Hemel Hempstead author's New Year's resolution becomes a crime thriller

Hi,

Debut novel from Hemel Author | P.J. Armstrong

placeholder image — Debut novel from Hemel Author | P.J. Armstrong

I'm a Hemel Hempstead resident and marketing consultant, and on 14 October I published my debut crime thriller, The Blackthorn Pact.

It began as a New Year's resolution in January 2025: stop saying "one day" and actually write a novel. Twenty-five drafts later, it's out in paperback and on Kindle, and I've already started the sequel.

The book is set in Oxford and the Oxfordshire countryside and follows Arthur Graves, an ex-detective turned crime writer who's drawn into a death the police have written off.

It's for fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid.

I'd be happy to talk about the journey, from resolution to finished book, and I can send a high-resolution photo of me with the book plus a cover image.

Best wishes,

Paul Armstrong (writing as P.J. Armstrong)

07525 863795 · [email protected] · pjarmstrong.com