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We Create Monsters: A Kate Stiles Novel — darkly witty British crime fiction from a former Coronation Street writer.
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“Martin Sterling’s brilliant urban murder mystery” — Amazon UK reviewer
From former Coronation Street writer Martin Sterling comes a darkly witty British crime thriller exposing the sordid secrets of television’s underbelly.
Jez Barty was trouble.
A dealer, a charmer, the sort of man who could talk you into bed and vanish before morning. But when he’s found dead, Manchester's Detective Inspector Kate Stiles is pulled into the toxic soap-opera world of Villiers Court, where egos clash, grudges fester, and fame is only ever skin-deep.
When one of its leading men is brutally murdered with his own award, Kate discovers the stage-managed glamour hides a mess of grudges, addictions and lies. But the deeper she digs, the closer the danger comes. And when Jez’s girlfriend is murdered too, Kate realises she’s not just chasing killers — she’s unearthing monsters.
As the body count climbs and the tabloids circle, Kate finds herself getting too close to her prime suspect. The lines between investigation and obsession blur, and with the city watching her every move, she's about to find out just how deadly fame can be. Who can she trust when everyone is playing a part?
Smart, sharp, and darkly funny, We Create Monsters is the first Kate Stiles a gripping British crime thriller for fans of Mick Herron, Ann Cleeves and Raymond Chandler.
"Soap fans are going to love Martin Sterling's debut novel, We Create Monsters." - Crime Fiction Lover.
“Martin Sterling’s brilliant urban murder mystery” — Amazon UK reviewer
From former Coronation Street writer Martin Sterling comes a darkly witty British crime thriller exposing the sordid secrets of television’s underbelly.
Jez Barty was trouble.
A dealer, a charmer, the sort of man who could talk you into bed and vanish before morning. But when he’s found dead, Manchester's Detective Inspector Kate Stiles is pulled into the toxic soap-opera world of Villiers Court, where egos clash, grudges fester, and fame is only ever skin-deep.
When one of its leading men is brutally murdered with his own award, Kate discovers the stage-managed glamour hides a mess of grudges, addictions and lies. But the deeper she digs, the closer the danger comes. And when Jez’s girlfriend is murdered too, Kate realises she’s not just chasing killers — she’s unearthing monsters.
As the body count climbs and the tabloids circle, Kate finds herself getting too close to her prime suspect. The lines between investigation and obsession blur, and with the city watching her every move, she's about to find out just how deadly fame can be. Who can she trust when everyone is playing a part?
Smart, sharp, and darkly funny, We Create Monsters is the first Kate Stiles a gripping British crime thriller for fans of Mick Herron, Ann Cleeves and Raymond Chandler.
"Soap fans are going to love Martin Sterling's debut novel, We Create Monsters." - Crime Fiction Lover.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
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January 3, 2026Recommended by Peter, to be read next year.
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