Robert Craven's blog

Crowe returns this week. Its been a busy two week run, genrating interest and positioning THE PAYOUT GAME's visbilty for its release next Saturday 01,24.26. The ARC feedback is very positive, before Christmas I made a few adjustments and rewrote several scenes to reduce the occasional 'clunkiness' that slips through. Then you walk away from it. Here are my key takeaways form promotiong your own work 1. Consistency is key - same blurb, same...

In the 1980's and 90's in Dublin, the theatre scene was dominated by the mercurial genius of Donal McCann . His physicality and intensity electrified the stage. The 1989 run of Juno and the Paycock and his portrayal of Captain Boyle didn't just invite you into the 'fourth wall', he dragged you into the world and character he inhabited and threw you into the nearest chair. I saw that production three times back-to-back. It was considered at the...

The day after tomorrow it will be 2026. It seems to have crept up unannounced tapping you on the shoulder and whispering '.. I'm here'. The year has been one of turmoil, death and uncertainty. And it may well continue for sometime to come, but there is always, always art. As Toni Morrison once said, 'This is precisely when artists go to work'. Whether its writing, music, dance, painting or sculpting, each of us in our creative field has a...

One of the more unexpected joys (& Unknown pleasures) of writing a series is discovering the small quiks and traits that stay with a character — the details that aren’t about plot or bodies or evidence, but about who they are when no one’s watching; how they spend their downtime. For P.J. Crowe, that detail is music. Across the three books, Crowe’s musical tastes surface in fragments — in the background of scenes, in late-night moments, in...

This book almost didn’t happen. I could put it down to writer’s block or in the words of John Lennon: ‘Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans’ , but by March this year, the book was stalled. Frozen. Part of the problem I realised was the journals and notebooks were becoming an albatross around my neck. Instead of them being a map or a guide, they became a convenient go-to crutch. I had two notebooks filled with notes,...

Release date 01.24.26 The Payout Game is an Irish crime thriller featuring Garda Inspector P.J. Crowe — a flawed but dediicated detective living in the small coastal town of Roscarrig that keeps giving him big-city problems. Crowe is hoping for a quiet Christmas in Roscarrig, but during a charity regatta, a body washes up on the rocks beneath a lighthouse — a man known across Ireland: a celebrity bookmaker with deep connections to high-stakes...

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...

Thirty Four Kilometres from where I live is Newgrange , and this morning the winter solstice took place. The site is believed to be over 5000 years old, and today is the shortest day and the longest night in Ireland. Its a time of stories being told around fires, of staying close to the light and ignoring the darkness around. And the world today is in a very, very dark place. So we console ourselves with stories, tales and conversations...

Personal Background: Good morning my name is Robert Craven. I am the author of ten novels, my 10th, Malign Intent was released earlier this year. Firstly , I would like to thank Laurence O’Bryan and his team here for this opportunity to talk with you this morning. Secondly , if we have time at the end, I’ll be happy to take some questions from you, (the audience). Purpose of the Talk: Publishing is a very, very tough game, more so in fact over...

I had the great pleasure of talking to Edith Zeitlberger of EZ Fiction about MALIGN INTENT and the background to the creation of Crowe. She is extremly warm and engaging and her podcasts have a very easy going vibe. It was an absolute pleasure to chat to her. Links below - MURDER IN IRELAND. YouTube Spotify https://www.robert-cravenauthor.ie Check them out!