Cop novel set in city

Author’s new crime thriller sees detective track killer

A NEW crime novel set in the streets of Dundee is already flying off the shelves of local book shops.

Hania Allen’s thriller The Polish Detective sees police investigator Dania Gorska tracking down an unknown killer in the City of Discovery.

The assassin is arranging bodies in grisly fashions, with the first posed like a scarecrow in a field near Muirhead, with other murders following as the mystery deepens.

Hania chose to set the book — the first in a new series — in Dundee in light of its “up-and-coming” status.

The Fife-based author said: “The Polish Detective is a story of several threads, a story of revenge. Dania has come up from London, new in the job, and she is taken into this case quite suddenly and isn’t quite sure what’s going on.

“I like to let the reader go down a particular path, give them enough to solve the mystery, but of course still have some twists along the way.”

Hania’s eye for detail saw her take road trips across the city to ensure streets and landmarks were accurate — giving local readers an extra thrill as they turn the pages.

The first chapter alone namechecks West Bell Street, the Kingsway, Liff and Coupar Angus Road.

“Dundee’s a short driving distance from where I am, and the city is full of so many fascinating settings, like The Howff, the RRS Discovery and the wonderful Waterfront,” she added.

“There’s so much here to base a new series in and to scout out locations — that’s part of the fun of writing.”

However, she still made use of some artistic licence to give her stories an edge — and used her Polish roots to give Dania an air of authenticity.

“Had I written about a Spanish detective, I would have had to do a lot of research,” she said.

“My father was one of the Polish soldiers stationed in St Andrews during the Second World War. He spoke for many years about the warmth the Scottish people had shown him.”

Julie Thow, manager at the Dundee branch of bookshop Waterstones, said the title was selling well.

“We’re certainly expecting it to be the next big book here — we didn’t realise how strong the sales would be in the first week,” she said.

Hania Allen’s new novel The Polish Detective is set in Dundee.