Navigation
About Douglas Stewart
I write fast moving British crime thrillers inspired by a lifetime spent encountering fraud, litigation, international business and human nature at its best and worst.
I have published 19 books, ranging from detective thrillers and international crime stories to nonfiction about maritime crime, law and casinos. My fiction has taken readers from London to Las Vegas, Scotland to Spain, and the Caribbean to the Far East.
My latest novel is Deadly Mindset, the fifth book in my series featuring Scotland Yard detective Todd “Ratso” Holtom. One reader described it as:
“Just another Douglas Stewart masterpiece. I read them slowly because I enjoy every word and his language craftsmanship.”
From lawyer to thriller writer
My professional background is in law, including international litigation. It gave me a close view of fraud, crime, corporate conflict and the unpredictable ways people behave when reputations, freedom or large amounts of money are at stake.
The law has provided inspiration for many of my stories. It has also taken me across Britain and around the world, introducing me to situations and characters that no amount of desk research could reproduce.
While working in London, I became involved with the team behind BBC television’s That’s Life and other consumer affairs programmes, including Watchdog. I was also the legal expert on a West Country television programme and appeared regularly on national breakfast television.
Those experiences strengthened my fascination with campaigning, investigation and the stories hidden behind apparently ordinary events.
How the writing began
My ambition to become a writer began at Cranbrook School in Kent, when the internationally successful thriller writer Hammond Innes came to speak to the pupils. I was hooked.
Even before then, I had met Geoffrey Household, author of the classic thriller Rogue Male. I was about ten years old and had no idea that I was meeting such a celebrated writer.
At Durham University, I wrote for the university newspaper. One memorable assignment involved interviewing singer Brenda Lee between performances in Newcastle. Decades later, her recording of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree still returns to the charts every Christmas.
My first mystery thriller, Case for Compensation, was published under the name Cameron Ross. At the time, professional rules prevented me from publishing it under my own name because I was practising law. The restriction was eventually lifted, allowing my later books to appear as Douglas Stewart.
Crime writers including Gavin Lyall, Colin Dexter and Martin Edwards offered advice and encouragement during my writing career. Lee Child gave me one particularly important piece of advice. He encouraged me to develop a continuing character and build a series around him.
That advice eventually helped to shape Detective Ratso.
Detective Ratso
His cases cross borders and place him inside the worlds of organised crime, international fraud, political intrigue, match fixing and murder. Ratso is tough, determined and sometimes difficult, but he remains driven by a strong sense of justice.
The series began with Hard Place, which follows Ratso’s attempt to destroy an international drug empire. It briefly reached number one on Amazon Kindle and was described by one reader as:
“The best British crime novel I’ve read this year.”
Readers can discover more about the character on the Meet Detective Ratso page.
The fifth and latest Ratso thriller, Deadly Mindset, begins with the murder of London’s Muslim Mayor. What appears to be an act of extremist violence develops into a politically explosive international investigation involving corruption, murder and a conspiracy that threatens Ratso personally.
I plan to return to Ratso for a sixth investigation.
Dex Dexter and the world of casinos
Casinos and Las Vegas have played an important part in both my life and my fiction.
My wife and I lived in Las Vegas for nearly seven years. During that time, I became involved with American litigation, insurance fraud and the casino industry. The experience gave me an insider’s view of a world in which glamour, enormous wealth and calculated risk can sit alongside corruption and organised crime.
Deadline Vegas introduces Dex Dexter and sends him into the dangerous world of powerful casino owners in London and Las Vegas. The book also briefly reached number one on Amazon Kindle.
Dex returned in Deadly Descent, described by one reader as:
“A dramatic and attention grabbing read. You won’t be able to put it down.”
I am now beginning work on the third Dex Dexter thriller.
Crime without borders
Travel has always shaped my writing. I have visited more than 80 countries, and my characters regularly move between cities, countries and continents by air, sea and fast car.
My interests include political intrigue, fraud, murder, casinos, wine, sport, maritime crime and Formula One racing. These are not simply backdrops. They help create the conflicts, risks and international connections at the heart of my stories.
My books have been translated into French and German. Over the years, my work has also included a WHSmith Paperback of the Week and membership of both the Crime Writers’ Association in Britain and International Thriller Writers in the United States.
After living in Britain, the United States and Cyprus, I am now based on the Isle of Man, where I continue to write.
Where to start
One of the greatest pleasures of being an author is hearing from readers. If you have enjoyed one of my books or would like to get in touch, please visit my contact page.
Email: Doug@douglasstewartbooks.com
