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Matt Johnson - Editorial Expert

Matt Johnson served as a soldier and Metropolitan Police officer for nearly twenty-five years from 1975 until 1999. He is the author of three crime/spy fiction novels Wicked Game (2016), Deadly Game (2017) and End Game (2018) published by Orenda Books. His debut novel was short-listed for the CWA John Creasey Dagger in 2016 and, in 2019, he was listed at No. 22 in the W H Smith reader's list of best-ever crime writers. He is co-chair of Crime Cymru, the welsh crime writers collective and co-chair of Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival, Wales' first international crime writing festival.

Blown off his feet at the London Baltic Exchange bombing in 1992, one of the first police officers on the scene of the 1982 Regent's Park bombing, Matt was also at the Libyan People's Bureau shooting in 1984 where he escorted his mortally wounded friend and colleague, Yvonne Fletcher, to hospital.

Hidden wounds took their toll. In 1999, Matt was discharged from the police with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Whilst undergoing treatment, he was encouraged by his counsellor to write about his career and his experience of murders, shootings and terrorism. One evening, Matt sat at his computer and started to weave these notes into a work of fiction that he described as having a tremendously cathartic effect on his own condition. He has used his detailed knowledge and memory to create what has been described by many readers as a fast-paced, exciting and authentic tale of modern-day policing. Matt is living proof that PTSD is a condition that can be controlled and overcome with the right help and support. He has been described by many fans as an inspiration to fellow sufferers.

A keen biker, Matt rides a '99 Harley Davidson Fatboy and is patron to the UK based ‘Forces On line' charity. In his spare time, Matt keeps honey bees and produces his own honey. He scuba dives, plays guitar, collects unusual hats and enjoys hill-walking with his dogs at his home in Wales near the Brecon Beacons.

More information, including book tour dates and festival appearances at www.mattjohnsonauthor.com

Matt is represented by James Wills at Watson-Little Literary Agents in London. Twitter @Matt_Johnson_UK.

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Latest Features By Matt Johnson

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Latest Reviews By Matt Johnson

Error of Judgement The Birmingham Bombings and the Scandal That Shook Britain
On 21st November 1974, bombs went off in the Mulberry Bush and The Tavern in the Town, two pubs in the centre of Birmingham, killing 21 people and injuring 182. The attacks were the worst of many atrocities in England during a sustained campaign by the IRA. If you are under fifty, you may well be unfamiliar with the tale of six men from Birmingham and how their wrongful conviction for these bombings would eventually send shudders through the UK legal establishment. You may recall seeing television footage in 1991 of a group of men walking from the Old Bailey in London. You may ... View Full Review
Four Shots in the Night
Four Shots in the Night tells the story of the Northern Ireland Troubles as seen through the lens of one particular murder, that of an IRA informant, and how his role in the decades-long conflict defined him and defined the war. The questions this book tackles are even larger; how did the Troubles really come to an end? Was it a feat of diplomatic negotiation (as we've been told) or did spies play the decisive role? And how far can, or should, a spy go, for the good of his country? When dawn broke on 26th May 1986 and the body ... View Full Review
The Weimar Years
From the moment I removed the packaging, this book screamed quality at me. Even as my eyes first scanned the jacket, my fingers flicked through the pages and I saw the incredible array of information and accompanying photographs, I knew I was in for a treat. In many ways, the Weimar period could and, perhaps should have been a model for a successful modern democracy. Women had democratic rights; there was improved communication, radios, cars, cinemas and airplanes. Political infighting, inflation and deep societal division conspired, however, to shatter the dream and, as the author so correctly highlights, the clear ... View Full Review
No Comment
One advertisement I read for No Comment describes the author's experience thus – from true crime junkie to qualified detective in under a year, but can she survive the realities of life in the Met police? The answer, as this excellent book explains, is no. The journey, the experience and the intelligent observation of the author makes for the most informative and interesting narrative, however. Here is a book that anyone interested in the demise of the Met should read.  When I first heard about this book, I noted with some interest that it was endorsed by Graham Bartlett, ... View Full Review
No Sweet Sorrow A D.C.I. Daley Thriller
Authentic, Scottish crime novels with a twist of dark humour thrown in are normally a pleasure to read and Meyrick demonstrates, once again, he is a master at writing them. This is what policing used to be, with two reliable, salt-of-the-earth  cops doing their best for victims and local people despite the constraints of modern-day politics. No Sweet Sorrow is a police procedural, is well-researched, and is slickly delivered. The story moves along at a tidy pace, sufficient to keep the reader engaged with both the characters and the narrative. The fact it is centred around a number of ... View Full Review
Central Park West
US Federal Prosecutor Nora Carleton has spent years building a case against a powerful New York mobster. But the courtroom is an unpredictable place. The mobster has an offer, but it comes at a price.  Desperate to stop the mobster walking free, Nora investigates the murder of a disgraced former governor and, the more she uncovers, the deeper the corruption is revealed.  Drawing on James Comey's thirty years in law enforcement with the FBI, Central Park West is an authentic, fast-paced thriller, bursting with tension. Fans of John Grisham, I’m sure, will enjoy it very much. ... View Full Review
Koresh The True Story of David Koresh, the FBI and the Tragedy at Waco
Originally known as Vernon Howell, David Koresh was the son of a teenage mother And was allegedly a victim of sexual abuse himself. Having joined with a group of religious enthusiasts led by an elderly woman called Lois Reden, 20 year-old Koresh had an affair with her and, following her death, became involved in a gunfight with her son. He was arrested, acquitted, and soon afterwards announced himself as the group's new leader. They became The Davidians. Drawing on contributions from victims, survivors, investigators and others, Koresh tells the story of the Davidian leader, the growth of the cult he led ... View Full Review
A Million Ways to Stay on the Run
Perfectly timed to appear in bookshops as a TV series about the Brink’s Mat robbery aired, this account paints a rather less romantic, more authentic account of Noye’s life, his associates and his life as a fugitive from justice than its TV equivalent. Kenneth Noye contributed to this book, something that enables the reader to enjoy a previously denied insight into his version, his perspective of the efforts being made to detain him. From South America to Africa, from Cuba to Holland, and France to Aruba, Noye evaded capture thanks to wealthy criminal associates. Eventually though, ... View Full Review
Bird
For a number of reasons, the name Tracey Curtis-Taylor is associated with controversy. In 2013, when she reportedly flew solo in a 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane from Cape Town to the UK through to a transcontinental flight across the USA where she survived a crash, her exploits have been the subject of attention grabbing headlines. Curtis-Taylor has been described in reports of her remarkable achievements as a heroine and an inspirational example to women in a male-dominated world. In 2014, the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) awarded her the prestigious Bill Woodhams trophy for 'navigation, a feat of aviation, endurance and tenacity' and, in ... View Full Review
The Uncaged Sky My 804 days in an Iranian prison
An incredible story. Just imagine, for a moment, that you have travelled to another country for whatever reason and, as you are waiting at the airport ready to depart you are detained by officials and falsely accused of being a spy. Imagine that, despite your clear innocence, you are not believed and are soon imprisoned in horrific conditions and amongst dangerous criminals. Then, imagine you are asked to complete a Satisfaction Survey as part of the protocol for your release? This isn’t the highly publicised Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe story but the parallels are clear. The Uncaged Sky is engaging, ... View Full Review
The Darker the Night
Although the author is an accomplished and experienced journalist, this is his first venture into the world of fiction. I’m confident it won’t be his last. The Darker the Night immerses the reader in the tough world that is Glasgow-based crime, newspaper reporting and politics. The realism of the characters, the authenticity of the dialogue and narrative, and the sheer audacity of the plot are testament to the author’s background and knowledge. This is a gritty, no-nonsense thriller that will engage you, draw you in and keep you reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it. View Full Review
Trouble
When Hella Mauzer is asked by her former boss in the police to make discreet enquiries into a senior member of the Finnish secret service, the reader of this excellent tale knows this is a task that isn’t going to end well. Mauzer discovers a link between Johannes Heikkinen, the subject of her enquiry, and the death of her father in a suspicious hit-and-run road collision in 1942. Heikkenen, it seems, is not the virtuous member of society he likes to portray and it doesn’t take too long before he and Mauzer are set on a collision ... View Full Review