My @brightonargus.bsky.social column isn't an easy read this week. Between 2011-2022, there were 242 suicides of current police officers and PCSOs in England & Wales. But there's hope in speaking up, seeking help & breaking the silence that's claimed too many good people. Read the full article here👇

What must it be like to be so scared you have to flee your country only to be met with anger where you thought you’d find sanctuary? As people are forced into seeking asylum due to the actions & inactions of politicians, I ask: are we protesting against the right people? @brightonargus.bsky.social

So apparently, today (1/09) is when Lee Child starts writing each new #JackReacher book – and when half the world suddenly decides they want to write one too! 😅 So why do we all get the writing bug around now & what actually separates the people who finish books from those who just talk about it?👇

🚨 Why hasn't UK policing had a major restructure since I was at primary school? In my latest #BartlettOnTheBeat for @brightonargus.bsky.social, I'm calling for a Royal Commission on Policing. Read why I believe we need independent, forensic examination of policing before another 65 years pass us by.

Anyone else getting transfer window fatigue? 😴⚽️ When did buying & selling footballers become more dramatic than the actual football? This week I'm discussing how these 'windows' have turned into a circus - and poor Alexander Isak is the latest casualty. My latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social👇

#BartlettOnTheBeat this week in the @brightonargus.bsky.social – how a 19-year-old councillor turned a horrific crime against a 12-year-old girl into a political weapon, potentially jeopardising the very case meant to deliver justice for her ⤵️

✍️ Writing feeling like a chore? You're not alone. This Friday at 12pm I'm sharing my tips on OVERCOMING WRITERS' BURNOUT at @jerichowriters.bsky.social's WRITE THAT DRAFT BOOTCAMP. Burnout isn't weakness - it's a signal. Can't make it live? All bootcamp sessions are recorded & you can still sign up👇

What do the Lionesses, Luke Littler & the British and Irish Lions have in common? They all mastered the art of bouncing back when everything seemed lost. This week's @brightonargus.bsky.social article explores the mindset that separates champions from the rest of us & why we should all take notes! ✍️

My #BartlettOnTheBeat column for Monday's @brightonargus.bsky.social tackles one of policing's most contentious chapters. The inquiry that was promised but never delivered - and the questions that still haunt British policing today. Getting to the root of 'Battle of Orgreave'👇

This week I'm getting honest about the juggling act between writing, promoting, and actually living life. Sometimes staying home wins over hitting the road... Read why in my latest column for the @brightonargus.bsky.social👇

💔 The NHS is cutting IVF cycles from three to one. As someone who's been through infertility struggles, I know this isn't just policy - it's heartbreak. In my latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social, I share why infertility is a health, not lifestyle, issue.

"Ask me. Ask me. Ask me." Sometimes #domesticabuse victims are waiting for just one person to be curious enough to ask. My latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social on why thinking the unthinkable can help save lives👇

Under promise, over deliver. Some call it unambitious, I call it respectful. Promising what you can actually control beats promising what sounds good. From police performance meetings to kitchen companies - the cost of broken promises is higher than you think. My @brightonargus.bsky.social latest👇

🚗 From the driver doing taxes at 70mph to someone eating cereal behind the wheel...I've seen it all. But these "multitasking" moments could turn deadly in seconds. Your phone notification can wait. Your breakfast can wait. Focus on driving & driving only – someone's life might depend on it.

It's #NationalCrimeReadingMonth & the eBook versions of my Jo Howe series are on offer! I explore Brighton's darker side with a copper who's seen it all. If you haven't read these yet, I promise they aren't your typical police procedurals. 🔗 in my bio #pickupapageturner @allisonandbusby.bsky.social

You are not alone and you can change your life – my latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social shares why the #mentalhealth of men matters more than ever, and why the toughest conversation you'll have might be the one that saves a life ♥️

✍️🕵🏻‍♂️ I'll be at Jubilee Library in #Brighton this Sunday for a CRIME WRITING MASTERCLASS! I'll be exploring everything from developing authentic characters to crafting those twists that keep readers up all night. Hosted by The Creative Writing Programme, we kick off at 11am. A few spots left👇

Thrilled to share that @gdwrightwrites.bsky.social made it home yesterday for his birthday! 🎉 While Gary was in hospital, the @ukcrimebookclub.bsky.social & I hosted an in absentia launch for his fantastic new book INTO THE FIRE. The recording is now on YouTube & well worth a watch👇

British passport = leniency? Why should it? If we demand overseas criminals feel the full weight of the law here, then why isn’t the opposite true? Laws are laws and nobody is above them. My latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social👇

On my recent travels, I've been wrestling with the bizarre logic of tipping. Why do we tip the waiter but not the chef who actually cooked our amazing meal? Or the cleaners who stopped the restaurant from being shut down by environmental health? Spoiler: I still don't have this one figured out! 😅

Back when I joined the police, everyone got a nickname. Mine was Mowgli - because I was so very fresh-faced. The best took thought: Wheelbarrow (only works when pushed) & ManBat (for a chap called Wayne Bruce). Wait until you see the rest! My latest for @brightonargus.bsky.social is in comments👇

52 out of 92 football managers have left their jobs this season. Who do you think is to blame - the coaches or the chairmen? And what did facing scrutiny as Brighton & Hove Divisional Commander teach me about true leadership accountability? Sometimes the buck stops everywhere but the top👇

Should police officers who fail vetting checks get the boot? After the Couzens case, public trust is critical, but I have concerns about how a new Government new ruling might be used. Holding a warrant card is a privilege but due process matters too. My latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social👇

Ever wondered why Brighton Royals appears in ITV's Grace instead of Brighton & Hove Albion? Or why authors can use real place names but TV shows often create fictional ones? Time to pull back the curtain on the fascinating world of creative licensing in books vs. screen adaptations👇

My latest #BartlettOnTheBeat in the @brightonargus.bsky.social. At 60, I've discovered old age is like the horizon - always moving just beyond reach. Plus, I'm unveiling my new author photo (the old one apparently fooled no one)! Was David Bowie right about ageing making us who we should be?👇

A true hero – PC Trevor Lock survived six days as a hostage during the Iranian Embassy Siege with a hidden gun, saved an SAS soldier's life & inspired my own police career. Yet few remember his name today. Read his extraordinary story in my latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social 💙

Authors, your work is being used to train AI without permission or payment. Meta's Zuckerberg personally approved downloading MILLIONS of pirated books (including mine!). The UK government might make this legal. Read my latest in the @brightonargus.bsky.social to see how authors are fighting back👇

Here's a #MothersDay offer you can't ignore – #BeyondTheBookFestival day passes for £30 (£5 off) with the code MOTHER5 – for this week only! I'll be there alongside some brilliant authors (check out those book covers!). Tickets at beyondthebookfestival.org or just scan that QR code thing 😁

#Writers, do you know what makes a psychopath tick? After interviewing the real thing, I've got some authentic insights for your next villain. Join Dr. GJ Williams and I at #gŵylcrimecymrufestival for CREATING A PSYCHOPATH on 26th April! Tickets👇 ticketsource.co.uk/gwylcrimecymrufestival/t-xmkxxmq

I finally got new headshots last week! Photographer, Dani Brown, used film – no instant previews, just patience. As a crime writer who asks readers to wait for plot reveals, I'd forgotten how valuable that feeling is. Have we lost something in our addiction to immediacy? @brightonargus.bsky.social

🚨 TEAM UPDATE: I've recently added two exceptional police experts to my advisory team, both of whom bring authentic frontline & special operations expertise to help with your #crimewriting. Learn more about Dan, Gary & all my specialists at policeadvisor.co.uk/crime-fiction-experts

Council tax season is upon us – police precept included. Sussex Police gets £41 LESS per person than the national average. In my latest @brightonargus.bsky.social column, I explain what these numbers really mean & why local services struggle nationwide. The reality might surprise you.

What a wonderful memory! A year ago I chatted to the crime book club at Waterstones Durham and sold close to 60 books in a just a few hours. Thanks so much people of Durham and particularly Fiona Sharp for you warmth and welcome. Crime writers, you know where you need to head! 🙏🙏📚📚

Who's headed to gwylcrimecymrufestival.co.uk in April? I'll be joining Graham Miller, @jamesoswald.scot & @davidpennywriting.bsky.social for a panel on creating authentic detectives that would actually pass police training. Trust me, real policing is dramatic enough without breaking all the rules 😅

Who's headed to gwylcrimecymrufestival.co.uk in April? I'll be joining Graham Miller, @jamesoswald.scot & @davidpennywriting.bsky.social for a panel on creating authentic detectives that would actually pass police training. Trust me, real policing is dramatic enough without breaking all the rules 😅

🚨🚨🚨 Join me at BEYOND THE BOOK FESTIVAL in #Brighton on 10th May for my special event 'You're Nicked' alongside T.M. Payne. As ex-cops turned crime writers, we'll be taking willing volunteers through an authentic arrest experience. Get your ticket👇 brightonfringe.org/events/beyond-the-book-festival

#BartlettOnTheBeat Did you know that The Contempt of Court Act hasn't changed in over 100 years? Yet, today, social media spreads lies at lightning speed. Who's truly to blame? Read my latest @brightonargus.bsky.social article to discover why police hands are tied while disinformation runs wild.

🔎 My mission this weekend: tracking down A WOMAN AT SCOTLAND YARD by Lilian Wyles for my #TBR pile! After sharing her journey to 1st woman CID Police Officer in my last newsletter, I'm eager to read her firsthand account. What better book to celebrate #WorldBookDay (today) & #IWD2025 on Saturday! 📚💪

✈️ Heading to the airport? Look out for BABES IN THE WOOD (written with @peterjamesauthor.bsky.social) in WHSmith Travel's #truecrime promotion for March-May 2025 ✨📚Updated last year, discover how a sweatshirt & a web of lies protected a killer - until DNA revealed the truth…

What if we did a blind taste test of #crimefiction? 📚🫣 Is your next favourite author hiding in plain sight? Many brilliant writers remain undiscovered despite work rivalling bestsellers. Discover someone new for #WorldBookDay this Thurs – or meet hidden talents at the DARKSIDE OF BRIGHTON on Sat!

Who's going to the at THE DARKSIDE OF BRIGHTON this coming Saturday? Very much looking forward to it @lilmissmorfett.bsky.social! 🤩

I'm joining Tony Forder Michelle Kidd, Ken Ward & Zoe Bateman for 'When the DI Takes Charge' at THE DARKSIDE OF BRIGHTON! Join us at The Old Ship Hotel, on 8th March, 1.00-1.45pm. Huge thanks to @lilmissmorfett.bsky.social for organising the event! Get your tickets now👇

How many meetings in your calendar for this week don't need to happen? 🤔 In my latest for the @brightonargus.bsky.social, I write about making public sector partnerships work smarter, not harder. One police force area had 300+ meetings annually. There's got to be a better way!

Ever had your other half's birthday present involve prison security checks & razor wire? 😅 No, this isn't the start of one of my crime novels – I took Julie to The Clink in Brixton Prison, where inmates serve food that rivals The Ritz. My latest BARTLETT ON THE BEAT for @brightonargus.bsky.social👇

Great evening at Waterstones, Horsham with Becca Day under @thestucumminsreads.bsky.social forensic questioning! Chatting #thewomaninthecabin and #CityOnFire. Great questions, audience & vibe! Learned we now share an agent. Some bloke called @davidhheadley.bsky.social 🤷‍♂️ @dhhlitagency.bsky.social

Big thanks to the Sixth Form students at Burgess Hill Girls School! Careers rarely follow a straight line & sometimes the most interesting stories come from those unexpected turns. Thanks also to Anne Pithie for capturing the spirit of my presentation in this lovely article👇

42 years ago today, I was accepted into the police. One month later: this fresh-faced PC at the start of an incredible journey. From smiley recruit to Chief Superintendent of #Brighton - what a privilege it was to serve, and now to share those experiences through my writing and advisory work 💙

30+ years in the police. It's not the car chases or dramatic arrests that haunt me. It's the little girl's smile I knew would never be the same. The pizza shop owner who'd never see again. The cashier who never returned to work. Justice doesn't always heal. Some cases never leave you 💔

I forgot this! @interviewroomone.bsky.social shouts to @mariwriter.bsky.social @dominicnolan.bsky.social @imranmahmood777.bsky.social @radiomukhers.bsky.social @janecasey.bsky.social @trevorwoodwrite.bsky.social @jocallaghankat.bsky.social & @rfkuang.bsky.social interviewroomone.com/graham-bartl...

1 week from now, I'll be at Waterstones Horsham with @authorbeccaday.bsky.social for an evening of #crimewriting chat with @thestucumminsreads.bsky.social. We'll be discussing CITY ON FIRE & Becca's gripping THE WOMAN IN THE CABIN. Join us 6-7pm on 13th Feb! 😃 www.waterstones.com/events/an-ev...