Simon Read

image of author Simon Read Writing true stories of murder and evisceration was not my original intent - things just turned out that way. I started writing at the age of thirteen after my parents slipped a copy of Misery into my grubby hands. The book hooked me instantly, and I soon took my own pen to paper.

In high school I wrote for the student newspaper, and did the same in college. During those early inebriated years of higher education, while majoring in journalism, I discovered the works of Hunter S. Thompson and quickly slapped him on my list of favourite authors alongside Mr. King, Ian Fleming and John Steinbeck. My original goal was to be a hell raiser who spotlighted social wrongs through quality - albeit wild - newspaper and magazine reportage. Of course, life never adheres to even the best-laid plans.

During my final year of college, I took a history of mass media class to meet my journalism BA requirement. Our final project was to report on a story from a specific year. For whatever reason, I got stuck with 1933. I traipsed to the university library and began scanning issues of the New York Times from the year in question. Several hours into my research, my attention was seized by a headline from the Saturday, May 13, 1933, issue: INSURANCE MURDER CHARGED TO FIVE; TALE OF HORROR IS TOLD.

The article detailed the bizarre story of Michael Malloy, a speakeasy derelict insured and targeted for murder by a gang of low-rent thugs. Unfortunately for the would-be killers, Malloy proved to be a marvel of near-indestructibility. He obliviously thwarted numerous attempts on his life, never realizing evil forces were plotting against him. All the while, each attempt on his shabby existence became more outrageous than the last. Instantly, I new I'd found the topic for an interesting book. It was that sudden . . . the story potential just hit me. I made a copy of the article and filed it away.

Jump ahead four years after working for several newspapers . . .

In 2001, I left California - where I'd been living for the past twenty years - and returned to my native Britain to research and write a book on the Royal Air Force's bombing offensive against Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The project, which eventually became The Killing Skies (published in March 2006 in Great Britain), was inspired by my grandfather's experiences as an air gunner with RAF Bomber Command. Four years were spent researching and writing the book both in England and North America. Based on the strength of the manuscript, I landed a literary agent in America. Unfortunately, the book didn't sell in the States as publishers said it was 'too British' and would not find an American audience. The book, however, did sell to Spellmount Books in the United Kingdom. By that time, I'd already pitched my American agent the strange story of Michael Malloy. He voiced his enthusiasm for the idea and told me to write a book proposal and several sample chapters.

I began flying back and fourth between San Francisco and New York on credit cards to do the necessary research. Three months later, I had enough to write the first two chapters and a detailed outline of the story. My agent began pitching the project to New York's publishing houses. The reception was cool. Some editors failed to see the humor in the story, while others simply thought it was too grim. Fortunately, an editor at Berkley Publishing - a division of Penguin Book Group - saw the story's potential and made an offer, which I accepted.

The writing of On the House: The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy took approximately one year. During that time, I was working the night desk at a newspaper in the Bay Area and writing the book during the day. The project entailed about a half a dozen trips back to New York City and a lot of drinking - all for research purposes, of course. The manuscript was sent to Berkley in November 2004, by which time I was working days as a reporter on the police-and-courts beat.

Shortly thereafter, I read a book about crime in 1940s London. One chapter made brief mention of "The Blackout Ripper," a serial killer who slaughtered four prostitutes in London's West End over the course of one week in February 1942. The similarities between these crimes and the 1888 rampage of Jack the Ripper struck a chord, and I realized I'd stumbled across the subject matter for another book. The work eventually evolved into In the Dark: The True Story of the Blackout Ripper, which hit stores in November and became my first bestseller.

And from there, things continue . . .

Stay tuned to this website for more news and information regarding future projects. Thanks for your support, and I hope you'll keep reading.

Please feel free to contact me at simonr74(at)yahoo.com - I will respond.

Simon Read


About Simon	Books	Simon Says	Contact

Writing true stories of murder and evisceration was not my original intent - things just turned out that way. I started writing at the age of thirteen after my parents slipped a copy of Misery into my grubby hands. The book hooked me instantly, and I soon took my own pen to paper. In high school I wrote for the student newspaper, and did the same in college. During those early inebriated years of higher education, while majoring in journalism, I discovered the works of Hunter S. Thompson and quickly slapped him on my list of favourite authors alongside Mr. King, Ian Fleming and John Steinbeck. My original goal was to be a hell raiser who spotlighted social wrongs through quality - albeit wild - newspaper and magazine reportage. Of course, life never adheres to even the best-laid plans. During my final year of college, I took a history of mass media class to meet my journalism BA requirement. Our final project was to report on a story from a specific year. For whatever reason, I got stuck with 1933. I traipsed to the university library and began scanning issues of the New York Times from the year in question. Several hours into my research, my attention was seized by a headline from the Saturday, May 13, 1933, issue: INSURANCE MURDER CHARGED TO FIVE; TALE OF HORROR IS TOLD. The article detailed the bizarre story of Michael Malloy, a speakeasy derelict insured and targeted for murder by a gang of low-rent thugs. Unfortunately for the would-be killers, Malloy proved to be a marvel of near-indestructibility. He obliviously thwarted numerous attempts on his life, never realizing evil forces were plotting against him. All the while, each attempt on his shabby existence became more outrageous than the last. Instantly, I new I'd found the topic for an interesting book. It was that sudden . . . the story potential just hit me. I made a copy of the article and filed it away. Jump ahead four years after working for several newspapers . . . In 2001, I left California - where I'd been living for the past twenty years - and returned to my native Britain to research and write a book on the Royal Air Force's bombing offensive against Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The project, which eventually became The Killing Skies (published in March 2006 in Great Britain), was inspired by my grandfather's experiences as an air gunner with RAF Bomber Command. Four years were spent researching and writing the book both in England and North America. Based on the strength of the manuscript, I landed a literary agent in America. Unfortunately, the book didn't sell in the States as publishers said it was 'too British' and would not find an American audience. The book, however, did sell to Spellmount Books in the United Kingdom. By that time, I'd already pitched my American agent the strange story of Michael Malloy. He voiced his enthusiasm for the idea and told me to write a book proposal and several sample chapters. I began flying back and fourth between San Francisco and New York on credit cards to do the necessary research. Three months later, I had enough to write the first two chapters and a detailed outline of the story. My agent began pitching the project to New York's publishing houses. The reception was cool. Some editors failed to see the humor in the story, while others simply thought it was too grim. Fortunately, an editor at Berkley Publishing - a division of Penguin Book Group - saw the story's potential and made an offer, which I accepted. The writing of On the House: The Bizarre Killing of Michael Malloy took approximately one year. During that time, I was working the night desk at a newspaper in the Bay Area and writing the book during the day. The project entailed about a half a dozen trips back to New York City and a lot of drinking - all for research purposes, of course. The manuscript was sent to Berkley in November 2004, by which time I was working days as a reporter on the police-and-courts beat. Shortly thereafter, I read a book about crime in 1940s London. One chapter made brief mention of "The Blackout Ripper," a serial killer who slaughtered four prostitutes in London's West End over the course of one week in February 1942. The similarities between these crimes and the 1888 rampage of Jack the Ripper struck a chord, and I realized I'd stumbled across the subject matter for another book. The work eventually evolved into In the Dark: The True Story of the Blackout Ripper, which hit stores in November and became my first bestseller. And from there, things continue . . . Stay tuned to this website for more news and information regarding future projects. Thanks for your support, and I hope you'll keep reading. Please feel free to contact me at simonr74(at)yahoo.com - I will respond. Simon Read