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Foxe and Kennard investigation #1
Deadly Truths
How do you solve a murder when you’re shut out of the investigation?
Young detectives, Robinson Ellington Foxe and Amy Kennard, don’t want to work at Coventry’s Moat Lane police station. Neither do their colleagues want them there. But it’s the last chance for two officers for whom doing the right thing has cost them their futures.
Despite a murder on their patch, they are lumbered with investigating a series of high-profile burglaries. But when a thief is killed in the house of an influential businessman, Foxe and Kennard are convinced it is linked to their cases and want in.
The official investigation is a whitewash, but Robbie and Amy keep investigating anyway. As they uncover a web of deceit and corruption, reaching to the very top of the force, their own difficult histories are weaponised against them, and they find themselves fighting for their careers and their lives.
Young detectives, Robinson Ellington Foxe and Amy Kennard, don’t want to work at Coventry’s Moat Lane police station. Neither do their colleagues want them there. But it’s the last chance for two officers for whom doing the right thing has cost them their futures.
Despite a murder on their patch, they are lumbered with investigating a series of high-profile burglaries. But when a thief is killed in the house of an influential businessman, Foxe and Kennard are convinced it is linked to their cases and want in.
The official investigation is a whitewash, but Robbie and Amy keep investigating anyway. As they uncover a web of deceit and corruption, reaching to the very top of the force, their own difficult histories are weaponised against them, and they find themselves fighting for their careers and their lives.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Paul Gitsham
20 books92 followersThe first book I ever wrote was a novelization of ET. I was five years old, had a yellow pencil, an exercise book with ET on the front and boundless enthusiasm.
After being told the devastating news that I couldn't write ET because it had already been done, I resolved to write my own stories. They were still somewhat derivative - a time-travelling detective who drives a sports car that can A) talk to him and B) needs to hit 120 mph to time-travel... I was a kid of the eighties, feel free to look for influences.
I dabbled with writing through school and university, but it wasn't until a spell of "under-employment" (the politically correct term for sitting on my arse as a receptionist whilst looking for a position more suited to my PhD) that I entered NaNoWriMo. I never hit that vaunted 50,000 words but I DID put down 30K of speculative fiction and started to take things a bit more seriously.
As always, life intervenes and that story slowly bloomed to a disorganised mess of about 70k over the next few years. It's still there, tucked away on the hard drive and I've promised myself that one day I will come back to it.
By now though, somebody else was starting to whisper in my ear. I'd always wanted to write a detective novel, but had struggled to come up with a protagonist that I really connected with - or one that didn't seem a rehash or bad pastiche of my favourite existing characters. And that was when DCI Warren Jones started to nag me. Loudly. And Insistently. I wrote that first draft in less than six months.
The series now numbers six full-length novels and four novellas. Book 7 is due out in summer 2021, with more in the pipeline.
And as for the future? Well Warren has lots more stories to tell and then there's that first, aborted attempt at speculative fiction. I reread it the other day and you know what? It isn't that bad...
After being told the devastating news that I couldn't write ET because it had already been done, I resolved to write my own stories. They were still somewhat derivative - a time-travelling detective who drives a sports car that can A) talk to him and B) needs to hit 120 mph to time-travel... I was a kid of the eighties, feel free to look for influences.
I dabbled with writing through school and university, but it wasn't until a spell of "under-employment" (the politically correct term for sitting on my arse as a receptionist whilst looking for a position more suited to my PhD) that I entered NaNoWriMo. I never hit that vaunted 50,000 words but I DID put down 30K of speculative fiction and started to take things a bit more seriously.
As always, life intervenes and that story slowly bloomed to a disorganised mess of about 70k over the next few years. It's still there, tucked away on the hard drive and I've promised myself that one day I will come back to it.
By now though, somebody else was starting to whisper in my ear. I'd always wanted to write a detective novel, but had struggled to come up with a protagonist that I really connected with - or one that didn't seem a rehash or bad pastiche of my favourite existing characters. And that was when DCI Warren Jones started to nag me. Loudly. And Insistently. I wrote that first draft in less than six months.
The series now numbers six full-length novels and four novellas. Book 7 is due out in summer 2021, with more in the pipeline.
And as for the future? Well Warren has lots more stories to tell and then there's that first, aborted attempt at speculative fiction. I reread it the other day and you know what? It isn't that bad...
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
A new series with a new cast of characters. This time Paul is in Coventry, with two pariahs in Police circles. Foxe and Kennard have left forces under a cloud and find themselves forced together tackling the cases no one else wants, high profile burglaries.
Amy Kennard and Robbie Foxe are fantastic characters. Chalk and cheese on the outside. However they quickly realise they have a lot in common. Their relationship grows throughout the book and I'm excited to read more from them. They are a great pair.
There are issues of tainted drugs, unexplained Murders, police that are seemingly brushing things under the carpet.
Its intense and fast paced and difficult to guess the truth. Some fantastic side characters, all fully fleshed. It feels like Paul crammed a lot into the pages and it creates a breathtaking read. I read this as quickly as I possibly could, I didnt want to put it down as I needed to know!
Im thrilled there will be more from these characters and will be one of the first in line to read book 2.
Amy Kennard and Robbie Foxe are fantastic characters. Chalk and cheese on the outside. However they quickly realise they have a lot in common. Their relationship grows throughout the book and I'm excited to read more from them. They are a great pair.
There are issues of tainted drugs, unexplained Murders, police that are seemingly brushing things under the carpet.
Its intense and fast paced and difficult to guess the truth. Some fantastic side characters, all fully fleshed. It feels like Paul crammed a lot into the pages and it creates a breathtaking read. I read this as quickly as I possibly could, I didnt want to put it down as I needed to know!
Im thrilled there will be more from these characters and will be one of the first in line to read book 2.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Foxe and Kennard are an inspired and interesting pairing. Both in the doghouse career wise for very different reasons, neither are ready to trust the other, yet. I can't wait to see how they develop as partners in the next book.
This story seems to have several different strands, are the burglaries connected to the murder, to police corruption, to pornography? The writer keeps a firm hold on them all and steadily brings them together.
Pacy and always interesting, this book is highly recommended.
This story seems to have several different strands, are the burglaries connected to the murder, to police corruption, to pornography? The writer keeps a firm hold on them all and steadily brings them together.
Pacy and always interesting, this book is highly recommended.
May 26, 2026
What a tense read this was as Foxe and Kennard investigate a very complex case, and a lot of it on the quiet. They are both new to Coventry and escaping less than desirable conditions in their previous postings. They are both pariahs in Coventry and are a bit reluctant to give their trust to each other. A few red herrings and what a great read. I have already preordered book 2.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews