Author Neil Lancaster talks to us about his latest novel The Night Watch and how a mysterious grave in the Scottish Highlands inspired his first DS Max Craigie novel.
Neil was born in Liverpool in the 1960s. He recently left the Metropolitan Police where he served for over twenty-five years, predominantly as a detective, leading and conducting investigations into some of the most serious criminals across the UK and beyond.
Since retiring from the police, Neil has relocated to the Scottish Highlands with his wife and son, where he mixes freelance investigations with writing. Neil's writing career began with his first Tom Novak thriller, Going Dark, in 2019. He wrote three Novak thrillers then moved on to DS Max Craigie.
His first Craigie novel, Dead Man’s Grave, was longlisted for the 2021 McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year, and its sequel, The Blood Tide, was shortlisted for Best New Series at the Dead Good Reader Awards. The latest in the Craigie series, The Night Watch, will be published by HQ Digital in September.
Literary-wise it simply has to be Desmond Bagley. Bagley was one of a clutch of thriller writers in the 1970’s who wrote a number of everyman type of action/adventure stories. Most people when thinking of writers of that era will tend to remember Alistair Maclean, Dick Francis and the like, but for me, Desmond Bagley was the one. Wyatt’s Hurricane, Running Blind, The Spoilers, and several others were all absolute belters. Real edge of seat action with solid, identifiable characters. Just brilliant. I read them all as a twelve-year-old, and they seeded everything that came after that.
Not initially but obviously being an ex cop was a big help. I have many years of stories, experiences and, perhaps most of all, characters that I can use to add lots of colour to the books I write. In terms of actually making the jump to writing, I hadn’t really thought about it that hard. It’s only when I found myself with time on my hands that I had the opportunity to give it a shot. I’m really glad that I did!
I had absolutely no expectations either way. I had a feeling it was a pretty good story, but the world is full of pretty good stories that don’t make it into print. I got lucky in that I found a small publisher willing to take a chance, and it did far better than we could have expected. Even now, almost four years later, the book continues to sell quite well. People really seem to like the protagonist, Tom Novak, and I’m always being asked if I’m going to write more. I’d love to, but time is an issue. Too many ideas, not enough time.
The idea came like a bolt from the blue when an old ex-cop who told me about the “Grave Never To Be Opened.” I just had to write a story with it as the hook. It obviously leant itself to horror, or historical fiction, but neither appealed to me. I really wanted to write a contemporary crime thriller story set in Scotland, as the grave felt so Scottish. Once I visited the place, deep in the wilds of bleak Caithness, I knew what I had to do.
The Night Watch was a huge amount of fun to write. The idea came when my then editor asked me if I had a serial killer book in me. I think that as I worked on cases such as Levi Bellfield, they thought it would be something I could have an angle on. I then decided that it would be lots of fun if all the evidence in the cases suggested that the suspect had just a little too much inside knowledge. He knows too much, because he’s on the investigation team. It just struck me that it would be a real fascinating idea to explore. I don’t plan my books, so the idea gathered pace, and I’m really pleased with the result. I think it could be my best book yet.
I’ve literally just finished the first draft of the fifth Craigie book. It will need plenty of work to get it right, but can I just say that a face or faces from the past may make appearances, and Max and the team will have to make a decision as to whether they’re being played or not.
Everyone should go and see Christ of Saint John of The Cross by Salvador Dali which hangs at the Kelvingrove museum in Glasgow. It’s totally spellbinding, and I am neither an art critic, nor a religious man.
Far too many books. I’m lucky enough to get sent books ahead of publication. Right now I’m reading Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay, which isn’t out until November. It’s brilliant, imagine what happens if a load of self-driving cars go haywire on a small Island. Like Jurassic Park for cars.
Hmm... I fell off my mountain bike a couple of days ago, and my leg looks totally repulsive as a result. Maybe trying to keep up with my mountain biking son wasn’t such a great idea. Not sure if I will do that again, but then again...
I was in the same class in primary school as Anton Du Beke, of “Strictly” fame... he was a nice chap.
