NOVELS

Unsafe Acts

An offshore platform in the turbulent North Sea is a dangerous place…

…there’s the isolation, the machinery and the constant battle with the whims of nature. For Ally Baxter, a safety officer on Falcon Alpha, those whims take an odd turn. When his workmates decide he’s gay, an evening ashore turns ugly as they indulge in queer-bashing, and later his body is found along the route the group followed.

For DCI Jack Carston, the case seems simple enough until a second murder is discovered, this time it’s the prostitute Ally always visited—a young mother with a baby son. Complications mount as Carston must deal with an inexperienced officer under his command and a disciplinary charge brought against Carston himself by a vindictive superior officer.

The obstacles pile up and combine to get in the way of his investigations, just as he uncovers evidence of a plot to wreck the platform itself.

The novel will appear in both ebook and print form in February 2012.

Shadow Selves

Sometimes death is only the beginning of the story…

Professor Hayne, of the University of Grampian, Scotland, was a sick man, but his post-operative death seemed far from natural. Mistakes in both surgical and anaesthetic procedures suggested that someone intervened to make sure he didn’t survive.

And sometimes two closed worlds collide when you look close enough…

DCI Jack Carston faces a united hospital staff insisting that the two fatal ‘errors’ couldn’t have happened. As he investigates further, Carston discovers that a student in Hayne's department, Sandra Scott, is being sexually harassed by a member of the department and targeted by a stalker.

Leaving only shadows to reveal the truth…

Politics makes for strange bedfellows in the world of academia and medical manoeuvring. Following the convoluted strands takes Carston in unexpected directions as he unravels the mystery. What he finds is a final twist that surprises even him.

Reviews

“a thoroughly engrossing medical mystery with a surprise ending that was totally unexpected.”
Chris Longmuir, author of Dead Wood, winner of the Dundee International Book Prize

“A cracking good story. Like all the best mysteries, the author created a multitude of plausible suspects that kept me guessing throughout, but then pulled off an uncontrived resolution to the ‘whodunnit’ that managed to surprise me.”
Melissa Conway

The Sparrow Conundrum

Winner of the Humor category in the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards.

This is different from any of the others I’ve written. It was my first ever novel but has been written and rewritten many times over. Its aim is simple – to entertain readers and make them laugh. It’s a black comedy, a farce, a spy spoof and a crime spoof. The editor’s blurb goes like this:

“Chris Machin isn't his name, at least not to the bottom feeders in Aberdeen squabbling over North Sea oil and gas contracts. Chris has a code name, and when his garden explodes, The Sparrow takes flight, plunging everyone involved into chaos and violence.

A sociopathic cop and an interfering ex-girlfriend don't exactly make for clarity of thinking, not when the one fancies a bit of violence to add spice to an arrest. The ex adds other, more interesting, dimensions to Chris' already complicated life.

The bodies pile up-some whole, some in fragments-and two wrestlers join the fray. A road trip seems just the solution but then so do Inverness, a fishing trawler and a Russian factory ship as the players face ... The Sparrow Conundrum.”

If you want to try before you buy, you can download the prologue and the first three chapters free from Smashwords in your preferred e-format.

Reviews

“The Sparrow Conundrum is the demon love child of Spike Milligan and John Le Carre. I absolutely adore this one—hysterically funny, with this weirdly tender wickedness.”
Maria Bustillos, author of Dorkismo and Act Like a Gentleman, Think Like a Woman

“… killingly funny, utterly brilliant, divine, classic, and couldn't be bettered.”
M.M. Bennetts, author of May 1812 and Of Honest Fame

"The writing is crisp and clever, and Bill Kirton flawlessly handles multiple perspectives. A very smart, very funny read."
Melissa Conway, author of Xenofreak Nation.

"A story full of surprises, twists and turns … If you start reading this you will be entertained from beginning to end, and if it doesn't make you laugh out loud there is something wrong with your sense of humour."
C.H. Longmuir

"One of those rare spoofs that made me laugh out loud. think Reservoir Dogs, only better. A fantastically written farce that will entertain and keep you laughing until the very end. A must-have for your collection."
R. B. Wood, author of The Prodigal’s Foole.

"Fantastic comedy thriller. The sheer inventiveness of the plot is a real treat when predictability is too often the norm. And the writer makes no concessions to the same old dumb gags, every leap of his imagination impeccably matched by glorious linguistic riffs."
Carolyn Begg

“a clever, funny and cynical book. The action is pretty well non-stop as is the humour. A laugh out loud comic adventure in which unspeakable things are done to unspeakable people.”
John Booth, author of Wizards and the Inspector Monde series.

“a laugh-a-paragraph comic crime caper. Kirton is a master of the comic. Hiaasen, Bateman and (Donna) Moore should be looking over their shoulder, cos Bill Kirton has arrived.”
Michael Malone

“a truly entertaining read. Bill Kirton delivers such eloquent and flowing prose that I found myself frequently reading passages again. The plot will have you riveted and entertained all the way to the ingenious end. I was unable to keep myself from bursting out laughing so many times while reading this. Highly recommended to friends of crime with a sense of humour and a taste for the unexpected.”
Heikki Hietala, author of Tulagi Hotel.

“a very funny novel, a rollicking caricature of Scottish mafia and inept police procedure that made me laugh out loud, not just a few times but throughout the novel. Bill Kirton has a talent for well-timed punchlines, the setups to which are absolutely invisible. Don't expect jokes and ham-handed one-liners – he springs upon the reader a new light of understanding that leaves you wanting more, more, and more. Unpredictable, wonderful, hilarious.”
Michael J Pollack, author of November Knight

The Figurehead

Now in a brand new second edition, the story is set in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1840. The body of a local shipwright is found on the beach. Wood carver John Grant is intrigued by signs which suggest the death wasn’t accidental. As he asks his questions, he’s commissioned to carve a figurehead for the new ship the man was building for William Anderson, a rich local merchant. This brings him into contact with Anderson’s daughter, Helen, who’s also curious about the death. Each has intuitions about how it might have happened and it’s by combining them that John eventually solves the mystery.
This novel took a while to make up its mind which genre it belonged to – crime or romance. In the end, it’s both. As I wrote it, the character of Helen began to take a more central role as her relationship with John grew stronger and drew me into exploring it more than I’d originally intended.

Reviews

"This should be more than enough to satisfy even the pickiest crime/mystery buff … the author manages to interweave a splendid romance of such exquisite tenderness that he is guaranteed to capture the heart of the most die-hard romantic. … The Figurehead satisfies on every level, giving the reader authenticity, characters to care about, a mystery, and a romance."
Diane Nelson, author of Dragon Academy

"A must-read. A marvellous intertwining of crime thriller and tender romance … Do yourself a favour, grab this book. You will not regret it."
Suzanne Burke, author of Empty Chairs

"An exciting, page-turning murder mystery … interesting, thoughtful and thoroughly absorbing."
Mary O Farrington

"A real page turner."
L.P.Taylor

"The Figurehead deserves a 5-star rating because it’s artfully written and leaves the reader wanting more."
Jean Henry Mead, author of the Logan and Cafferty series.

“a good tale of murder with unexpected twists and nasty turns, all spun in a masterful way. A memorable read for anyone who might want to see how it's done, the right way.”
Richard Sutton, author of The Gatekeepers

“Bill Kirton weaves a fine net of words that will keep you trapped from the beginning to the end..”
P D Allen, author of the Tales of da Yoopernatural series.

“Profound, detailed, incredibly written, The Figurehead is definitely a kind of book one wants to go back to again and again..”
Maria K, author and translator.

“a hugely satisfying read … the characters are skilfully delineated and the mystery at the heart of the novel makes it a real page turner..”
Myra Duffy, author of Last Ferry to Bute

“The plot is complex and believable, the characters are well-rounded and the dialogue is perfectly judged. The research is meticulous and fascinating but it never gets in the way of a rippingly good story..”
Ruth Howell

The Darkness

Second place in the 2011 Forward National Literature Awards (Mystery).

When Tommy Davidson is found with his throat cut, his brother Andrew's shock turns to thoughts of vigilante retribution. As well as seeking revenge on the person he thinks is responsible for Tommy's death, he draws up a list of people whose actions have destroyed the lives of others. Helped by one of Cairnburgh's cleverest lawyers, each has managed to evade justice. But not any more. One by one, the villains disappear.

Meantime, rape victim Rhona Kirk starts a new life in Dundee but finds it difficult to shake off her past. As DCI Jack Carston tries to draw the threads of the various disappearances together, he's aware of his own darker impulses which show in his empathy with the vigilante. His investigation becomes a race against time and against the pressure of inner and outer darkness. What he eventually discovers is beyond even his imaginings.

Reviews

"A must-read for any crime fan."
Shona Gossip, Press and Journal, Aberdeen

“not only a good read but a lesson in human nature.”
Jean Henry Mead

“A taut and gripping read. A dark, intense ride that keeps you guessing right until the exciting conclusion.”
P. S. Gifford, author of The Curious Accounts of the Imaginary Friend.

“a careful psychological precision that hits the very tricky balance between dispassionate honesty about and sympathy for basically good people squashed by cruel circumstances.”
Kate Kasserman, author of Independence.

“a dark and compelling novel,”
Edie Dykeman

“The Darkness will grab you by the jugular and keep you reading … an audacious and haunting novel that deserves public attention.”
Norman Goldman

“a wonderful, thrilling, dark, compassionate book. The ending is unexpected, and brave, but felt completely right.”
Gillian Philip, author of Bad Faith, Crossing the Line and the Rebel Angels series.

“When you read The Darkness be prepared to be manipulated and have your moral compass reset by this master storyteller. This book is clever, tightly constructed, immensely satisfying and peopled with a cast of completely believable characters, who pull you into their story and don't let you go until the final word. […] So go on, get yourself a copy of and ask yourself this; what would you do?”
Michael Malone, Dumfries and Galloway Standard.

“an exciting story, great characters, interesting sex. A real page turner.”
Mary O Farrington

“A truly gripping novel with two unforgettable story lines depicting a darkness which
scarily we all might be capable of in certain circumstances.”
Rosemary Gemmell

“A gripping read with exciting characters and a novel to give Stuart MacBride a run for his money.”
Gordon McIntyre

This trailer gives you a taste of it.

Rough Justice

Floyd Donnelly has already spent four of his twenty-six years in prison for robbery with violence. Foul-tempered and amoral, he's exhausted the patience of his fellow squatters in Forbeshill Road, Cairnburgh - he couldn't be less interested in their communal values. He seems to have a limitless capacity to anger everyone he meets, but it’s still a surprise for all of them when his body’s discovered outside the only night club in Cairnburgh.

DCI Jack Carston thinks he knows who's behind Floyd's death: David Burchill. He owns the house in which Floyd was squatting and admits to sending round the 'bailiffs' the day before the murder. But he has a cast-iron alibi.

Burchill is also a suspect in another of Carston's cases: a protection racket. Hilden, an unsuccessful antiques dealer, has frequently been threatened and is eventually beaten up by one of Burchill’s thugs. Carston desperately wants to nail Burchill - but his prey always seems one step ahead. And with Hilden reluctant to identify his attackers, Carston fears that both cases are destined to remain unsolved for a very long time.

This tough, gritty murder mystery takes readers back once more to the granite streets of Cairnburgh and Aberdeen.

Reviews

"There is a brutal rape in Rough Justice by Bill Kirton. It isn't there to titillate, but to carry the story forward and ultimately bring about the climax to a thoughtful and thought provoking book. The detective leading the hunt for the killer of a young thug from a local squat is also after a local self-made man he believes to be behind various rackets and who is protected by fellow masons in the senior ranks of the police force. The book involves some very human, intelligent Scottish coppers and ought to bring Bill Kirton the attention he deserves."
Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph

"A downright rogue and social reject is found murdered in a Scottish city, but has he been murdered by an equally roguish tycoon, as seems obvious, or is the web a good deal more tangled and shocking than that? That's the simple premise of Bill Kirton's second crime novel set in Cairnburgh and Aberdeen and, although the premise is simple the structure and plotting – the core of any decent read – are sound and compelling."
Press and Journal, Aberdeen

Material Evidence

The body of Stephanie Burnham is discovered by her husband, Michael, when he returns home after a day at the races. It looks like a particularly savage assault and brutal murder.
For DCI Jack Carston, the case is a conundrum. All the evidence points to Michael Burnham as the murderer. His marriage had become a sham, his wife had a lover, and he’s been having an affair with a powerful, manipulative woman who doesn’t let anything get in the way of her pleasures. There are plenty of clues and yet, somehow, they don’t make sense. Would Burnham really be so stupid as to leave so much incriminatory evidence?
Most puzzling is the personality of Stephanie Burnham herself. It’s only when Carston solves that enigma that he uncovers a resolution that’s even worse than he'd imagined.

Review

"NOW here's a rare event: a nationally published crime novel set near Aberdeen. Bill Kirton has put together a fine debut with intense plotting, strong characters and just the right touch of acid in the dialogue (particularly the female dialogue). The story concerns murder and adultery in the Aberdeen commuter town of Cairnburgh. But who did what to whom? That's what DCI Carston has to unravel. Fine Rendellian touches and a structure and depth that is rare in a first book make this a cracking page-turner. The denouement, when it comes, will shake you."
Press and Journal, Aberdeen

“a breath of fresh air. No quirky or weird personalities, nothing improbable. Just a good mystery. The characters are very believable. He fooled me completely on the solution, and I was sure I had it right.”
Gary Corby, author of The Pericles Commission and The Ionia Sanction

“An excellent whodunit”
Ron Chicaferro, Amazon

“Add to the cast of characters a good sense of pace and an excellent plot that kept me guessing and you’ll see why I liked this book. The end result? Another mystery series of which I want to keep track.”
Cathy G. Cole, Amazon