Charles P. Sharkey has worked as a well-known criminal lawyer in Glasgow for nearly 30 years and is author of four books with Ringwood. His first three novels Dark Loch, Memoirs of Franz Schreiber and The Volunteer are works of historical fiction and are set respectively in Scotland, Germany and Northern Ireland. Each is a powerful and thought-provoking examination of the tumultuous effects of extraordinary political and historical moments such as the First World War or The Irish Troubles on ordinary lives. For his fourth book, Clutching At Straws, Charlie has used his decades long career as a criminal lawyer to produce a gritty and thrilling crime novel about Glaswegian gangs and policing.

Somewhat of a renaissance man, he has also had concurrent careers as a landscape gardener and a singer-songwriter, with a number of his songs being recorded by other artists. His first studio album ‘Strange Hotel’ has been well received, with more to follow.

You can find Charlie on Twitter @CharlesPSharkey