Who is PH Spurgeon?

My story begins in the early 1960’s and my mum and dad have made the decision to bring a little bundle of joy into their lives. Many would argue that they should have bought a puppy, but instead they ended up with a little chubby faced guy, who for no particular reason that I can ascertain, they gave the name Patrick, a name that has resulted in a lifetime of questions about my Irish lineage? So, to start with, let me make it clear, that while I have been to southern Ireland on numerous occasions and have always thoroughly enjoyed their friendliness and hospitality, the only true affinity I have with Ireland, is a love of Guinness and Irish Whiskey.

My early childhood years were spent in and around Newmarket in Suffolk, a somewhat curious place to live where the horses were, (and still are), very often treated better than the people who look after them, and the horse racing and male interest magazines in the local newsagents would have to be displayed on the middle shelf!

It was here that some of favourite childhood memories were formed and the little village of Woodditton and the surrounding area where we lived, features heavily in my second book Castle in the Hill.

It was at the age of nine that my father gained a promotion and a move to the “big city” was required. I seem to remember I spent weeks arguing the case for staying in Woodditton, but despite my tantrums, pleadings and threats to leave home and live in a haystack, we moved to Ipswich, hardly the big city I know, but it sure felt like another world to this little country bumkin at the time.

Academically I was never going to set the world on fire and was always happiest being creative, making and fixing things with my dad in our garage and going out with my mates for long countryside cycle rides using the local network of footpaths and bridleways. 

It was while at secondary school however, that I first discovered the joys of writing and although I went on to have an extremely successful career as a cabinet maker, the culmination of which was building the Queen an Altar Rail for her private chapel at Windsor Castle following the fire of 1989, it seemed almost ordained that one day I would return to writing stories.

My first thriller Swallowed by the Sea was released in May 2021 and I suspect like many first books it took several years to come to fruition. For those of you who visiting another planet at that time, this was Covid time and I was someone who had no problem with being furloughed, as this was an amazing opportunity to sit down and become a full-time writer, for a few weeks at least!

Since that time I have been able to concentrate much more on my writing and the good news is that if you liked my first thriller there are plenty more to come, so watch this space.