by Gwyneth Steddy
The Author
I was born in Northern Ireland and lived in Omagh, County Tyrone through the Troubles of the 60s, 70s, 80s and early 90s. In 199x, I moved to South Wales to begin a career in Occupational Therapy. Growing up in Omagh shaped me and never left me: I am very proud to come from that province. In 20xx, I decided that I needed to share my version of the story of West Tyrone and specifically share how resilient its people, but also share how hard the journey to peace has been, and still is. It is a hard-fought battle of every single day to challenge prejudice and animosity. Some people will never change their minds and attitudes, but I hope that with every generation, with the growing integration, one day there may be an enduring peace in Northern Ireland.
I conceived of the character of Malcolm when…
Therefore, my first published book was Do Sleeping Dogs Lie?, however, I realised soon after that I needed to tell more of Malcolm’s story, and the lead-up to his retirement. I wanted to explore more of the Malcolm who had been the Detective Inspector and that became So Shall You Sow, So Shall You Die. However, it became clear to me that the prequel that needed to have a position in the chronology all of its own, not just as a prequel to another story. So, it became Book 1, Do Sleeping Dogs Lie? became Book 2 and The Tyrone Mysteries came into being.
Writing this series has brought Omagh and Tyrone back to me, closer to me, and in creating all the characters, I was able to recall the temperaments, foibles and characteristics of the people that I grew up with. Malcolm is no one person that I have ever met, rather he is every person that I have met! As are the other characters whom I have grown to love: Alfie and his trench coat, Harriet’s xxx, William’s xxx…
I have also been able to write about all the places that I loved growing up, and retrace my youthful steps around my homeland and townland!
The Books
WHAT MALCOLM WANTS
DI Malcolm Bell is retiring. All he wants is a quiet, uneventful run down to the end of his career. A chance to tidy his office and wrap up the loose ends of thirty years of detective work.
In Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, things are rarely as simple as that.
WHAT MALCOLM GETS
When a local, troubled young man is found murdered, Malcolm is drawn into a case that threatens the hard-won peace of his community.
DI Bell and his team race to solve a crime where the past doesn’t sleep and where feuds, lies, and betrayal muddy the already disturbed waters.
What if Malcolm’s search for the truth reveals more secrets and asks more questions than the people of the town are prepared to answer?
The Sounds of West Tyrone
Click to hear Gwyneth’s words as they sound in a West Tyrone accent:
The Province
