• Written between March 2023 and May 2023, released by The Ink Foundry 4th October 2024
• Length: 99,181 words, about 415 pages
• Highest Amazon rank:  Don’t know yet… 
• Music listened to while writing: Queens of the Stone Age, Broken Machine, and Royal Blood.

“Treat yourself to a superbly written, gut-wrenching novel. It is outstanding.”

“This is a brilliant piece of writing.“

“Barrett is a champion when it comes to character development, backstory, and plot, so you already know you’re in for a great ride.“

A Random Kill (was The Long Scream, and was Red Fury)

A Random Kill is the first book in the DS Regan Carter series. I began writing it in March of 2023. Back then I had a choice to make: write another CSI Eddie Collins novel or challenge myself to write something I’ve never written before. I chose the latter, not because the former was too easy – it’s really not. I might be comfortable writing Eddie Collins (extremely comfortable, actually), but there’s still a lot of work involved. I’ve written seven Eddie novels so far, and each one is different not only from anything I’ve ever read, but different from each other. And that’s because I don’t use a formula or a plot device to write my books. I write them organically, as they occur to me. And yes, that’s quite dangerous sometimes because I run the risk of stalling halfway through or writing myself into an impossible situation. But that’s the beauty of it, you see; it’s spontaneous, it’s organic, as I’ve said, and it evolves as real life does.

“One of those books you just keep reading well past your bedtime.”

I have written a female lead character before (The End of Lies), and it was in first person. But I’ve never before written a female lead in third person, nor have I written a detective story before. Two firsts, eh? There’s value for money for you.

Was it hard to do? Yes.

I had to put thoughts of Eddie Collins aside – even though he has a couple of cameo appearances in the trilogy. I had to put that other main character of mine aside: forensic science. This was a detective book, and though there are references to scene examinations and DNA results and the like, anything forensic takes a back seat. Here we rely on detective power, not CSI power, to achieve our goals, and it’s a lot harder than I’d imagined it would be.

“I love that we have more strong and fearless women featured!”

She wasn’t the perfect character right off the bat. No, there was a lot of bum-shuffling, a lot of head-scratching, and more than a few trips to the tailor to gets things tucked in or let out. But she eventually became coherent and believable. She became someone I was glad to spend time with, someone who I didn’t begrudge being with because I’d rather be with Eddie. He understood, and he waited patiently. Regan got it too, she knew Eddie was tapping his feet, and his author was keen to get back to a new story. But instead of rushing through all three books to climb back on the Eddie horse again, I took my time, and I sank into the stories and was completely absorbed by them.

By the end of the third book, I had learned something new. It’s possible to have more than one best friend.

“You just must read this story and see if you can guess the outcome and solve the mystery prior to the end!”

“Andrew Barrett knows better than anyone how to create captivating characters.”

Book One in the DS Regan Carter series.
DS Regan Carter never imagined she would end up in the Major Crime Unit, surrounded by the one thing she despises most: death. But when a young mother is brutally killed and her baby kidnapped, Regan is thrown into a terrifying battle with a local organized crime group. As she closes in on the gang-members, she must also face the horror of her own past. Regan struggles to keep her head above water.

But this is just the beginning. As the OCG begins to crumble and secrets are revealed, Regan finds herself facing a threat that hits dangerously close to home. With her job, her reputation, and her life on the line, she must use all her skills and ferocity to take down the criminals before they take her down first.

For fans of gripping police procedurals, and crime thrillers with strong female leads, A Random Kill is a must-read. Don’t miss out on this heart-pounding debut in the DS Regan Carter series.

Don’t miss out – buy A Random Kill today.

Buy A Random Kill