Author celebrating anniversary of crime series inspired by Tyneside with book set in South Shields
A Tyneside-based author is releasing the newest in a series of crime books set in the North East.
A former serviceman and magistrate is celebrating ten years of his series of crime novels with a new book set in South Shields.
Michael Foster has used his time in courts across the North East to inspire a series of books set in the region.
In addition to celebrating a centenary since the first book in his series was published, he will release its eigth book which is set in South Shields with the town’s Herd Groyne Lighthouse being the focal point of the front cover.
After leaving the army where he was based in Yorkshire, he moved to work at a Hebburn shipyard and has lived in the region ever since.
“The characters are very close to some of the people I know” explains Michael.
“I have a lot of people I know through writing now, coroners, inspectors, even counter intellegence!
“I just love the people and I love the area. I couldn’t write about anywhere else. My books go from Berwick down to Middlesbrough so it depends where the books go.”
The series of books began with a police station based in Ponteland, Newcastle, although the focus has since come south of the Tyne to a site based in Gateshead.
Once Michael moved to the region, he met his wife and wrote for magazines alongside his full-time role before turning to novels in the late 2000s.
“It took six years to write the first book, I didn’t how how to set it out” he added.
Titled ‘The Deadly Mooring’, the book, sees a South Shields link through a fictional former Met Police criminal profiler who works in an office facing South Shields Town Hall after leaving London.
“The story all stems from South Shields and around the area” adds Michael.
The story begins with a fire on a boat in the River Tyne, where a body is found.
“Procedure is key,” Foster explains. “Before publishing, I provide my initial drafts to experts to get their crucial feedback.
The book will be released on Thursday, July 23 and can be bought on digital, hardback or paperback editions from Amazon.