From crime fighter to crime writer: How a former Detective turned his experiences of Manchester’s crime scene into critically-acclaimed novels

James Ellson worked in some of the roughest areas of Manchester solving crimes like suspicious deaths, robberies, and arson attacks.

But he switched from dealing with informants and tracking the cities’ notorious crime gangs to creating Manchester-based adventures for his fictional alter ego, DCI Rick Castle.

DCI Castle has been featured in four well-received novels, with the latest one, Base Line, published last month.

James Ellson

After ten years in London’s Metropolitan Police, Ellson transferred to the force in Manchester because it enabled him to devote time to his hobby of mountaineering. He has since climbed some of the most challenging peaks in the north of England.

“When I moved here, it was a huge learning curve because police officers have an encyclopedic knowledge of local criminals’ faces, names, and criminal history,” he says.

“Officers can drive to any part of the city and point out exactly where the most dangerous people in that area live.”

Ellson’s first role in the North was in Stockport as a Detective Sergeant, then he got promoted to Detective Inspector and moved to Moss Side. After that, he had what he describes as “a pretty massive year” leading a team in Longsight.

Dealing with crime gangs in Manchester

He soon got to know what he calls the main “criminal families” in Manchester. “These criminal groups make incredible amounts of money, and it’s a very violent business,” he says.

The gangs in Manchester are so notorious that within the police force, the city is known as “Gunchester.”

“Most of the gang members I was dealing with didn’t think they would live until the age of 30,” Ellson shares.

“These were young men, living very fast, taking huge risks, and experiencing an explosive lifestyle.”

Not surprisingly, the body count was high. “There would be a death almost every day, and I’d have to decide whether there were suspicious circumstances and so it would need to become a murder investigation.”

A switch to crime fiction

Ellson began his passion for writing by penning a memoir about his lifestyle as a police officer.

Then he realised that the format of a crime novel would be a better way to share the adrenaline of his previous job with his readers.

Before starting on the DCI Castle books, Ellson completed a Creative Writing MA at Manchester Metropolitan University. There he learned to create characters that grab people’s attention.

“Rick Castle is a complex person; a man of action who can handle himself in risky situations, but also highly intelligent.”

“With novels, it’s the characters that people remember, not the plots. When people pick up one of my books, it’s because they care about DCI Castle and want to see what he’s up to next.”

Writing about Manchester

Ellson’s most recent novel, Base Line, follows DCI Castle as he explores a cold case murder in a hotel in Central Manchester. Then someone tries to sabotage his investigation by planting drugs in his home, leading to him being arrested by his own squad.

For Manchester fans, there are plenty of recognisable landmarks in the book, including a tense scene chasing down criminals hiding out at a hotel at Manchester Airport.

“I get the same buzz writing about crime in Manchester as I did when I was solving it,” Ellson says. “I would never have believed that could be possible back when I was on the job.”

“During my time in the police, I had these very exciting moments — in a back garden at 2 a.m. looking for a burglar or being caught in the middle of a scrap — but now I find that sessions at my desk are equally thrilling.”

How to buy a copy of James Ellson’s books

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