Heart Scare Inspires New Novel from Best Selling Local Author

Local author Alfie Robins has turned a life threatening heart scare into the basis of his new novel featuring his character DI Harry Blackburn.

The Hull novelist was struck by pains in his chest while carrying out some DIY just over a year ago and was shocked to find himself in hospital and facing triple by-pass surgery.

“Everything was so sudden, no warning signs, nothing. One minute I was decorating and the next, wham! I was on the floor. All sorts go flashing through your mind. Fortunately I was in good hands and surgery was extremely quick and though it took a few months to get back on my feet it gave me plenty of time to plot out my novel.” Alfie said.

Alfie is now fully recovered and spent the months convalescing writing his new thriller, Funeral Rites. “Your perspective on life alters.” Alfie said “So there is an element of dark humour even with the title of the book and I couldn’t help but be inspired for the plot.”

The resulting book, Funeral Rites, follows the first Harry Blackburn novel Just Whistle published in 2012 by Caffeine Nights and see Harry pitched against his old nemesis.

The day that DI Harry “H” Blackburn suffered a cardiac arrest on the cobbles things changed forever.

In a journey from life to death and back again, he glimpses his past and, more significantly, his future. When Blackburn stumbles across a young woman Katya, an Eastern European prostitute, lying broken and bleeding in a shop doorway he and his team are drawn into a heart-rending case of human trafficking. Discovering that an old adversary is the man behind the operation, Blackburn is determined to bring him down. At any cost.

Alfie, a former carpenter working on the dock at Hull has had a varied career, production manager in the caravan industry and sales manager with a radio communications company, to name but a few. He is now retired and concentrates on his writing.

Alfie has three grown up children and lives with his wife and son.

Funeral Rites is published by Caffeine Nights on New Year’s Day and is available in paperback and eBook from all good stores.