Former PGA European Tour Director of Communications Gordon Simpson is set to publish his debut crime novel, Four Deadly Swings, a gripping murder mystery set against the high-pressure world of professional golf.
Following the mantra of ‘write what you know about’, Gordon draws on his long career as both a journalist and a golf communications professional to transport readers to the exclusive Wentworth Club – where he worked for many years – where the brutal murder of one of professional golf’s rising stars sends shockwaves through the sport.
The investigation is led by irascible DCI Jack Hunter, who finds himself drawn into an uneasy alliance with disgraced investigative journalist Adam Stringer. Now working as a freelance sportswriter, Stringer sees the murder investigation as an opportunity to restore his reputation, but his troubled history with Hunter soon resurfaces.
Set during a professional tournament on Wentworth’s world-famous West Course, the story exposes the darker side of professional sport, uncovering a dangerous web of lies, deceit, drug use and deadly secrets before reaching a dramatic climax as the tournament reaches its conclusion.
Simpson is uniquely placed to bring authenticity to the fictional world of Four Deadly Swings. Born and raised in Aberdeenshire, he began his career in sports journalism with the Press & Journal, before working for the Press Association, Daily Record and Daily Mail. He subsequently moved to Wentworth, where he became Director of Communications at the PGA European Tour – now the DP World Tour – and Media Centre Manager for the Ryder Cup.
“I spent an entire career in sport, divided between sports writing and golf comms and PR,” said Simpson. “The accumulative knowledge I drew from observing world class athletes over the years provided the inspiration for this book. It meant I could develop the plot from a position of personal experience.”
He added: “That close-up picture from both a writing and administrative perspective provided the critical elements needed to create a crime thriller.”
Four Deadly Swings by Gordon Simpson will be published by Troubador Publishing on 28 August (ISBN 9781806344871), priced at £10.99.