Former detective, Joseph Carter, sets out to gain redemption from the consequences of an old case that cost him everything.

Carter is still haunted by the murders of his niece and brother-in-law at the hands of a serial killer he was trying to track down. One year on, the killer has returned and Carter, now a disgraced detective gone private, launches a personal vendetta to catch him this time around.

Published by The Conrad Press

This week we are talking with Paul McCracken (what a crackin’ name!) and discussing his book Where Crows Land, a detective thriller set in Belfast. Paul, a warm welcome to Martin Matthews Writes!

Thanks, Martin. It's great to take part in this.

Great to have you with us, Paul. As always, I’d like to get to know you a bit before we talk about your book. So, tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Paul McCracken. I am 30 years old and from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I write in the crime fiction genre, with all of my books based in my native Northern Ireland.

Nice. So, okay, tell us a little about Where Crows Land. 

Where Crows Land is a detective/serial killer thriller set in Northern Ireland. It follows Joseph Carter, a disgraced detective gone private after failing to save his neice and brother-in-law from the killer he was tasked with tracking down.

One year on, the killer has raised their head again and Carter launches a personal vendetta to bring them down this time.

Originally when writing it, this book was meant to be a stand alone story. But after I finished it, I got straight to work in writing the sequel (which I have just finished).

Stories can do that! So every great detective novel needs a great detective. Tell us about your guy?

Joseph Carter is a detective that was trying to gain the respect of his peers before going rogue in an attempt to save his niece alongside his brother-in-law with dire consequences. One year on, Carter had turned to private investigations as a way of earning a living but when the killer raises their heads again, Carter is encouraged by all of those around him to take on the case.

So where did the idea for this story come from?

I've always wanted to tackle a detective story in my own way. So I eventually gave into the idea and came up with a story that I felt suited my taste and style.

Can you tell us about some of your biggest influences?

Writers:
Dennis Lehane
Ricard Laymon
Thomas Harris

Directors:
Michael Mann
David Fincher
Christopher Nolan

Music can play a big part in finding inspiration. With certain songs or instrumentals, I am able to create a kind of trailer for the story in my head and how I would see it play out. It also helps to set the mood and tone when getting into the mindset to write.

Books and films are my other two massive influences. When I write, I tend to focus on it as a more visual experience. I need to know what every scene looks like, what it feels like. Books are great in the sense of gradually building that up as films are more of a direct and immediate representation.

It sounds like we write in a very similar way. I am exactly like that with my own writing. I’ve been called a ‘storyboard’ writer for that reason, because each scene is so visual, like a movie. Anyway, enough about me, what are you currently reading?

A State of Denial by Iain Kelly.

Only a couple of chapters deep, but I really liked book 1 (this is book 2 of the State trilogy). Definitely picking up where it last left off and showing great promise so far.

Nice. And speaking of sequels, are you working on another novel? Can you tell us anything about it?

My third book, The Last Rains Of Winter is due to be published soon by PM Books.

I have also just finished my fourth book which I am currently submitting.

Well, Paul, it’s been great getting to know you. Thanks for stopping by and chatting with me today and sharing a little about your latest published work, Where Crows Land. I Hope we can chat again soon!

Thanks for having me, and a thank you to all of those who have read any of my books so far. It means a lot especially when I hear back that they enjoyed one of my books. It's a great feeling as an author.

Northern Irish novelist, Paul McCracken was born 16th January 1991 in the Ulster hospital, Dundonald, just outside of Belfast. He grew up in the Castlereagh area of east Belfast where he also went to school.

Ever since he could hold a pencil, he wanted to be an artist and no-one, not even the school career advisor could tell him otherwise. He left education with only three GCSE’s and an Art diploma. He tried to make it as a fine artist whilst also trying to find any work to support himself financially. However, the more he learned about the commercial art world, the more he wanted no part in it.

In spring 2011, he enrolled in a five day film making course through the Prince’s Trust charity. He always had a passion for storytelling. During the course, he impressed the owner of the studio at which the course was being held, through the raw creativity he displayed. The studio owner was the first to encourage Paul to write his own material, that material being screenplays. After leaving the course with new found confidence and ambition, Paul started to learn the craft of screenwriting and got to work writing his very first feature film.

After securing full time work later that year, he found a renewed inspiration to write again and wrote a full length film script in the space of a week. Paul kept on writing other projects as well as continually editing the first script, but he kept the fact he was writing close to himself as he didn’t want to face any negativity if he were to tell anyone. The script would go on to score highly in an international screenplay competition, based out of Los Angeles. It would then place in the quarter-finals of the same competition for the next two years in a row, accompanied by another screenplay that Paul wrote next.

Years later, after entering competitions, pitching, submitting and doing some occasional freelance scriptwriting, Paul wanted to find a way to get his work into the public eye. Writing a novel was a challenge that seemed daunting but also exciting. Having first thought of converting his best script into a novel, he decided to come up with a completely original story.

In 2018, he self published his debut novel, Layla's Song.

In 2020 he secured two book deals with two different English publishers. The Conrad Press and PM Books (Imprint of Holland House Books). The first of these books was Where Crows Land, a detective thriller set in Belfast and published by The Conrad Press.

His other novel, The Last Rains Of Winter is due out early 2021 with PM Books.