Death Comes Knocking: Policing Roy Grace's Brighton

Acknowledgements

This book is the culmination of thirty years of policing combined with twelve Roy Grace crime novels. However, the experiences we both have could not have compiled such a rich compendium of policing tales without the support of a huge number of people. Some of those mentioned in the book chose to have their names changed and we will use their pseudonyms here too.

Many former colleagues have been so generous with their time and recollections of events and investigations of years gone by. Amongst the retired officers who showed that memory does not always fade with age are the real Roy Grace, Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor, Detective Superintendent Russ Whitfield, Detective Chief Inspector George Smith, Detective Inspector Malcolm Bacon, Detective Sergeants Don Welch and Jim Sharpe, Detective Constables Debbie Wood, Dave Swainston, Nigel Kelly, Andy Mays and Dave Cooper and Police Constable Bob Elliott. They provided substantial detail on a number of crimes and showed why each of them was a force to be reckoned with in their day.

The support from the highest level in Sussex Police, from Chief Constable Giles York QPM and Olivia Pinkney QPM, now Chief Constable of Hampshire, has been invaluable, not least in allowing David Tonkin to check the manuscript on their behalf to ensure no secrets were revealed.

Our very good friend Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp, Brighton and Hove’s Divisional Commander, has been enormously helpful as has Detective Inspector Bill Warner, who was only too happy for his crazy ways to be laid bare for all to read. DS Julian Deans and PC Darren Balkham, who in their own very different ways make Brighton and Hove so much safer, have provided a rare insight into their unique worlds. Inspector Matt Webb and PC Mark White of the Police Federation have provided fabulous support in researching people and events gone by.

The courage of the victims of crime who helped cannot be underestimated. To ask them to relive traumatic events seemed an intrusion but Dr Alison Hewitt, Glynn Morgan and Fiona Perry were so incredibly helpful and we will be forever in their debt.

On the other side of the law, for some ex-offenders to happily talk to us about their exploits and the consequences of their crimes was as welcome as it was surprising. David Henty, Clifford Wake and Paul Teed were only too happy to provide a perspective that, otherwise, would have been sorely missed.

Like cops, journalists have enduring memories and see the world from a slightly different angle to that of the police and crime writers. The help of Phil Mills, Emily Walker, Michael Beard and Mike Gilson, all either currently at or previously of Brighton’s Argus newspaper, is hugely appreciated in not only contributing to the stories but also in sourcing some of the photographs from their dusty archives.

Special thanks go to our wonderful agent Carole Blake of Blake Friedman Literary Agency, who always goes the extra mile, and to the incredibly patient and inspirational Ingrid Connell, who provided such magnificent guidance throughout the writing. Much gratitude too is owed to our editor Susan Opie, whose patience and eye for detail are something to behold. Geoff Duffield, of Pan Macmillan, deserves a particular mention as it was he who, when presented with the embryonic plan for this book, gave such fulsome encouragement and support, something he has sustained throughout. Others who have provided excellent critical reflections on various stages of the manuscript include Linda Buckley and Phil Viner.

The fabulous and energetic staff at Midas PR, especially Tony Mulliken, Sophie Ransom and Becky Short, have been brilliant in so fully and enthusiastically promoting this book,

Mostly though, for not only providing constant physical and emotional support and encouragement but also for reading and re-reading draft after draft, huge love and thanks go to our wives Julie and Lara. Julie has been with Graham on the rollercoaster of self-doubt and elation every step of the way. To adapt from a wife whose husband was mainly at work trying to cure the ills of a city he loves, to having him under her feet pulling his hair out over rhythm, syntax and grammar is no mean feat. Thank you both so much as we literally couldn’t do this without you.

Graham Bartlett and Peter James