Home Page
Paul Anthony is an experienced author skilled in fiction, editing, feature writing, character creation, and creative writing. A strong media and communication professional with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Economics and Social Sciences, he is also the holder of a Diploma in Management and a Diploma in Office Management. The son of a soldier, Paul joined the police cadets at the age of 16. As part of his training, he mined the pit face at Haigh Colliery in Whitehaven and then worked at a biscuit factory, in Carlisle, as a machine operator. He also worked with deaf people and was trained in the treatment of drug addicts and alcoholics. He went to Eskdale Outward Bound School and joined Cumbria Police as a Constable at the age of 19.
As a senior detective, he served in Cumbria CID and the Regional Crime Squad in Manchester. He is also a former Head of Special Branch, (Counter Terrorist Command) and has served with other national agencies in the UK and elsewhere. A former winner of the Independent Authors Network Featured Author Contest, Paul was also a Featured Author at the ‘Books without Borders’ event in Yonkers, New York, in 2012. In earlier years he was a Featured Author at the Frankfurt Book Fair, in Germany. His books are available globally from all Amazon stores in both paperback and Kindle.
He began writing his first book twenty-nine years ago and built his readership by writing weekly articles and short stories for the Writer’s Collection, Article.com, the Writer’s World, music websites, and various online magazines stretching from Australia to Canada via Europe and the UK. Eventually, he was published by a vanity publisher in the UK. Two years later, he accepted a commission from a renowned traditional publisher and sharpened his pen. With time and experience, he describes himself as an independent publisher and author responsible for every facet of his ‘book business’, including the conversion of his backlist on these pages. His novel ‘The Fragile Peace’ was selected as the first audiobook in the audio library of Dyslexia Foundation UK.
In autumn 2023, Paul Anthony celebrated the publication of his twenty-ninth novel in twenty-seven years of writing as a published author. These books include an autobiography, anthologies, a non-fiction account of the Scougal family name from the time of the Votadini tribe and the Roman occupation, a fictional story about the Roman invasion of Cumbria and Scotland, a collection of poetry, and more than a score of crime fiction thrillers. He has also written television scripts, film scripts, screenplays, and storylines for production companies stretching from America to Amsterdam via Italy and elsewhere. He writes from his experience of life as a detective in various guises. Some of his books are based on ‘true accounts’. Other work is inspired by many years of experience as an investigator of serious and serial crime. Paul Anthony is best known for his crime thrillers which feature 1) Boyd – a detective from Cumbria who is seconded to the nation’s Special Crime Unit and 2) Davies King – a detective from Crillsea, on the south coast. Boyd and King are completely different characters but both sequences are ‘stand-alone’ tales which are well-presented accounts of serious and serial crime, true crime, murder-mystery, terrorism, and espionage that have reached bestseller status in Amazon’s store. In addition, several suspense thrillers are also available for readers. All his books are available globally from the Amazon store and are formatted in both Kindle and paperback.
Paul also reveals himself to be an established film extra and once spent over three months working on the film set of 71, starring Jack O’Connell and directed by Yann Demange. He has appeared as an extra in over a dozen films.
He has also helped over 50 first-time authors from around the globe by editing their books and helping them to publish their work. Whilst compiling several anthologies, he has worked with over a score of writers from the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, and Europe to promote the work of many whilst simultaneously raising money for various charities.
In September 2023 he published USHANKA. A ‘Boyd’ detective thriller, the story centers around who is to be killed by an assassin visiting the UK from Russia to carry out a specific murder. A secret network of supporters is at play and the target is a mystery to the authorities. The powerful have to make decisions and arguments ensue as a catalogue of fraud, torture, and murder follow. Spies, police, and crooks combine to produce a blistering finish. The book catapulted into the top ten in the Amazon store during the first few weeks of publication.
In February 2023 his earlier book QUEST was reviewed as follows: Paul Anthony delivers a remarkable tale of mystery and suspense. Prepare to jump into Sam’s mind on page one and experience the highs and lows of his precarious lifestyle to the last page. The author has the unique ability to feed an exceptional storyline with several threads before weaving them together to present a tremendous ending. It’s a crescendo of action then, just when you think it’s all over, the writer generates a thought-provoking high-octane finish that makes you wonder if you have been reading fiction or fact. A powerful story written in an easy-read style that the author has truly mastered.
In Spring, 2022, he published his popular novel THE JOURNEY which was reviewed before publication as follows: One of the most powerful and emotive pieces of fiction I have read in a long time. It’s a mystery, that’s for sure. But so realistic, it could even be true. All the way to the end. The author is at his best in this one. Long-awaited but pure perfection. Loved it.
Published in April 2021, as promised, the latest Davies King novel HARBOUR LIGHTS is proving a successful read amongst regular followers. Come and join the Murder Squad to experience a complex murder investigation that moves from the local to the international as the pages turn.
His recent suspense thriller SAPPHIRE is also proving popular with regular readers and was recently reviewed as follows: A fresh and captivating book that leaves other crime novels in the dust. A story inside a story. It’s a crime novels lover’s dream book. One of the best crime novels in our opinion that should be made into a crime fiction movie! A great modern detective novel and so much more. (Claire Bernard, The Author’s Leak, The Wordicle) https://www.thewordicle.com/for-crime-novels-mystery-action-lovers-in-sapphire)
He is also the administrator of a Facebook group known as Kindle Thrillers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/KindleThrillersUK)
There are twenty-nine books for sale worldwide. Ten Kindles are priced at 99p and include three full-length crime thrillers. The others are variously priced up to a maximum of £3.85, Paperbacks begin at £5 and carry a maximum price of up to £9.99 per book. Enjoy.
Proceeds from the sale of his books are donated to the following fundraising page in memory of his late wife and in support of OVARIAN CANCER ACTION (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barrie-mark1?) A registered research charity supported by Paul Anthony
Paul Anthony is the pseudonym of Anthony Paul Scougal (Tony) who was born in Southport, Lancashire He currently resides in Carlisle, Cumbria. Read more about the author at https://paulanthonys.blogspot.com/2021/04/paul-anthonys-bestsellers.html.
His website is located at https://paul-anthony.org/
His Amazon page is located at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Anthony/e/B001KDTZU2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1665066274&sr=8-2
Ushanka
There’s a killer on the loose in Dagestan, near the Caspian Sea. His purpose in life is ‘to Kill and to die In the name of Allah’. He’s an Arab Muslim wanted for bombing, murdering, and changing the face of the world in which we live. His motive is revenge. His ability is beyond understanding. The murder count continues to rise.
To some, the fugitive is a Godsend. A secret weapon that one side wants to harness in the war against the enemy. Who will turn a blind eye to the terrorist’s past? Or will they chase the fanatic and end the slaughter? One day he’s an assassin, then he is a peacemaker. His next destination is to an unknown killing spree. But then along comes an Arab Jew from the past who knows who the next target is. It’s his bargaining chip to a life beyond the world of spies. Who will believe the Arab Jew? Or will they favour the Muslim extremist? The question of who has the most influence is under review. Whoever wins will be all supreme. Is power decided on the roll of a dice?
But when Detective Chief Inspector Davies King opens a murder investigation following the discovery of a body in the harbour, he is devastated to learn that a close friend is the main suspect. Who else could it be? Publicly, the hardnosed chess-playing detective doesn’t see things the same way as others and remembers how a colleague who is involved in the enquiry once made a crucial mistake. With the authorities against him, Davies musters a handpicked bunch of detectives to destroy the gossip and unearth the evidence.
Come and join the Murder Squad. Sit back and hold tight.
The Journey
A tale of love and hate, blackmail, and power and corruption. The Journey is the story of a tripartite conference on trade, counterterrorism, societal reform, and human rights. But it all goes wrong and succumbs to unexpected chaos following a succession of events that begin in the swamps of a far-off country and end in Cumbria.
When mysterious individuals travel from afar it doesn’t take long to realise that some of the vicious rebels amongst them plan mass murder and destruction. On the same journey, a bunch of well-known crooks plan to retire to a life in the sun. They all carry a secret that defines every decision they take. Not all of them complete the nightmare journey for there is a skeleton in the cupboard that can only be disentangled in the Lake District. When the survivors meet on the shores of Ullswater, the secret is up for grabs.
Septimus
AD 78: It’s taken the Roman invaders over thirty years to reach the Lake District and the lands now known as Cumbria. Surrounded by high mountains, deep valleys, and a multitude of lakes, tarns and sheep, the Romans speculate on whether the inhabitants are an illiterate band of semi-neolithic individuals or an affluent tribe of significant status. Perhaps they will prove to be rich in gold, silver, and other treasures mined from the rocky environment where they live. Or do the locals survive on the edge of starvation existing on a daily diet of basic nourishment that is below normal living standards? Where is their army, the Romans ask? Will they run and hide in the caves with the first flight of an arrow? Are the natives naïve or cultured? Can they be trusted? How long will it take to destroy them?
Strike! Strike! Strike!
An autobiography from the front line of policing in the United Kingdom.... The true story of a sixteen years old boy from a city in the north who joined his local police force... From tea-maker to spy catcher, from errand boy to counter terrorist detective. Witness his journey via Cumbria Constabulary, the Regional Crime Squad, the Special Branch, the Anti Terrorist Branch of the Metropolitan Police, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Security Service.. Prepare to laugh.... Prepare to cry...
The Fragile Peace
A thriller of violent prejudices and divided loyalties. About the province where no-one talks, this story tells it like it is. This Ulster novel reaches to the very roots of sectarian life and death. Written by a member of the security forces, it penetrates behind the media-screen to reveal a human landscape that is unknown, yet startlingly believable. It is a world where sworn enemies may exchange confidences over a game of snooker; where a kneecapping operation turns into a deadly vendetta fuelled by sexual jealousy and where the fate of the United Kingdom could rest in the hands of one punch drunk bruiser with a dangerous addiction.
Threat Level One
When Master Sergeant Jack Dooley uncovers a startling secret in the desert wastes of Iraq he unwittingly triggers an alarm that resonates throughout the western world. It doesn’t take long before Boyd and his elite Special Crime Unit find themselves handling the investigation. But who is the man from Tikrit the police and intelligence community are desperately searching for? Is he really an Islamic assassin with orders to take out the leaders of the western world?
White Eagle
A Cumbrian detective is working with the Special Crime Unit and elements of British Intelligence.
When a desperate young man is forced out of his home in the mountains, he claims ‘Qisas’ and sets out on a bitter journey of revenge. As he terrorizes a continent with his wicked plan, the evil megalomaniac becomes an iconic figure synonymous with fear and dread. In a fast-moving, white knuckle ride, the unknown assassin leaves police and intelligence services reeling from the sheer pressure of relentless attacks.
Moonlight Shadows
When Conor is betrayed, he spends the night hidden in the bracken surrounded by security forces hunting him down. As moonlight shadows flicker, he realises who is responsible. With his unit destroyed, Conor sets out for revenge. But dark unspoken forces are at work and the track goes cold. A decade later, Pegasus, a discredited British Intelligence Agent, produces a mysterious piece of computer software and demands reinstatement. The enigmatic software, carried in a memory stick, threatens to destabilise the world’s economy should it fall into the wrong hands.
Thimbles
A thimble is a small, hard, pitted cup worn to protect the finger that pushes a needle in the craft of sewing. They are invariably made of metal and, euphemistically, are ‘as hard as nails.’ When a thimble pushes a needle to the extremity, regularly, and with bitter unrivalled determination, the job gets done much quicker than you might otherwise imagine. However, one should always be wary of a callous thimble that exerts pressure to the limit. Such a thimble can be aggressive, cold-hearted, lethally dangerous to mankind, and have no equal.
If the needle is the ‘spy’ who complies with instructions from the leader, then the thimble is the leader who pushes the needle and is, therefore, the ‘Spymaster’.
Saphire
A tale inspired by, and based upon, an account of a detective and an informant spanning twenty years.
You’ll need to live like a tramp for a while, eat on the hoof, fill the car’s glove compartment with chocolate bars and energy drinks, walk for miles, ride Tail End Charlie in a surveillance operation, end up abandoned and lost in the middle of nowhere, and meet someone in the most bizarre of situations who will tell you ‘what’s going to happen next’...
Based almost entirely in Cumbria, it’s a tale that takes you for a walk on the wild side, and might cause you to wonder how you can get out of the most dangerous situation you could ever imagine?
Harbour Lights
Paul Anthony describes the story of a murder in a seaside town on the shores of the English Channel. According to the elite in the local constabulary, there’s no great mystery involved since it’s an open and shut case. The Establishment has made its decision.
But when Detective Chief Inspector Davies King opens a murder investigation following the discovery of a body in the harbour, he is devastated to learn that a close friend is the main suspect. Who else could it be? Publicly, the hardnosed chess-playing detective doesn’t see things the same way as others and remembers how a colleague who is involved in the enquiry once made a crucial mistake. With the authorities against him, Davies musters a handpicked bunch of detectives to destroy the gossip and unearth the evidence.
Come and join the Murder Squad. Sit back and hold tight.