Crime novelist · Screenwriter · Executive producer
G. D. Wright
Stories of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
Discover the Beachbrook crime novels, screenwriting projects and the Prose and Cons podcast.
Explore the books ↗
The books
About the author
From the beat to the bookshelf.
After joining Kent Police straight from school, Gary’s policing career ended at 29 because of a serious heart condition. Eight years running a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour followed — and a great many stories were dreamed up while looking out to sea.
Meet Gary ↗
The podcast
Books, Crime & Nonsense.
G. D. Wright, Graham Bartlett and John Sutherland talk crime fiction, policing and everything in between.
Explore the podcast ↗Film & television
Screenwriting
From the feature film Breathe Deep to a forthcoming ITV drama written by Jeff Pope.
View projects ↗Novels
The books
Three crime thrillers set in the coastal community of Beachbrook.
THE BEACHBROOK NOVELS
After the Storm
TWO CHILDREN WENT INTO THE SEA. ONLY ONE CAME OUT ALIVE.
Don’t miss the gripping debut crime novel in which a child’s tragic drowning rips a small community apart with devastating consequences…
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About the book
TWO CHILDREN WENT INTO THE SEA.
When Andrew and Sophie take their daughter and her friend to the beach on a stormy day, they are momentarily distracted and both children are washed out to sea. Andrew dives in, but comes back ashore with only one child – Maria, his own daughter. Joe, the son of his best friend and local police officer, Chris, has drowned. But it was just a tragic accident…wasn’t it?
ONLY ONE CAME OUT ALIVE.
As Sergeant Mike Adams and DS Sue Willmott investigate what really happened in the water that afternoon, the ripple effects of the tragedy tear the community apart. The detectives must discover the truth before their colleague – bereaved and desperate father, Chris – takes the investigation into his own hands…
BUT WHO IS TO BLAME?
Praise for After the Storm
“So compelling and tightly plotted I couldn’t put it down”Claire Douglas
“Tense and emotional…A dark beating heart of a novel”Gillian McAllister
“Totally addictive. One of the most tense and gripping thrillers I’ve read in ages”Lisa Jewell
“An absolute rollercoaster ride of a book”Jennie Godfrey
“Compelling and accomplished, I raced through it”B. A. Paris
“Relentlessly wild in pace with fierce rage. A brilliant debut”L. V. Matthews
“Cleverly written and filled with tension…kept me gripped”D. S. Butler
“An all-consuming beast of a book. Unforgettable”Charlie Gallagher
“Made me cry; gripping, haunting, devastating”Jackie Kabler
“A tense narrative that pulls you in like the tide, dragging you out to sea”Morgan Greene
“Terrific right to the very end. Thrilling. Bravo!”Brenda Blethyn
THE BEACHBROOK NOVELS
Into the Fire
HE RUNS INTO THE FLAMES A HERO. HE EMERGES FROM THE ASHES A SUSPECT.
One heroic act rips a small town apart in this unmissable summer thriller, perfect for fans of Andrea Mara and Ann Cleeves.
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About the book
HE RUNS INTO THE FLAMES A HERO.
Steve thought he had left his troubled past behind. Living a quiet life with his wife and children, everything changes the night he rescues a baby from a burning house, becoming an unexpected national hero.
HE EMERGES FROM THE ASHES A SUSPECT.
But as the spotlight shines brighter, so does the scrutiny, and a shocking accusation is made – that Steve is the man responsible for an unsolved murder in Beachbrook years prior.
BUT WHICH ONE IS HE REALLY?
As his world unravels, public opinion is firmly divided. Steve pleads his innocence, but DS Sue Willmott is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago. After all, even heroes hide secrets of their own.
Praise for Into the Fire
“A relentlessly pacy, gripping, and deeply moving story with a twist that hits like a sledgehammer.”Lisa Jewell
“A gripping tale that explores the flip side of heroism, and a rollercoaster ride you will not want to get off!”Janice Hallett
“Move over, crime giants, there’s a new giant in town!”Jo Callaghan
“A remarkable book. Genuinely gut-wrenching and never lets up on pace, plot or tension.”M. W. Craven
“A novel that picks you up and sweeps you along to the most harrowing, devastating conclusion; I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.”Jackie Kabler
“A tour-de-force of pace, nerve shredding tension, and heartbreaking emotional heft. Just astonishingly good!”Neil Lancaster
“A relentless surge of suspense from the first page to the shattering finale. G. D. Wright’s writing draws you in and doesn’t let go – an awe-inspiring talent.”D. S. Butler
“An emotional rollercoaster of a thriller with a shocking finale.”Sarah Clarke
THE BEACHBROOK NOVELS
Against the Tide
IF THE TRUTH COULD DESTROY YOU, WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO KNOW IT?
An emotional crime drama set on the south coast of England, perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian McAllister and Ann Cleeves.
Where to buy
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About the book
Blood. A broken body. Utter devastation. Her knuckles clenched white. And her wails… They made the world stand still around her.
If the truth could destroy you, would you choose to know it?
DC Vinny Robson has spent his career seeking justice for others, but when an elderly couple are violently murdered in his hometown of Beachbrook, the investigation takes a devastating turn – one that cuts straight through his own family.
As Vinny dives deeper, the case becomes more than a pursuit of a killer – it’s a fight against the undertow of his own past. But in chasing the truth, will he finally find justice, or will he drown in the wreckage of everything he thought he knew?
Some truths should stay submerged. But once the tide turns, there’s no stopping what comes to light.
Praise for Against the Tide
“Dripping with menace and authenticity”Peter James
“Pacy and gripping”Lisa Jewell
“Genius”Louise Minchin
“A gripping and emotional rollercoaster of a read that does not let up on the tension one bit.”Heidi Perks
“Heartbreaking, nerve-shredding, and pulse-pounding.”M. J. Arlidge
“G. D. Wright writes crime fiction that packs an emotional punch and this book is no different; gut-wrenching, tear-jerking, and gripping.”Jackie Kabler
“A gripping crime thriller that combines twists and turns with a deeply emotional narrative. I couldn’t put it down. Can’t recommend it highly enough.”Simon McCleave
“Gut punch follows gut punch, all masterfully tied up in an ending I won’t forget for a long time to come. Another absolute triumph”Naomi Williams
“A beautifully written and unusual combination of a compelling police procedural and a heart-wrenching family tragedy with a totally unexpected ending.”Ajay Chowdhury
“G. D. Wright is one of the most astonishing writers of our time. Once again, in Against the Tide, he has plunged incredible characters into impossible situations, then after a whirlpool of twists and turns, he upends reader expectations so you start to doubt yourself. I defy anyone to guess the ending, let alone what Gaz has in store for us next.”Graham Bartlett
“G.D. Wright does it all. Emotional tension, pulse-pounding and gritty suspense that feels all too real. Against The Tide is a masterclass in crime writing and G.D. Wright simply gets better and better.”Nadine Matheson
The author
About Gary
G. D. (Gary) Wright lives on the Kent coast with his wife and two children.
He joined Kent Police straight from school, serving in a variety of uniformed roles before a life-limiting, incurable heart condition brought his policing career to an early end at the age of 29.
Following his retirement, Gary bought a coffee shop in Ramsgate Harbour, where he spent eight happy years staring out to sea and dreaming up stories. He now writes full-time, committing those stories to paper.
Gary is the author of the Beachbrook crime thrillers After the Storm, Into the Fire and Against the Tide, published by HarperCollins.
His debut feature film, Breathe Deep, has completed filming and is due for an international release in 2027. He is an executive producer on an ITV drama written by Jeff Pope about the impact of social media on children. Several other film and television projects are in advanced stages of development.
Gary also co-hosts the Prose and Cons podcast with Graham Bartlett and John Sutherland.
Film & television
Screenwriting
Original stories for the screen, and projects in development.
Alongside his career as a crime novelist, G. D. Wright works in film and television as a screenwriter and executive producer.
Feature film · Screenwriter
Breathe Deep
Gary’s debut feature film is a survival thriller that has completed filming. An international release is currently anticipated in 2027.
Explore project ↗ITV drama · Executive producer
Untitled Jeff Pope / ITV drama
A drama exploring the impact of social media on children and their families, written by Jeff Pope. G. D. Wright is credited as an executive producer.
Explore project ↗Feature film · Screenwriter
Breathe Deep
A survival thriller written by G. D. Wright.
Breathe Deep marks Gary’s debut as a feature-film screenwriter. Filming has been completed, with an international release currently anticipated in summer 2027.
Vertical is attached as the US distributor.
Official poster, production stills, trailer and an approved synopsis will be added when available. No placeholder or AI-generated artwork is used.
Television · Executive producer
Untitled Jeff Pope / ITV drama
Further production and broadcast information will be added as it is announced.
The podcast
Prose and Cons
Books, Crime & Nonsense.
Three retired cops who scribble a bit now.
Hosted by G. D. Wright, Graham Bartlett and John Sutherland, Prose and Cons features conversations about crime fiction, writing, policing and everything in between.
Listen to the podcast ↗Meet the hosts
G. D. Wright
Former Kent Police officer, crime novelist and screenwriter, Gary is the author of After the Storm, Into the Fire and Against the Tide.
Graham Bartlett
Former Chief Superintendent with Sussex Police, Sunday Times bestselling crime novelist and policing advisor.
John Sutherland
Former Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, Sunday Times bestselling author and commentator.
Get in touch
Contact
For book events, interviews, media and professional enquiries.
Literary agent
Katie Fulford
katie@bell-lomax.co.uk
Bell Lomax Moreton ↗
Publicity enquiries
Laura Sherlock
laura@laurasherlockpr.co.uk
Laura Sherlock PR ↗
Contact Gary directly
For the podcast, visit Prose and Cons.