Andrew J Field’s crime novel, After the Bridge, which opens and closes on the Humber Bridge, with much of the action set in Manchester, will be published by Hit the North on Friday, 22nd November 2024.
The novel tells the story of two despondent characters — Owen, a failed actor, and Becky, a Ukrainian refugee struggling with trauma — who meet by chance on the Humber Bridge. Rather than ending their lives, they decide to collaborate in a honey-trap scheme. However, their plans take a dark turn when a blackmailer dies on them in a Manchester hotel, drawing them deeper into a world of cynicism, corruption, and crime. They can only find salvation through helping one another and reclaiming their humanity.
‘Bridge started out as cheeky grifter noir, but changed tack completely after Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Thousands have been killed and millions traumatised in Europe, but we are powerless to do anything to stop the war or the lies used to justify or mitigate it,’ says the book’s author, Andrew J Field, who is based in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
‘Most of us believe we’re in control of our lives, but in reality fate dictates our destinies. I suppose After the Bridge is my noir take on the nihilistic worldview of Charles Bukowski’s Pull A String, A Puppet Moves. Unexpected events derail Owen and Becky’s lives and leave them at the mercy of others,’ Field reflects.
The novel explores a variety of intense and sensitive adult themes, including suicide, sexual assault, attempted date-rape, self-harm, incest, war crimes in Ukraine, and identity theft. Field emphasises that these themes are not included for shock value. ‘Although After the Bridge has hard-hitting adult themes such as suicide, sexual assault, attempted date-rape, self-harm, incest, war crimes in Ukraine and identity theft, hopefully they are never gratuitous or salacious. Crime writers should avoid glorifying violence, sexual abuse and aggression.’
Emma Haughton, author of The Dark and The Sanctuary, has called the novel ‘dark, twisted and utterly compelling.’ Meanwhile, Danuta Reah, author of The Last Room and Not Safe, has praised it as ‘engaging throughout.’
Martin Fletcher, the editor of the book, who has previously worked with Harry Thompson, David Gibbins, Robert Ryan, Jo Brand, and Quintin Jardine, says, ‘The novel is consistently entertaining with a lively wit and inventive energy sustained throughout. Particularly appealing is the portrayal of strong women and characters who are sympathetic despite their excesses and flaws.’
Andrew J Field lives with his partner Catherine in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, near the docks and close to the Scottish border. His previous novels include Without Rules and All Down The Line. He is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers’ Association and holds an MA in novel writing from the University of Manchester.
After the Bridge (ISBN: 978-1-9999826-7-6) is available for pre-order at www.afterthebridge.co.uk or through Amazon. The hardback edition is priced at £19.99, with the paperback at £9.99, and the Kindle/download version at £5.
The publisher Hit the North, which will also launch later this year, is dedicated to championing hard-hitting crime and noir fiction in various forms, including books, music, and film.
