Derek Mcmillan

Durrington Detective Agency Derek Mcmillan

This is a collection of a dozen detective stories. It introduces the Durrington Detective Agency and the heroes, Craig McLairy, Micah McLairy and Barker who is sometimes called Hairy McLairy to differentiate him from bald Craig. There are a host of other characters who fulfil the role of murderer, murderee or that classic in detective fiction the red herring. We were inspired by Jeanne M Dams whose detective stories are referred to as 'cozy'. All that means is that there is no graphic sex or violence. The same term could apply to most of Agatha Christie's books. I do hope this book does not make Durrington into an equivalent of Oxford, Midsomer or anything in the orbit of Miss Marple - a place where you won't live long. I live in Durrington and I have not been murdered even once. Many of the locations are real. The John Selden for example is a first-rate pub and within walking distance of our home which is convenient. All the references to people are fictitious.