Return to Liverpool

Last weekend saw a family celebration, focused on a big birthday for Andrew, one of my brothers in law. He decided he'd like to spend the weekend at Liverpool, which was perfect as far as I was concerned, as it's a city which is full of memories for me. I first started work there more than forty years ago and my office (which I have to admit, I visit infrequently these days) is still in the city centre.

Liverpool's a terrific place and when I was thinking about my first novel, it seemed an ideal setting for the first in a series of murder mysteries. I was trying to marry a strongly atmospheric contemporary vibe with plots in the Golden Age tradition. A good idea, I still believe, even if the Golden Age elements were generally overlooked at the time. And the fact that the books are still selling is hugely gratifying.   

My life and work were very different - thankfully - from Harry Devlin's, but I enjoyed researching the city and its history in order to make sure the books were as authentic as possible. Visiting clients and witnesses meant I saw the inside of plenty of fascinating places and it was fun to revisit one or two of them over the weekend. Harry's flat was in Empire Dock, which was a fictionalised version of Albert Dock, seen in the photo at the top. There have been many changes in Liverpool since I first worked there, but its character remains indomitable.  

We also had a day 'over the water', on the other side of the River Mersey, at Port Sunlight. When I lived in Wirral, I enjoyed visiting Port Sunlight, an extraordinary 'model village' on the edge of urban Birkenhead. It's also the home to a museum and a fantastic art gallery, the Lady Lever, where my old friend Eileen Dewhurt volunteered many moons ago. I've always been intrigued by 'model villages' of this kind, and this visit inspired some ideas for a forthcoming novel. 

Finally, I achieved a long-held ambition on a sunny Monday morning, by having a trip on the Wheel of Liverpool. Fantastic views and a great way to round off a memorable weekend.