NOVEL SUCCESS

Ian Bunting

A Coatbridge author is wowing critics and readers alike with his latest book.

Owen Mullen’s crime novel Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead has earned glowing reviews – and a place in the top 300 books being sold on Amazon – since its release last week.

The story is the third to feature Glaswegian- based private investigator Charlie Cameron, with the trilogy of tales the culmination of a three-book deal Owen signed with top publishers Bloodhound Books last year.

Owen, who splits his time between his Kirkshaws home and a villa in Greece, took inspiration from the people of Coatbridge when creating the Charlie Cameron character.

He explained: “In the past I had written books set in Pakistan and New Orleans and an agent suggested that I write something Scottish.

“I initially didn’t want to, but my wife Christine persuaded me and together we created Charlie Cameron.

“We didn’t want him to be the typical broken-down type of private investigator and instead wanted to make him successful and attractive.

“I’m from Coatbridge and people from the town are funny and always saying amusing things that they don’t spend time waiting for applause of credit for.

“I wanted to include some of that west of Scotland type of humour and personality in the Charlie Cameron books and much of the praise they have received has hailed the strong characters in the stories.

“I also aimed to write genuine whodunnits where the reader is very close to the end and still none the wiser as to how things are going to play out.”

Owen’s previous two Charlie Cameron novels were released in January and February and marked a notable change for an author used to self-publishing his work.

He said: “Last September, Bloodhound Books offered me a three-book deal after I sent them the first three chapters of an unfinished story.

“They got back to me within five days with