Top policeman turns to crime writing
HE brought more than 40 killers to justice and led the worldwide manhunt for fake death canoe man John Darwin.
Now former murder squad chief Tony Hutchinson has swapped his cuffs for his computer as he launches a new career as a crime-writing novelist.
Tony was the senior investigating officer on the high-profile Darwin inquiry in 2007, a sensational case that became one of the biggest global media stories of the year.
He rose through the ranks to become a detective superintendent with Cleveland Police in 1999 and has now brought 30 years of real-life experience to the pages of his fiction.
Tony’s gripping debut is ‘Be My Girl’, a fast-paced police procedural that follows DCI Sam Parker’s pursuit of a serial rapist who counts on perfect planning to keep him one step ahead.
DCI Parker’s second outing – ‘Comply Or Die’ – sees her lead her murder team into the chilling world of honourbased violence.
“I understand investigations and have tried to bring that element of police procedure strongly into my books,” said Tony, of Newcastle.
“It’s important to me that they are authentic and give a genuine feel for how an inquiry is run.”
Tony, 58, who was born in Newcastle and moved to Hartlepool as a young boy, headed Cleveland’s Murder Investigation Team from its inception in 2001 until he retired in 2008.
He also worked on homicide inquiries in Copenhagen and Amsterdam where UK citizens have been murdered, liaising with the Danish and Dutch police.
But it was his last big job on the force with the John Darwin case that saw Tony unpick one of the biggest cons in British history.
For years, John and Anne Darwin spun out a sophisticated tale of lies and deception.
In 2002, teacher and financial advisor Mr Darwin was believed to have died in a canoeing accident.
But five years later he left police bewildered after walking into a police station after his apparent death.
What unfolded after that was nothing but extraordinary.
Mr Darwin faked his own death so his now ex-wife could make fraudulent insurance and pension claims.
And in a bizarre twist it was a photograph in Panama that led to the couple’s money-making ploys to be exposed.
Dad-of-two Tony said: “John Darwin was a story that captured the attention of the world’s media. Colleagues from as far afield as Australia were emailing me about it. The tabloid headline writers had a field day and it was the lead item in the national news for almost a week. It certainly put Seaton Carew, or Seaton Canoe as it became known locally, on the map.”
After success and acclaim as a highprofile detective, Tony admits launching his new career as an author is thrilling and scary at the same time.
Newcastle United fan Tony added: “I enjoy the whole writing experience but writing for pleasure and keeping your brain active is one thing, writing for publication is a different ball game altogether. Butterflies in the stomach doesn’t come near to describing how I feel.
“Being an author never crossed my mind. In fairness I’m not sure I consider myself one now. I still think of myself as a retired police officer.
“I was always an avid reader and I began writing as a mechanism to keep my brain active. Now it will be up to the readers to decide if I’m an author or not. I’m in there hands.”
‘Be My Girl’ and ‘Comply Or Die’ are published by Cheshire Cat Books.
Both books were released in digital formats on Friday, August 24.
Paperback versions will be available from Friday, September 7.