep the Charity running, and with no government funding, the charity is completely reliant upon donations from the fire general public and fire community. Want to find out more? Visit http://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ Charity Registration No 1093387

You can see more information about me and my books on http://www.paulinerowson.com/ or http://www.rowmark.co.uk/

Fire Fighter Thriller Now Published in Poland

2008-12-12T17:40:00.006Z

I have just received the Polish copy of my thriller, In Cold Daylight, renamed Fire and Water in Poland (Ogien i Woda) and it looks fantastic.

The cover image is very impressive and the book is a cross between a hardback and paperback with a very unusual flap extending from the front and back cover which you can use as a handy bookmark - a brilliant idea. There is a lovely illustration of a lighthouse at the top of chapter one and an image of a boat at the top of the pages on the following chapters. Red Horse Poland have really embraced my concept of Marine Mysteries. On the back flap of the cover they have shown a picture of my thriller, In For the Kill (Uwiklany) with details about it.

Fire and Water ( In Cold Daylight) is dedicated to fire-fighters everywhere - the true heroes and especially for Bob (my husband) and Red Watch, Southsea (his former fire fighting colleagues).

Thanks guys for all you do.

So here is the dedication in Polish:

Dla Chrissy i mojej mamy.Dla wszystkich strazakow- prawdziwych bohaterow. Zwlaszcza dla Boba i Czerwonego Patrolu z Southsea.

And here is the jacket blurb in Polish for the English version click here:

Strażak Jack Bartholomew ginie w trakcie akcji gaszenia pożaru w starym opuszczonym budynku portowego miasta. Wypadek czy podpalenie? Artysta malarz, marynista, Adam Greene tego nie wie, ale ma świadomość, że stracił najbliższego przyjaciela. Opłakując go zdaje sobie sprawę, że inna śmierć, sprzed piętnastu lat, jest nadal obecna w jego duszy, choć przez cały ten czas bardzo chciał o niej zapomnieć. Zanim poskłada razem wszystkie fakty, zanim odnajdzie tych co go śledzą, oni odnajdą jego.Nieświadom ryzyka, bohater zostaje wkrótce wplątany w tajemniczą i niebezpieczną grę pozorów. Odsłonięcie skrywanej od lat tajemnicy zmusza Adama do zmierzenia się z własną mroczną przeszłością. W miarę rozwoju wypadków jego przyszłość i szanse na przetrwanie przestają wyglądać różowo. Jednak Adam Greene wie, że już nie może się cofnąć, że musi odkryć prawdę bez względu na koszt, nawet jeśli stawką będzie jego własne życie.W mroźnym świetle dnia zapłonie zbrodnia sprzed lat…Cena prawdy jest wysoka.Czy Adam zdoła uciec przed śmiertelnymi płomieniami zemsty?

Injured Fire-Fighter's Appeal

2008-10-12T11:17:00.011+01:00

The Steve Morris Appeal -Help raise money for Steve Morris and other injured fire fighters!

On the night of Monday the 23rd June 2008, Steve Morris from Green Watch, Bolton, (UK) along with Green Watch Farnworth, attended a fatal incident in which three fire fighters received burns, one seriously. Steve Morris remains in hospital, having received 50% burns. A special web site has been set up to record Steve’s progress and the views, feelings and support of his family, friends and colleagues.
http://www.fireservice.co.uk/steve/index.php

My husband is a former fire fighter from Red Watch Southsea and my thriller, IN COLD DAYLIGHT, is dedicated to fire fighters and was inspired by a true and tragic story which I heard on the Watch one day about the high number of fire fighters contracting cancer. I took this idea and weaved it into a fast–paced thriller, which was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize 2008. This web site was set up specifically to highlight the novel and the dangers that fire fighters face every day in their careers.

I would like to do something special to help Steve Morris (and other injured fire fighters and their families) by raising money for The Steve Morris Appeal.

So for every NEW copy of IN COLD DAYLIGHT sold (rather than second hand or used copies because sales aren’t recorded on these) between 13 October 2008 to 31 December 2008 by whatever means – you can buy at your local bookshop or get them to order you a copy if they don’t have it in stock, or you can buy through Amazon or any other on line bookshop – I, as the author, will donate £1.00 per copy towards The Steve Morris Appeal. As Christmas will soon be looming perhaps you would like to buy a copy for yourself, your friends, relatives and/or families and encourage other people to buy. So far £2,800 has been raised and the target is £5,000. So come on guys let’s spread the word and help Steve and other injured fire fighters.

About The Fire Fighters Charity
Every 30 seconds in the UK, fire fighters are called to an incident, putting their lives on the line, and often sustaining physical injuries whilst carrying out their duties. The Fire Fighters Charity is for fire fighters during their times of need, and assists over 11,000 individuals every year, by providing pioneering treatment and support services. It costs over £9 million every year to keep the Charity running, and with no government funding, the charity is completely reliant upon donations from the fire general public and fire community. Want to find out more? Visit http://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ Charity Registration No 1093387

You can see more information about me and my books on www.paulinerowson.com or www.rowmark.co.uk

Fire Fighter Cancer-Latest Research Proves Links

2008-08-11T12:33:00.006+01:00

The controversial thriller, In Cold Daylight by Pauline Rowson, which was shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize 2008, has become a reality as the most recent research from the States confirms that fire fighters are at greatly increased risk from work-related cancer.

In Cold Daylight is based on the tragic true story of fire fighters from one watch in the UK contracting cancer and was written before the increased risk to fire fighters was highlighted first in a study by the University of Cincinnati, and most recently in research reported in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, May 2008.

Pauline Rowson, married to a former fire fighter from Portsmouth, wrote In Cold Daylight after hearing that several fire fighters from one watch had contracted cancer. Many believed their cancer was contracted from exposure to hazardous chemicals in the line of duty but this has never been fully investigated. Pauline Rowson decided to blend the facts of this case within a dramatic fictional plot, creating a powerful novel unaware that a major International disaster on a massive scale would be the catalyst to spark studies in the USA into this controversial area.

Since writing In Cold Daylight, after a three year study prompted by 9/11, research from the University of Cincinnati found that rates of testicular cancer were a hundred per cent higher and prostate cancer twenty-eight percent higher among fire-fighters. In addition, the researchers also discovered a fifty percent increase in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Researchers say fire-fighters are exposed to many compounds designated as carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents including benzene, chloroform, soot, styrene and formaldehyde. These can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin at the scene of a fire.

In the most recent study, the researcher combed through nearly two decades' worth of data from the Massachusetts cancer registry. Between 1986 and 2003, the registry recorded 2,125 cancer diagnoses among professional male fire fighters. They found that, compared with men in other occupations, fire fighters had nearly twice the risk of brain cancer and a thirty six percent higher risk of colon cancer. They also showed higher risks of bladder cancer, kidney cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Facts that have largely gone unrecognised in the UK, claims Pauline Rowson, yet is raising serious questions in America, Canada and Australia.

She says, ‘The evidence is clear that fire fighters suffer from certain cancers at a higher rate than others. Fire fighters spend a career facing toxic dangers, in the name of protecting the public. It is an occupational risk and should be recognised. When a fire fighter dies from a cancer identified as occupational, their families need and deserve appropriate compensation. Although In Cold Daylight is fiction there is a strong central message in the novel and readers might like to ask can this really be happening? If In Cold Daylight opens the debate in the UK then that’s great. At the moment no one in the UK seems to be interested that this is happening to our fire fighters.’

For more information or to arrange an interview contact pressroom@rowmark.co.uk

http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/News/Cancer-Risk-Twice-as-High-for-Firefighters/46$51967

http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKCOL85859820080508

http://www.rowmark.co.uk/

Pauline Rowson is author of the marine mystery crime novels: Tide of Death, Deadly Waters, and The Suffocating Sea, featuring Inspector Horton, and the thrillers In Cold Daylight and In For The Kill.

Research
The three year study was conducted by the University of Cincinnati and was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2006. The review analyzed information on 110,000 fire fighters from 32 previous studies and was prompted by research after 9/11 and the high cancer risks of fire fighters. The results showed a 100 per cent increase of testicular cancers and a 28 per cent increase of prostate cancers among fire fighters compared to others. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and prostate cancer had also occurred at significantly higher rates in firemen than in other workers. Fire-fighters also faced a 53 per cent greater chance of contracting multiple myeloma, a deadly cancer that attacks bone marrow. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma were also 50 per cent higher among firemen. The research team said that regular exposure to benzene, chloroform, formaldehyde; styrene and soot were to blame for the increased cancer risk in the profession. After analyzing statistics on 20 different kinds of cancer, University of Cincinnati researchers revealed that fire-fighters developed 10 of those deadly diseases more frequently than any other type of worker.

In the current study, researchers found that professional fire fighters had higher-than-expected rates of colon cancer and brain cancer. There was also evidence, albeit weaker, that they had elevated risks of bladder and kidney cancers, as well as Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dr. Letitia Davis with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues report the findings in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Fire fighters are exposed to many potentially cancer-causing chemicals released from burning materials. At the scene of the fire, toxic substances such as benzene, lead, uranium and asbestos can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Though fire fighters wear a breathing apparatus and other protective equipment while battling blazes, they typically do not wear the gear when they're merely in the vicinity of the fire. There can also be health hazards at the firehouse, where idling trucks expose fire fighters to diesel exhaust.

In Cold Daylight continues to raise profile of fire fighters at risk

2008-03-07T16:39:00.006Z

Sadly In Cold Daylight did not win the World Book Day Prize. I would, however, like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me. IN COLD DAYLIGHTremains on the World Book Day web site and you can continue to leave comments.

In Cold Daylight came third in the online national poll out of 100 books and sixth on the short list of ten, and of that I am immensely proud. What is more important though to me than winning is the fact that so many people have enjoyed reading In Cold Daylight, and that I have learnt this thriller and my marine mystery crime novels have a universal appeal. My readers come from all walks of life and my books are read by all ages. I have heard tales of them being passed around families from grandparents to parents to teenagers and they are read by both men and women. That is great.

It is a pity that because I didn't win I am unable to donate the prize money to the National Fire Service Benevolent Fund, but I hope that the increased profile of In Cold Daylight will continue to raise awareness of the risks that fire fighters everywhere face. The competition may be over but the campaign continues.

Once again thank you for all your support. If you wish to find out more about my marine mystery crime novels and thrillers you can go to http://www.paulinerowson.com/

Are Our Fire-Fighers Dying of Work-Related Cancer?- In Cold Daylight

2008-02-29T16:04:00.001Z

IN COLD DAYLIGHT has been shortlisted for World Book Day. If this book wins, the prize money of £5,000 will be donated to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund.

“Before fire-fighter Jack Bartholomew can reveal the cause of his own – and his colleagues cancer- he is murdered and silenced forever. But in a cryptic message he orchestrated before his untimely death, he has left a trail of clues that will lead his best friend into a labyrinth of lies, secrets and government conspiracy.”

In Cold Daylight has been short listed for this year's World Book Day Prize. It is a hard hitting controversial thriller based on the tragic true story of the mysterious deaths of a group of fire fighters.

If In Cold Daylight wins, the £5,000 prize money will be donated to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund in recognition of the great job fire-fighters and all those who work within the fire service do to help saves lives.

What the readers say about In Cold Daylight!

A Gripping read. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat for the whole of this book and unable to put it down. As good as Goddard!

Once you pick up the book you will not want to put it down until the last page. Pauline writes so that you get hooked on the main character and the plot and the twists keep you on the edge of the page until the end. You think you have the answer but then she throws in another twist.

Superb Read. Another gripping read from Pauline Rowson, which captures the magic and mystery of the areas she writes about, plus characters of depth and a palpable air of menace and mystery. Don't start this book in the evening if you wish to sleep that night, as it is unputdownable and will keep you wanting to keep turning the pages right until the end!

A must for your book collection, I could not put this book down. A great plot, gripping right to the last page.

A great book. I loved In Cold Daylight. An exciting and gripping thriller with great characters. Loved the fire fighter theme.dianagebbett wrote:Couldn't put it downI read this book whilst travelling to New Zealand. It made the travel time zip by.Can't wait to get the next Pauline Rowson thriller

Excellent thriller and crime writer. Excellent page-turner. Gripping.

Pauline Rowson delivers again!A gripping and entertaining read. Her writing is sharp, punchy and compelling. Plenty of atmosphere and lots of action that keeps you turning the pages. I found the characters very interesting and totally believable and the plot fascinating. Next one please.

A trail blazer, great intro book, very enjoyable from first to last page!

This book got me reading!I don't normally finish a book but this one held my interest all the way through. I read on the beach, the plane, the book went everywhere with me. Great stuff, I'll definitely be reading more of Pauline Rowson's books.

A good page turner, An easy read, I found it hard to stop reading once I'd started. Lots of local interest and insights into the problems faced by the fire service.

Pauline certainly knows how to grip the reader from page 1. Reading it in the bath there was no chance of dropping off and dropping it in - much too involving. I even postponed re-reading my next Martin Beck instalment!!!

I read the book just couldn't put it down what a fantastic read. Well done.

Thank you to everyone who has voted for In Cold Daylight.

An Interview with Pauline Rowson

2008-02-03T16:49:00.000Z

How would you describe In Cold Daylight?
It’s a fast-paced thriller with a controversial story line that has you on the edge of your seat wondering if Adam Greene will be allowed to get to the truth behind the death of his friend, fire-fighter, Jack Bartholomew and the other fire fighters from the same watch who have died of cancer.

What gave you the inspiration for the story?
My husband is a former fire-fighter and he and the others on his watch were talking one day about the men who had died of cancer and how several of them were from the same watch. They wondered if it was as a result of an incident they attended some years previously. No more was said, but that planted the seed of an idea in my mind. I thought what if it was true?

And is it true?
There is research that shows fire fighters are at a far higher risk of developing certain cancers than people in many other professions. A University of Cincinnati research team looked at 110,000 fire-fighters and compared them to other occupations and they concluded that exposure to substances such as benzene, chloroform and soot posed a threat, with rates of testicular cancer 100% higher and prostate cancer 28% higher among fire-fighters. But when I started writing the novel this research wasn’t published. I just thought this can’t be a coincidence. I decided to write it as a thriller and a piece of fiction because that is what I do – write crime novels and thrillers. Now there are web sites and surveys, and organisations investigating and supporting those fire-fighters who have contracted cancer probably as a result of attending an incident, and I’ve created this special blog for In Cold Daylight that provides links to them.

Who do you base your characters on?
A combination of many people, my imagination and my experiences all help to create my characters. In In Cold Daylight I’ve chosen to tell the story through the eyes of Adam Greene, a marine artist and not a fire-fighter because in a way, Adam’s the antithesis of a fire fighter. The story is Adam Greene's journey through overcoming depression, a nervous breakdown and leaning on the prop of his strong-willed, ambitious wife as much as discovering why his best friend, Jack Bartholomew was killed in the line of duty.

Adam's vulnerable but strong underneath. I think people can identify with his complex emotions. He is forced to take action, to investigate the death surrounding his best friend, which leads him into danger, love, and uncovering deceit. Adam is a metaphor for people who can’t believe that the establishment would allow men to die because of hazards at work. It is only when society is forced to face up to the real facts, and question the official version, that society gains strength and the truth comes out, as seen in Adam’s transformation.

How long did it take you to write the book?
About a year.

Do you think people will believe there have been cover-ups over the death of fire fighters?
That’s for them to decide. They can read the book and enjoy it as piece of fiction but if it also helps to widen the debate then that’s great.

I understand that if you were to win the World Book Day Prize you will donate the money to a fire-fighters charity.
Yes, the £5,000 prize money would go to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund. They do a fantastic job in helping to support fire-fighters who have become injured or ill through the job. And they also support the families of those fire-fighters who have been killed in the line of duty.

Were you ever worried about your fire-fighter husband being killed?
Every time he went on watch I would think what if he doesn’t return? It’s something you learn to live with but it’s always in the back of your mind. You know they are well trained to do their job but it is very dangerous.

You’ve written other novels are they all about fire-fighters?
No. I’ve written another thriller, called In For The Kill, which is about a man being released from prison after serving a sentence for fraud and embezzlement. He’s innocent and sets out to find the person who framed him and destroyed his life. Then there are my crime novels, marine mysteries featuring DI Andy Horton. Horton’s a bit of a one off. He's tough having been raised in children’s homes and with foster parents after his mother walked out on him when he was ten. He turns from battling with crime on the streets of Portsmouth, to battling with the elements on the ocean, anything to stop him dwelling on his past. There are currently three Andy Horton novels in the series, Tide of Death, Deadly Waters and The Suffocating Sea which is due to be published in April.

And after that? Are there going to be more Andy Horton marine mysteries?
Yes. I’ve just finished writing the fourth and have lots of ideas for more.

Where do you get your ideas from?
Locations are very strong with me. I can see a location and think what if? Or I’ll hear a snippet of conversation, as with In Cold Daylight, or read an article and that will spark an idea that can be developed into a plot line. And I can't pass a boatyard or a cove without thinking there must be a dead body or a skeleton here somewhere.

All your novels are set by the sea. Why?
"I LOVE the sea and get withdrawal symptoms if I'm away from it for too long. In London I need to be by the Thames otherwise I go into panic mode! In fact everywhere I go I have to find some water. But I also fear the sea. It's wild and uncontrollable and very dangerous, (not like me at all, so maybe this is my alter ego!). No matter how much you think or wish you can control it, you can't. Sometimes you need to go with the flow and other times swim against the tide and the trick is knowing when to do which. Andy Horton hasn't quite got it sussed, or when he thinks he has something happens to throw him completely off course. And in In Cold Daylight, Adam Greene wants to fight against the current that is taking him on the dangerous road to exposing corruption and a cover-up, but he can’t. He is unwittingly swept along, before he realises this is something he has to do.

Are there going to be anymore thrillers featuring Adam Greene?
Readers have asked me to continue Adam’s story. I’m not sure yet if I will.

What are you writing next?
Another thriller that will hopefully open up a new debate on something very controversial.

Tell us what it is?
Sorry. You’ll have to wait to read the book!

To read more about Pauline Rowson and her books and see interviews visit http://www.paulinerowson.com/