Accidental Crime

How far would you go to make things right? This is the question that torments Jarrod Bowman as a series of unexpected events force him to revisit past mistakes and ponder afresh just what it means for there to be justice in this world. A day of disasters and coincidences leave Jarrod and his unsuspecting housemate, Dawn, wondering whether there really is any fairness in life, whilst Dawn’s quest to launch a new kind of lunch leads her into situations that will make her question whether it is not only our actions but our words too that might come back to haunt us.

The novel is finally here! After weeks, months, perhaps even years of wild speculation, agonising anticipation and diminishing belief that this day would ever come, I am pleased to announce that my debut novel Accidental Crime is being launched on Amazon Kindle today (with a paperback version due shortly).

This has been a big part of my life for the past few years and particularly since I completed the first draft at about this time last year and so I hope you’ll forgive me for using this blog to celebrate its launch. To sweeten the deal a little, I will post a chapter of the novel on this blog on each day for the next month for you to read for free! So, keep checking back for your daily dose of the world of Jarrod and Dawn…

To kick things off, here’s the prologue:

Accidental Crime

She held the book between her hands, her fingers tapping a disjointed rhythm against the faded cover, and waited.

She wanted to claim it was an accident and perhaps, just perhaps, it was. But even in their rehearsed, unspoken form the words sounded so hollow. If she couldn’t believe herself, how could she hope that others would share the conviction?

‘Are you ready?’ the voice across the table muttered.

She raised her eyes to meet the intensity of his stare, her eyelids flickering in apprehension, and nodded. Another lie.

‘We need to go through what happened.’

‘I told you what happened. I told you everything.’

‘Why don’t you put the book down for a moment?’

Her fingers relinquished their grip and the book slid onto the table with a reassuring thud before being swiftly swept to the opposite corner, nestling precariously by his right hand.

‘I don’t know what to tell you.’

He clasped his hands together and leant forwards. She felt his breath on her over-sensitive skin.

‘Just tell us the truth. It’s as simple as that.’

‘The truth is never simple, Mr -’

‘Thorpe.’

‘Of course.’

She smiled and brought her hands together.

‘You told my colleague it was an accident,’ he said, flicking through the notebook before him. ‘You were quite adamant.’

‘It was an accident. I’ll be adamant for you too, if you want.’

She sunk her teeth into her lower lip.

‘And you’d be willing to testify to that in court?’

‘I’d rather not go to court at all.’

‘I’m afraid that doesn’t seem to be a choice open to you.’

‘All choices are open to us, Mr Thorpe.’

Where were these words coming from? She cursed the selection of the Quotes of the day app, certain that it was to blame in some way. If she began declaring the dream she’d had that her children – as yet, unconceived – would one day be judged not on the colour of their skin but on the content of their character then she could call off the investigation for good. As it was, her imagination – and occasional viewing of television police dramas – would have to take the brunt of the blame.

‘We have witnesses placing you at the scene.’

‘Of course you do. I was there.’

‘And I suppose that was an accident too?’

She leaned towards him.

‘In a way. Isn’t everything?’

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Check back tomorrow for the next chapter!

If you can’t wait to read the rest, the novel is available to buy here.

Many thanks to everyone for their support! If you enjoy the novel, please consider leaving a positive review on Amazon.