*PRESS RELEASE _ The Payout Game / Publication Date: January 24, 2026

The Payout Game

Irish crime author Robert Craven returns with the third novel in the acclaimed P.J. Crowe thriller series

Dublin, Ireland — Award-nominated Irish crime writer Robert Craven announces the release of The Payout Game, the third novel in his gripping contemporary crime series featuring Garda Inspector P.J. Crowe. The book launches January 24, 2026 in paperback and eBook formats.

Set against the stark beauty of North County Dublin’s coastline, The Payout Game opens with a grim discovery: a celebrity bookmaker — a man known for excess, wealth, and notoriety — is found dead on the rocks beneath a lighthouse during a charity regatta. The case is quickly ruled a misadventure, but Inspector Crowe isn’t convinced.

As Crowe digs deeper, what begins as a routine investigation spirals into a dark network of:

• Illegal dog fighting rings

• High-stakes crypto betting

• A gambling empire built on violence and fear

With pressure mounting from forces determined to bury the truth, Crowe and his small team race against time — and powerful enemies — to uncover what really happened before the killer cashes out for good.

“Crowe is flawed, stubborn, brilliant – and refuses to walk away when the powerful say ‘drop it.’”

— Early ARC reader feedback

About the Author

Robert Craven is an Irish novelist praised for his atmospheric settings and tightly-wound plots. His P.J. Crowe series — beginning with A Kind of Drowning and Malign Intent — has earned comparisons to Tana French, Ian Rankin, and Stuart MacBride for its realism and emotional depth.

Advance Praise for the Series

“Brilliantly paced. A gripping Irish noir that keeps you guessing.”

— Reviewer, Goodreads

“Crowe feels like someone you know — imperfect, relentless, unforgettable.”

— Crime Fiction Book Blog

For Review Copies / Interviews / Media Requests

Press Contact:

cravenwr@gmail.com


https://www.robert-cravenauthor.ie