Laura Wilson Books In Order

Publication Order of DI Ted Stratton Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Hailing from the United Kingdom, the British author Laura Wilson is well known for her compelling take on the crime-fiction genre, as she has captured the imaginations of both the public and the critics alike, gaining success worldwide for her work. Winning a number of awards over the years, she’s also highly regarded for her historical setting used throughout her novels, which have been praised for their sense of accuracy and knowledge of the era. Also writing non-fiction as well, she has a strong sense of the past, which shows in her work with it being highly informed, yet easy to access.

Early and Personal Life

Born in the city of London in the United Kingdom in the year of 1964, the British writer to be Laura Wilson was raised in the city where she spent her many formative years taking in the sights and sounds, all the while building upon her career to follow as a crime-writer. Harboring a strong passion for both reading and writing, she would be constantly on the lookout for new ideas, utilizing her experience for her material. This would all help her to become the writer that she currently is today, as she gained a great insight into how people interact with each other, something that allowed her to gain a better understanding of human nature.

Getting an education from the prestigious University College London, along with Somerville College and Oxford, she gained a number of degrees in English literature, all of which also helped to give her a better understanding of her craft and material, something that she could build upon over the following years to come. With a well informed background she was able to move on and build upon her career as a writer, gaining the tools she needed to both hone and refine her voice as she went on to become a writer. This would also allow her to find her interests and what it was that she wanted to write about, enabling her to tell her own unique story.

Largely focusing on narratives of a historical theme and angel, she has been able to create a unique and distinctive perspective that informs her work and her material, as she not only writes crime fiction, but she also reviews it as well, writing for The Guardian newspaper and reviewing all the latest crime novels for them. She also teaches her craft to other up and coming writers as well, tutoring those on the City University MA course for Crime Thriller Novel Creative Writing. All this has helped her to develop her voice and hone who she is as a writer, establishing herself on the literary scene.

Now living in Islington in London she continues to write to this present day, with her books achieving both critical and commercial success. She also takes part in various events, such as chairing the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, giving it the benefit of her insight. With more books to follow, her writing career is growing from strength-to-strength, as plenty more novels are set to be released in the near future.

Writing Career

Winning a number of awards over the years, she has not only garnered the attention of critics, but she is also a commercially successful writer as well. Highly regarded as an influential crime writer by both her many peers and contemporaries, she’s been able to find her own niche within the industry. Not only that, she has also worked to establish the field of crime-fiction, giving it greater precedence as a genre overall.

With thirteen novels to her name so far and counting, she has a lot more to come as a writer of crime-fiction. Using her historical perspective as well, she has ensured that her unique brand of fiction will live on for many years come. Not showing any signs of stopping any time soon either, it appears she will continue to write for some time yet.

The Lover

First published in 2004 on the 17th of June, this was initially brought out through the Orion Publishing Group, as it sets itself during the second world war. Retaining Laura Wilson’s keen eye for accuracy and detail, it provides an in-depth and suspense filled thriller that manages to keep its audiences on the edges of their seats. Clearly in her element here, it shows an author who is at the top of her game and height of her powers, creating a style and tone that establishes a mysterious and foreboding atmosphere.

Based on a real-life case it tells the story of the Blackout Ripper, also known as the infamous serial killer Gordon Cummins who operated within London during the second world war. An airman of just twenty-eight years of age, he takes to killing prostitutes during the blackouts and the subsequent bombings, both enabling him to act undetected. Traveling between three narratives, it tells the story from the perspective of Gordon himself, a woman who finds herself infatuated with him and a prostitute come victim with a young son to look after. Why did he do it? Can the authorities find him? What became of the lover?

The Riot

Making up the fifth novel and installment in the DI Ted Stratton series, this was to follow on directly from the last providing his next case to deal with. Initially published in 2013 on the first of August through the Quercus publishing label, this sought to recapture what came before in both style and tone. Managing this well, it gives the readers more of what they want and have now come to expect from Laura Wilson as a writer, it also works in providing some twists and turns all of its own.

Set in Notting Hill during the 1950s, this looks at the racial tensions of the period, as an influx Caribbean immigrants came into the area, and how this affected the working class area. With Teddy Boys on the rise, it seems they have taken a certain dislike of the black neighbors in the area, all the while certain landlords are profiting from this by hiking rent prices for immigrants and prostitutes. One such landlord is Danny Perlmann, himself a Polish immigrant, and soon his rent collector is murdered amid rising tensions, as DI Ted Stratton is called onto the scene. Who murdered the rent collector? Can a young runaway caught in the middle stop herself from going on the game? What will become of Stratton as he tries to prevent the riot?

One Response to “Laura Wilson”

1. Gerald: 2 years ago

   Will there be any new Statton books. I enjoyed them?

   Reply