Author uses his home town for inspiration
A Hamilton author has released his new war thriller series, with plenty of local twists.
Retiree David Walker mixes his love for Lanarkshire history with a gripping tale that references a number of Hamilton gems.
The two-book series – with Blackmail followed by Torres del Paine – is set on the front line of the First World War in 1916.
Blackmail sees Hamilton Accies supporter Jamie Brown investigate a web of blackmail during the conflict – and along the way he meets snipers, fighter aces, spies, gangsters, prostitutes and corrupt police officers.
Despite the story’s historical context, David digs deep into modern themes of unjudicial killing, gay rights and fake news.
Torres del Paine then covers a classic tale of whodunnit – ideal for a holiday read or on a long haul flight, David says.
The 65-year-old writer retired two years ago after a career in the oil industry and, latterly, renewable energy.
His work involved many trips abroad where he would spend his spare time putting pen to paper.
But drawing his career to a close has freed up more time to pursue his passion further.
David told the Advertiser: “I started writing while I was travelling for work, and then when I retired I started taking it more seriously and wrote these two books.
“The main character Captain Jamie Brown is from Hamilton, and he becomes a volunteer when the war breaks out and he gets wounded, but he still wants to do something, so he becomes an investigator.
“My family and school connections were the inspiration for my Blackmail book’s hero to come from Hamilton and for the Scottish content in the book.
“I’m an amateur historian too, with the First World War and Hamilton’s regiment, the Cameronians, of particular interest.
“The character is a Hamilton Accies supporter, and there’s a lot of little one-liners that people from Hamilton would recognise which maybe others wouldn’t. There’s a good bit of humour and banter along with the serious story, and a lot of local references people will be able to pick up.”
A history buff himself, David loves finding new ways to make Lanarkshire’s past as interesting as possible. He added: “I enjoyed doing the research side of it and doing something a bit different.
“It was partly a release from doing the work and it became more of an obsession when I retired, but it was also a chance to take a trip down memory lane and write about some of the history I’d known, and hopefully get it out to a wider audience.” Still in their first couple of months of release, the books have reached a solid audience.
And the author’s friends and family have been most impressed with David’s work, none more so than his elderly mother who still lives in Hamilton.
David pays tribute to 92 year-old Anne Walker who first ignited his interest in literature as a child and is still extremely proud of her son’s work.
“I’m proud of the release”, continued David. “I’ve always been interested in books since my mum got me into reading as a child, reading mysteries and ‘whodunnits’ and thrillers.
“I think she’s probably been the most proud of me since it came out. I’ve put in a lot of themes that are modern as well as the historical stuff.”
Looking ahead, David added: “I’m going to continue writing. I have another book underway at the moment and I have others to add to the Jamie Brown series. “Through the summer and lockdowns there has been plenty of time to keep writing.
“It has been enjoyable, especially doing the research part and then being creative and making that into a story.
“A lot of Hamilton’s history was coal mining and that has been largely visually removed so there is definitely some room for everyone to learn a bit more about local history.” The books are out now to purchase on Amazon and copies have also been donated to local libraries and schools.