About the author

Brian spent 22 years in the Royal Air Force Police, enlisting at just 17 in 1990. His early postings took him from RAF Marham in Norfolk to the tension-soaked airfields of RAF Aldergrove during the final years of the Troubles. By 2000, he was serving with the high-readiness Tactical Police Wing — a rapid deployment unit based at RAF Henlow — where he averaged over 100 days a year for 12 years on operations across the globe.

From Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations to front-line deployments in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Brian’s career was built on discipline, adaptability, and hard-won experience. But it was during the long stretches between deployments that a different passion took root — writing fiction.

After facing a recent sudden redundancy, he finally committed to finishing a story that had been building in his head for years. That story became his debut novel.

Originally from Lancashire, Brian now lives in Manchester with his wife and two young children. He runs to stay sane and supports Manchester United for his sins.

Basra, circa 2004. The Ba’ath Party HQ.

“We didn’t think about symbolism. We thought about whether the soft-skinned Land Rovers would get us back in one piece. But looking back, it feels like that moment marked the end of something—and maybe the beginning of something else. I didn’t start writing fiction until years later, but the seed was probably planted right there, standing in front of a ruined building that had once stood for something terrifying.”