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Released: 28/01/2021

ISBN: 9781800461857
eISBN: 9781800468580

Format: Paperback/eBook

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Whatever It Takes

by Heaton Wilson

DCI Jane Birchfield is facing a series of personal challenges: a rocky relationship with her partner, her mum hardly talks to her; and her boss and mentor is critically ill, which means she is having to cover his post as well as her own. Then she has to take charge of the toughest of murder investigations.

Young Jamie Castleton is found dead, seemingly frozen in position at a computer in a grubby internet cafe in the Manchester suburb of Ashbridge. Enquiries reveal he was a self employed tech consultant and a computer expert, so what was he doing in there? His mother is convinced he was up to no good, and the cafe manager is soon under suspicion for trying to hide Jamie’s browser history.

But the more Jane and her increasingly enthusiastic team dig under the surface, the more the evidence points to one of Manchester's biggest companies, Greaves, and its super-wealthy boss, Graeme Hargreaves. This leads Jane into a sordid underworld, and a surprise twist in the investigation forces her to face up to an event in her own past, that she has kept buried for 25 years.

Slowly, but surely, the net tightens around the suspects, but can she stay objective, and can she keep herself, her team, and her relationship, together, and bring the killer to justice? For Jane it has become a personal crusade, but in this race against time there is far more at stake than she ever imagined.

Author news

My first crime fiction book, Every Reason, is available on Amazon.

The second, Whatever It Takes, is published in December 2020 by Matador. And I am now about half way through the third in the series.

I have a podcast in which I read some of the short stories I have written... You can find it at kevhwilson.podbean.com
I am working with an illustrator with a view to publishing new short stories as a collection.

I have had several plays published, and performed at theatres across the South of England.

Please say hello! Send a message to [email protected]

heatonwilson.com

Press Coverage

Isle of Wight County Press

Book Reviews

Whatever It Takes is a cleverly constructed crime novel with a strong female lead character. DCI Jane Birchfield tries to juggle her successful career, in what is still a male dominated profession, with that of a home life with a partner who feels he always takes second place.
The crime develops from what is thought initially to be a murder following a local online betting scam to something much more sordid and international.
This second novel by Heaton Wilson is on a par with crime fiction by more established authors of the genre. Due to strong descriptive language, the characters are realistic and brought to life with the reader feeling they know them well.
An excellent read and highly recommended.

by Shani Watts

Thoroughly enjoyed this book once I started it I couldn’t put it down
Waiting eagerly for next book

by Michael steed

Loved it. This character is a human being with the flaws, challenges and angst that come with it. The story itself was fast paced but not so complex as to get in the way of that flow. Highly recommended for people who like the Nikki Galena character created by Joy Ellis.

by NetGalley review

A recommendation from the local Isle of Wight newspaper led me to Heaton Wilson, an author I had not previously encountered. As a fan of crime fiction I was keen to discover what a local writer had to offer. I was delighted to find that he writes a well considered story with believable and interesting characters. I enjoyed the continued pace of the book that held me until the end with constant progress both from the crime angle and that of the personal lives of some of the characters. The story itself begins with a young man found dead at an internet cafe, apparently frozen in position as he worked at a computer. A murder investigation is soon launched. Who wanted him dead and why? The answers gradually reveal themselves and along with a few red herrings the crime is solved. I liked the way the story was told from an investigation point of view as opposed to a ‘whodunnit’. It was more realistic but never boring. I also liked the supportive nature of the entire police team. So many stories have an aggressive leader with downtrodden staff which becomes all rather predictable, so again this book made a pleasant change to have staff members appreciated and motivated. A well written story and I will be delighted to read more from this author.

by NetGalley review

About the Author

Heaton Wilson

Born in Stalybridge, near Manchester, I trained as a journalist. It was the best decision I ever made, because it not only gave me the confidence to deal with people (many of them difficult!), but it also enabled me to earn a living from doing what I have always enjoyed - writing.

I worked in Stockport, Bolton, and Bury, before moving to Herefordshire; at which point I swapped sides and moved into public relations, working in Southamptonl, Harrow, and Barnet.

My big career change came when I set myself up as a consultant, living on the Isle of Wight, where we used to come for family holidays, but working at various locations in the UK.

I gradually eased out of full time work, and founded Origins Theatre; writing our plays, and often appearing in them!

The writing bug has never left me, and after graduating with a BA Hons in Literature through the Open University, I began to explore writing fiction, including short stories.

I wrote my first crime fiction novel about three years ago. It's called Every Reason. My new book - Whatever It Takes - is the second in the series. And I am now writing the third.