Simon Maltman Blogs

I’m pleased to share that the second ‘Walker’ book is out now in ebook & paperback 👍 Amazon    Here’s the blurb… 'Walker is a great series character.' Brian McGilloway 2000 Michael Walker - former IRA volunteer, turned MI5 informer - had his quiet existence shattered when an IRA hit squad was dispatched on his trail to America.  One year on, Walker has been recovering from having his identity blown. Now living in New York, he is visited by Amy Landish. The former FBI agent is looking for help to find her missing cousin, Lisa.  Walker and his other new ally, Brandon Johnson - a former thief who had robbed him - immediately agree to do anything that they can. The trio are reunited, once again set on a deadly course.  Their investigation leads to the small town of Six Mile, but the last thing they expect is to end up on the hunt for a serial killer.  Walker does not ingratiate himself with the locals or the police, while becoming the target of the killer ...

HUNTED begins with a rare copy of the ‘Proclamation of the Irish Republic’ being stolen. The whole book is about the past. I had always avoided writing about ‘The Troubles,’ but in this book, here it is- front and centre. But not completely, the story is set just afterwards. I needed there to be some distance for the story, and for me. The book is set in 1999 and the characters are looking back at their recent past. In the same way, the reader is looking back at our recent past from the vantage point of 2024. I say recent- 1999 seems not so long ago to me.  This is my eighth novel and the first one introducing these characters.  Walker has a lot about him that I can relate to and a lot that I don’t. That’s half the fun. He’s a contradiction, a n  anti-hero. But he has a lot to admire, amidst his flaws and questionable choices.  Of course  there’s some of myself in there- good and bad. There  has to  be. Not all though. He was in the IRA, then he was an...

Here’s a new short story for anyone who fancies a very quick read- it’s written as a single text conversation… for the craic.    Instant Massacring by  Simon Maltman   (Transcription provided  by Police Service Northern Ireland of text message conversation between Colin Irvine and Brenda Irvine.)   … ​ ​ Colin- ​ ​ Wheres me coffee?   ​ Brenda-     Brewing now ffs   ​ Colin-     Bet ur sitting on your arse, not even boiled the kettle yet   wink emoji   ​ Brenda-   ​ Angry emoji  Maybe you should  come downstairs and  make it yourself ! You’re  on the shitter I  bet. ​ ​ Colin-      Maybe   ​ Brenda-   ​ Not in the en-suite?!   ​ Colin- ​     Maybe   ​ Brenda-         fucksake  vomit emoji   ​ Colin- ​ ​   haha   ​ Brend a- ​ Every feckin night- nine  on the button you stinkoid! At least we’re  o...