Nick Brownlee
Encyclopedia
Nick Brownlee is a British journalist and crime thriller writer.
His critically acclaimed debut novel
, Bait, published in December 2008 by Piatkus, was the first in a series featuring
Kenyan crimebusting duo Jake Moore and Detective Inspector Daniel Jouma. The second, Burn, was published in June 2009, and the third, Machete in July 2010. The fourth in the series, Snakepit, is due to be published in 2011.
, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
, and the University of Leeds
.
After leaving university he joined the Newcastle Evening Chronicle as a reporter, and continued to work for local newspapers in the North-East for several years before moving to London to work as a feature writer for The People. In 2000 he became a freelance writer, contributing to national newspapers and magazines.He now lives in Cumbria
with his wife, daughter and dog.
, was published shortly after leaving The People
. Since then he has written several non-fiction titles on subjects ranging from cannabis to manufactured pop music. His last book was a history of the Tour de France
, entitled Vive Le Tour, published in 2007. This book is due to be reissued in May 2010 by Anova Books
, with updated entries and foreword. He has also updated a book of World Cup football trivia, The Amazing World Cup Compendium, to coincide with the 2010 World Cup Finals.
. However the same day he was also offered a contract by London-based literary agency Gregory & Company. Choosing to go with the latter, Bait was subsequently bought by Piatkus, an imprint of Little, Brown publishers, as part of a two-book deal featuring the characters Daniel Jouma and Jake Moore.
The novel was published in December 2008, and the sequel, Burn, in June 2009. Brownlee has since been commissioned to write two more Jake and Jouma novels for Piatkus. The third, Machete, will be published in July 2010. A fourth, Snakepit, is currently being written.
In January 2009 Bait was reviewed on the Simon Mayo Book Panel on BBC Radio Five Live
. Brownlee himself has appeared as a reviewer on the show on several occasions in 2009.
In April 2010, US magazine Booklist
included the book in its list of Best Crime Novels of the Year.
-based detective Daniel Jouma and Jake Moore, a former member of the British Flying Squad
who has fled to Kenya
after a near-fatal shooting and now runs an ailing game fishing business. The two men are reluctantly brought together after a game boat skipper disappears, presumed killed, in an on-board explosion. Jouma's investigations, together with Moore's more robust legwork, uncover a sinister sex trafficking network based in east Africa, and allow Jouma to expose a deep well of institutional corruption within local government and police.
, known only as The Ghost, has arrived in Kenya with orders to silence the surviving members of the trafficking network first seen in Bait - and to avenge the killing of its lead operative by Jake.
and William Peter Blatty
, is available exclusively in ebook form, with all profits going to Unicef to aid victims of the Haiti earthquake.
His critically acclaimed debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
, Bait, published in December 2008 by Piatkus, was the first in a series featuring
Kenyan crimebusting duo Jake Moore and Detective Inspector Daniel Jouma. The second, Burn, was published in June 2009, and the third, Machete in July 2010. The fourth in the series, Snakepit, is due to be published in 2011.
Biography
Brownlee was born in Blyth, NorthumberlandBlyth, Northumberland
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
, and the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
.
After leaving university he joined the Newcastle Evening Chronicle as a reporter, and continued to work for local newspapers in the North-East for several years before moving to London to work as a feature writer for The People. In 2000 he became a freelance writer, contributing to national newspapers and magazines.He now lives in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
with his wife, daughter and dog.
Non-Fiction Work
Brownlee's first book, a guide to Coronation StreetCoronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, was published shortly after leaving The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
. Since then he has written several non-fiction titles on subjects ranging from cannabis to manufactured pop music. His last book was a history of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, entitled Vive Le Tour, published in 2007. This book is due to be reissued in May 2010 by Anova Books
Anova Books
Anova Books is a UK-based publishing company founded in 2005, with the acquisition of the Chrysalis Books Group from the Chrysalis Group. Since its inception, the firm has acquired or created several other imprints...
, with updated entries and foreword. He has also updated a book of World Cup football trivia, The Amazing World Cup Compendium, to coincide with the 2010 World Cup Finals.
The Jake & Jouma Series
In late 2007, Brownlee's manuscript for Bait was one of a handful selected for publication by Macmillan New WritingMacmillan New Writing
Macmillan New Writing is an imprint of the British publishing company Pan Macmillan. Designed to attract previously unpublished authors, it offers aspiring novelists 20% of royalties from the sale of their book but no advance on signing...
. However the same day he was also offered a contract by London-based literary agency Gregory & Company. Choosing to go with the latter, Bait was subsequently bought by Piatkus, an imprint of Little, Brown publishers, as part of a two-book deal featuring the characters Daniel Jouma and Jake Moore.
The novel was published in December 2008, and the sequel, Burn, in June 2009. Brownlee has since been commissioned to write two more Jake and Jouma novels for Piatkus. The third, Machete, will be published in July 2010. A fourth, Snakepit, is currently being written.
In January 2009 Bait was reviewed on the Simon Mayo Book Panel on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
. Brownlee himself has appeared as a reviewer on the show on several occasions in 2009.
In April 2010, US magazine Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
included the book in its list of Best Crime Novels of the Year.
Bait
The first book in the series introduces fastidious MombasaMombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
-based detective Daniel Jouma and Jake Moore, a former member of the British Flying Squad
Flying Squad
The Flying Squad is a branch of the Specialist Crime Directorate, within London's Metropolitan Police Service. The Squad's purpose is to investigate commercial armed robberies, along with the prevention and investigation of other serious armed crime...
who has fled to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
after a near-fatal shooting and now runs an ailing game fishing business. The two men are reluctantly brought together after a game boat skipper disappears, presumed killed, in an on-board explosion. Jouma's investigations, together with Moore's more robust legwork, uncover a sinister sex trafficking network based in east Africa, and allow Jouma to expose a deep well of institutional corruption within local government and police.
Burn
The sequel sees Jake and Jouma once again united, this time investigating the apparent suicide of a well-respected Irish ex-pat with links to a rapacious, Mombasa-based property development company. Meanwhile, a paid assassinAssassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, known only as The Ghost, has arrived in Kenya with orders to silence the surviving members of the trafficking network first seen in Bait - and to avenge the killing of its lead operative by Jake.
Machete
The third in the series sees Jouma investigating a series of murders committed by the so-called Headhunter, whose calling card is to leave the severed heads of his victims as gifts. Jake becomes involved in the hunt for the killer when his best friend, an old police colleague from England, arrives in Kenya and falls prey to the Headhunter.Other Fiction
In April 2010, one of Brownlee's short stories, Withholding The Evidence, was included in an anthology entitled No Man & Other Stories To Help Haiti. The collection, which also features the work of Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall Smith
Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...
and William Peter Blatty
William Peter Blatty
William Peter Blatty is an American writer and filmmaker. The novel The Exorcist, written in 1971, is his magnum opus; he also penned the subsequent screenplay version of the film, for which he won an Academy Award....
, is available exclusively in ebook form, with all profits going to Unicef to aid victims of the Haiti earthquake.