Author Interview – Harry Navinski – The Last Walk

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Harry Navinski talks about his new book, The Last Walk, in which DCI Suzanna McLeod must discover if Isla Muir’s brutal murder was a tragic accident, or a meticulously planned execution amidst a web of corruption and deceit.

 

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed Harry Navinski about his life and career, what inspired him to write his new book, The Last Walk, and his creative writing process.

Tell me a bit about who you are.

I spent most of my working life as an aircraft engineer in the Royal Air Force, from hands-on work to senior management roles. Based in England, Scotland, Germany, and Malta, I also travelled the world with the RAF.

During this time, I created and edited the RAF’s magazine for sports and adventurous training, RAF Active. My articles, written from personal experiences of sports and adventurous activities, included skiing, sailing, judo, and scuba diving, to name a few.

After my time in the RAF, I spent six years on voluntary service in West Bengal, India (on anti-human trafficking work). I have now settled down on the edge of Cumbria’s Lake District National Park – one of the most beautiful places in the world.

When did you first WANT to write a book?

During my time in India, I wrote blogs about my experiences and observations on the streets of Kolkata and beyond into rural West Bengal. It was feedback about these blogs that got me thinking about writing fiction.

When did you take a step to start writing?

On my return to the UK, I attended a creative writing course, and was inspired to write my first novel, The Glass. Our tutor placed a small trunk, like a treasure chest, on the table and invited us to withdraw one of the cloth bags it contained. Completing a form he provided, we had to note what it was, what its purpose was, who owned it, where did they live, etc. The next exercise was to write a short story about this. I pulled a magnifying lass from my cloth bag, a glass that looked like it had been owned by Sherlock Holmes. These two short exercises on that course created crime-writer Harry Navinski.

The Glass was soon followed by a novella, The Test, and my second novel, The Duty. The Key to Murder was published in 2023, and my latest novel, The Last Walk was released in January 2024. I’m currently working on my fifth novel – working title, The Hit.

How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?

My first book, The Glass, took over a year, from penning the first chapter to publishing the book on Amazon. It was a precipitous learning curve.

How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?

My latest book, The Last Walk, took around 11 months. It’s a long process editing, rewriting and seeking perfection in grammar and spelling!

Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write The Last Walk?

The Last Walk was inspired by a walk along the Dales Way in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. I imagined a woman and her dog found shot dead, in a field of sheep, by a shotgun. As with all good mysteries, the big question is why? Who would want to shoot the woman and her dog on an early morning walk in the countryside? In the end, I set the crime in Dumfriesshire, just across the Solway Firth from my home in Northwest Cumbria, and had Suzanna McLeod loaned to that police division to lead the enquiry. It was wonderful using Dumfriesshire, with its coast opposite Cumbria and its distant Lake District fells.

What were your biggest challenges with writing The Last Walk?

As with all my books, the biggest challenge is the multiple iterations of reading the manuscript, re-writing and editing it, along with feedback from my beta readers. I can complete my first draft in as little as a month, writing 8-10 hours a day without distractions – but it’s difficult to achieve that every time.

Who or what inspired you when creating your protagonist?

My protagonist’s character was inspired by numerous TV detectives, such as Sandra Pullman and Sasha Miller from New Tricks, and of course Vera Stanhope. Suzanna McLeod is an English woman, who married a Scot and now lives in Edinburgh. She’s the antithesis of Ian Rankin’s character Rebus. She’s highly intelligent, an analytical thinker, well educated (has a BSc and MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice), does not smoke or drink the hard stuff. She’s a keen sports woman, keeps fit and regularly attends the local judo club, retaining an ability to take on violent criminals. Suzanna’s an inspirational team leader and coach to her detective team, resulting in the best capture and conviction rate in Scotland.

Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?

Each book is its own story with different criminals to track down, but throughout the series, she has to deal with a by-the-book, interfering Chief Superintendent.

What is the inciting incident of The Last Walk?

My first novel, The Glass, kicks off with a military-style armed bank raid, and the race is on to catch the robbers before they strike again, perhaps with deathly consequences. The remainder of the books in this series start with the discovery of a murder within the first five chapters. Each one is completely different to the others.

What is the main conflict of The Last Walk?

As with any police detective series, the main conflict comes from hunting down the criminals. But for Suzanna, she also has personal issues to deal with: an ex-husband, a new boyfriend, and an uncertain career path.

Did you plot The Last Walk in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?

My first book was totally unplotted and went entirely where my imagination and the characters took it. But I found this was a very inefficient way to write a crime novel because it required a huge effort to restructure and rewrite the story once I had completed my first draft and found it did not flow. My second book, The Duty, about the trafficking of a South Asian woman from West Bengal to Scotland, and her subsequent death, was plotted heavily before I even started writing it. Other books have been less loosely plotted but I like to have a good skeleton plot in place before I get going. I’ve found, however, that no matter how much plotting I do, the characters take over and the story flows where they drive it.

Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Last Walk need?

Once the first draft manuscript has been completed, a long period of editing and rewriting commences. I use software to point out grammatical errors and spelling; I read out loud the manuscript, and print off the entire story to be read yet again from paper. Each of these methods highlights an amazing number of issues. The draft is then fed to my first beta readers who I can rely on to be entirely frank about the story line and its contents. Once I have rewritten the story again and corrected the additional errors highlighted, it goes out to my second tier of beta readers for further feedback. Once I am satisfied that it is as good as it’s going to get, I get a proof copy made for further scrutiny before releasing the book to my readers.

What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?

If your story is one that needs to flow logically and reach a certain conclusion, like most detective stories do, loosely plot the story before you start but don’t be bound by this outline. Teat it as guidance, not a rigid road to follow. Go where your imagination takes you.

Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?

The Hit is my next book. It’s about the assassination of an arrogant, opinionated ruthless music mogul who has treated so many people badly that there are multiple reasons someone would want him dead. His death was a professional hit, so this help Suzanna and her team focus on specific lines of investigation, to track down the murderer.

And, finally, are you proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?

I never realised how hard it would be to write and then publish a book. I had to learn the literary trade, and learn how to publish and market my books – a business in its own right. I never expected I could become a novelist but now find it’s in my blood. I am a crime writer, and proud of it.

Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:

The Glass (Book 1)

Kindle: https://amzn.to/40KFIjQ

Paperback: https://amzn.to/40IJutR

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/42pED1X

Audible: https://amzn.to/40vAOG5

Apple Audiobook: https://apple.co/3Zvur6s

The Duty (Book 2)

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3ClHjmE

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4g95z9h

The Key To Murder (Book 3)

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3E1CAXG

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3PJXpJZ

The Last Walk (Book 4)

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4av8HeD

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4g95rXl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harry.navinski.9/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrynavinski/
Twitter: (1) Harry Navinski (@HarryNavinski)
Website: https://harrynavinski.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harry-Navinski/e/B08DJDB7FM/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

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