Choosing just five books to make my all-time list is a form of purgatory hell as I could list five hundred and still grieve the omission of the novels I love that didn’t make the cut. Needless to say, these five novels are not in a specific order. They are an eclectic selection, and I can say that I have read almost all the novels written by each of the authors.
- HMS Ulysses – Alistair MacLean.
This is a wonderful tale of a warship on escort duty during the Second World War. The titular battleship is part of an escort party safeguarding the passage of supply ships on the dreaded arctic convoys which passed above Scandinavia en route to Murmansk with goods destined for Russia. While the description I’ve given does make this sound like a war story, the truth is that underneath all the perils of war, and the hazards of the trip itself, the novel is really about character. As well as having perfect pacing and a narrative that can make you feel the same cold as the protagonists, MacLean depicts his characters in a harsh light that reveals their true nature and that’s why I consider this novel to be a classic. - Relentless – Simon Kernick
Essentially an everyman novel, although it does feature Tina Boyd as a series character, Relentless follows Jack Meron and his desperate attempts to keep himself and his children from the hands of killers. Of all the many thousands of novels I’ve read over the years, never has a title reflected the story with as much panache. From the opening scene where Meron receives a distress call from a friend as the friend is being murdered, the pace is frantic with there never being a moment where you want to put the novel down. - The Accident Man – Tom Cain
I’d never been too great a fan of conspiracy thrillers, but boy oh boy did The Accident Man change my opinion. Sam Carver is an assassin who only targets those he feels the world would be better without. His latest job; kill the arms dealer traveling through a Paris tunnel in a black Mercedes. When Carver realizes who he’s really killed, he goes after his anonymous paymasters to exact revenge and a karmic reckoning. Filled with clever tradecraft such as using blu-tack to take down a helicopter, The Accident Man addresses many of the theories as to who was behind the famous death and offers a solution that is underpinned with logical credibility. Not only that, Carver is a fantastic character to spend time with, and I love the whole series that follows on from this stunning debut. - The Devil Aspect – Craig Russell
I’ve long been a fan of Russell and I’m firmly of the belief that I learn about the craft of writing simply from reading one of his novels. The Devil Aspect is a fantastic story that centres on six homicidal maniacs who are imprisoned in a castle cum asylum in late 1930s Czechoslovakia. Russell has woven a masterful tale around the six and their new psychiatrist, Dr Viktor Cosarek. Meanwhile a serial killer known as “leather Apron” is terrorising the people of Prague. I cannot speak highly enough about this book other than to say I preferred it to the wonderful Silence of the Lambs. - When the Lion Feeds – Wilbur Smith
This debut from the grand master of adventure writing is a wonderful novel populated with excellent characters and a pounding narrative that kept the pages turning long after I’d missed appointments. It rightly spawned a dynasty, both literary and actual as his canon has dominated the bestseller lists for decades.
Graham Smith is a time served joiner who has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000, he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.
He is an internationally best-selling Kindle author and has six books featuring DI Harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team, and four novels, featuring Utah doorman, Jake Boulder. His ‘Lakes’ series which has three novels featuring DC Beth Young has received much critical acclaim.
Graham is the founder of Crime and Publishment, a weekend of crime-writing classes which includes the chance for attendees to pitch their novels to agents and publishers. Since the first weekend in 2013, sixteen attendees have gone on to sign publishing contracts.
Graham also writes as John Ryder and G.N. Smith.
Graham can be found at
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