From the relentless pulse of a detective's career to the imaginative realms of crime fiction, my first returning guest, Graham Bartlett invites us into the shadows where his experiences as a former detective fuse with his storytelling prowess. Our conversation unfurls the complexities of his latest novel, "City on Fire," with a focus on the emotional labor of writing from a place of authenticity. We tackle the obstacle course of accurately portraying intense scenes, steering clear of unnecessary details, and the propulsion that inciting incidents lend to a narrative's momentum.

We venture behind the curtain to see how detectives navigate their multifaceted lives, juggling the normalcy of everyday tasks with the extraordinary pressures of solving crimes. This episode is a must-listen for anyone enamored with the gritty reality of crime fiction and the artistry involved in bringing such stories to life from the perspective of an insider like Graham Bartlett.

City on Fire
After losing her sister to an overdose, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is desperate to tackle the world of drugs that consumes the shadowy backstreets of Brighton. Operation Eradicate is her response but not everyone sees it as a positive development.

For self-made millionaire Sir Ben Parsons it is a threat to his business - his colossal empire relies on addicts who survive on Respite Pharmaceuticals’ substitute drugs. With connections in the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Parsons unleashes a brutal counterattack on Howe.

How will she survive being caught in the line of fire?

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