Robert Craven's blog

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!

Save the date Location - The Academy Plaza Hotel, Findlater Place, Dublin 1 I will be speaking at The International Dublin Writer's Festival on Saturday 21st, The theme of my talk is my personal writing journey over 10 books, and remaining resitlient and positive offering insights and suggesteions in this rapidly shifting environment of indie publishing. My latest Malign Intent will be available at the venue and I will be happy to chat...

Malign Intent is the sequel to and the second in a planned series featuring the protagonist Garda Inspector P.J. Crowe. It’s my second contemporary crime thriller. Like its predecessor A KIND OF DROWNING, it was inspired by the rugged coastline of Ireland’s East Coast. A coastline with local tales of smuggling, small coves, and fishing towns. A coastline rich in both oral and written history. In these books of Crowe, the landscape and its many...

I was nervous, I'll be honest. I was standing in the gym to give a talk to two groups - 5th year & TY years - about not only how important books are today (perhaps even more so now), but also my journey as a writer and my processes. But I had nothing to worry about; after my spiel as to how I became a writer, a very lively Q&A from the students kept me on my toes. And I found their enthusiasm infectious. I was also very honest with them...

"T he more bookstores you go into, the more you’ll realize how many different ways there are to be curious." - Paul Yamazaki - City Lights Bookstore / San Francisco I was talking to a fellow author over the week, he's both a respected author and a valued mentor. He says its increasingly hard to sell copies these days with so much competition from streaming services, whether you're a big name or not. And he has a point - but only to a point. I...