Kirkcudbright Crime Writing

It’s definitely worth keeping an eye out for the first three crime novels written by David L Haigh, who lives and works in Dumfries and Galloway.

Set near Hadrian’s Wall, David’s novels aim to raise awareness of the devastating effects, both financial and mental, for the victims of rural crime. The main protagonist is DCI Jeff Spencer, who, like the author, loves growing crops on his allotment. Time spent on his plot relieves stress. His understanding of soils and plants often yields clues in the quest for justice.

In Land Kill (the first book) the victim leaves his lucrative life as a stockbroker to raise game birds in Northumberland. The book highlights the destruction of productive farmland by criminal developers with a long-standing grudge against the former City financial magnate.

Hooked by the Past, the second book, features a prize-winning vegetable growing antagonist, who is also a landlord. Several of his tenants have gone missing. He owns a factory which produces organic fertilizers.

The third novel, A Fruitless Revenge, features immigrant fruit farm workers and an evil  Lord who are all targeted by the descendant of a 15th Century Border Reiver.  Forensic Botany plays a crucial role in identifying one of the antagonists. In the  book, the crimes extend into Cumbria and Spencer joins forces with the rugby league devotee  DCI Tom Bainbridge.

The books are available on Amazon.