Featured in Edinburgh Live Today: Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder

I was delighted to be interviewed by the journalist Lee Dalgetty at Edinburgh Live about my new book, Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder, and some of the experiences that shaped it during my 40 years in the police, here in Edinburgh.

The interview focused particularly on the changing nature of the sex industry in Edinburgh and on the murder of Sheila Anderson, a case in which I was involved as a young detective inspector in 1983.

Sheila's murder has stayed with me for many years. The investigation revealed a side of the sex industry that, at the time, had been poorly understood. It also led to significant changes in the way police and other agencies approached sex workers, with a greater emphasis on public safety, public health and reducing harm.

One of the things I wanted to explore in Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder was the reality of people's lives behind the headlines. During the research for the book, I spoke to people working in our capital's sex industry and, rather than interrogating them or trying to lead the conversation, I simply asked them about their lives.

As I told Edinburgh Live:

"When you speak to sex workers it's about getting through life. It's about making enough money to get through."

I believe their experiences deserve to be heard without automatically imposing a moral judgement on them.

The Edinburgh Live interview also looks at how much the sex industry has changed since my time in the police. With so much activity now taking place online, some of the safeguards and visibility that existed in the past have disappeared, raising new questions about safety and vulnerability.

These issues form an important part of Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder. Part of my book looks at the sex trade and the people I encountered through my police career and later research. The other part tells stories from some of the investigations I was involved in, including the abduction and murder of Caroline Hogg and Susan Maxwell, the hunt for Robert Black, and the Glencorse shooting.

Writing the book gave me the opportunity to revisit some extraordinary cases and, perhaps most importantly, to give a voice to people whose stories have often been overlooked or misunderstood.

I'd like to thank Edinburgh Live for taking the time to talk to me about the book and these subjects.

You can read the full Edinburgh Live interview here.

And if you'd like to find out more about Sex, Spies and Bloody Murder, you can find and buy my book here.