Undercurrent, DI Andy Horton at the Scene of Crime on a wet August night
A wet August night and Inspector Andy Horton is returning from London to Portsmouth when police cars on blue lights race past him on the motorway. Nothing unusual in that but as Horton heads for the small yacht on which he lives he sees the police vehicles pull up outside Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard and draw to a halt.
"He pulled in behind the police vehicle straddling the closed double wooden doors of the Historic Dockyard and silenced the Harley. There was no fight and no drunks; just PCs Bailey and Johnson talking to two security officers at the side gate. Removing his helmet Horton asked what was going on.
‘Suspicious death, sir,’ Johnson answered.
‘Inside?’ Horton asked, troubled as he dismounted.
The younger and stouter of the two security officers answered him. ‘We think it’s Dr Douglas Spalding. He gave a public lecture here tonight and he hasn’t signed out.’
Horton caught the brief exchange of glances between him and his colleague, a man in his mid-fifties, lean with a haggard face and nervous manner. It didn’t take a mind reader to see that someone had made a balls-up.
‘He’s in Number One Dock,’ the younger of the two security officers continued.
That meant nothing to Horton except that docks were very deep and sometimes full of water – or was that a basin? Perhaps they were one and the same thing. ‘He’s in the water?’ he asked, suppressing a shiver as he visualized the body floating face down in a dark, icy pool of stagnant water. He’d wished for action but not this kind. He hadn’t wanted anyone dead.
‘No, it’s a dry dock. The last one at the end of the Historic Dockyard before you hit Portsmouth Harbour.’ Horton wasn’t sure that conjured up a better picture."
Locations always inspire me

Undercurrent an Inspector Andy Horton Mystery

"Rowson offers up a thorny, multifaceted plot; a profusion of unusual twists; a likable yet complex hero; and plenty of fast-paced, knuckle-biting action." Booklist USA
My grateful thanks to Rowannah Martin-Cottee and Heather Johnson of the National Museum of the Royal Navy Portsmouth who helped me with the research for this novel and for answering my numerous questions.
Available in paperback, as an e book, on Amazon Kindle and on Kobo and as an unabridged audio book narrated by Gordon Griffin.



AUGUST 5TH, 2019 @ 5:11:40 UTC
Leave Comment
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- December
- November
- October
- September
- August
- The emotional stages of writing a novel
- DI Andy Horton at the scene of the crime in DEAD PASSAGE
- The brand new mystery introducing Inspector Alun Ryga
- Subscribe to my newsletter for all the latest book news
- DI Andy Horton and Art Marvik country from space
- Undercurrent, DI Andy Horton at the Scene of Crime on a wet August night
- What's on in August 2019
- July
- June
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012