Peter J Charles
Official Website of the
TOM KESSLER THRILLERS
Including
the latest in the series
A Reluctant Asset
About Peter J Charles
I write British crime and intelligence fiction with a procedural edge. The detail comes from having lived the work rather than researched it.
Before writing came service in the Royal Air Force, then nine years as a detective on the Surrey Drug Squad: surveillance both conventional and electronic, criminal intelligence, informant handling and undercover operations. The characters are complex and the operations are grounded, because I've done the work. The tension is never for show.
The Tom Kessler series now runs to five published novels, beginning with A Detective's Dilemma, which introduces Detective Constable Tom Kessler on a Surrey drug squad. The series moves from street-level policing into intelligence and geopolitical territory. A Dangerous Alliance, Book 6, is available to pre-order on Amazon for release on 1 January 2027. The first four titles are published in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian and German.
British thrillers for readers of Stephen Leather and Neil Lancaster.
Whether it's the patience of a long surveillance shift or the urgency of a high-stakes bust, I aim to capture the nuance of the work and the lives behind it.
When I'm not writing, you'll find me walking the countryside, fly fishing, or watching rugby with a pint in my hand. It's a slower pace than the one I used to live, but the stories haven't stopped.
For an explanation of what procedural fiction is, read my definition here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Peter J Charles? I write British crime and intelligence fiction with a procedural edge. Before writing I served in the Royal Air Force and then spent nine years of my 20 years as a police officer as a detective on the Surrey Drug Squad: surveillance, both conventional and electronic, criminal intelligence, informant handling and undercover operations. The detail in my books comes from having lived the work, not researched it.
What makes your books different from other crime thrillers? Authenticity. I've run the surveillance operations, handled the informants and worked the grey areas, so the tradecraft and the pressure on the page are grounded in real experience rather than invented for effect. The tension is never for show.
What is "procedural fiction"? It's crime and intelligence fiction where the methods (surveillance, agent handling, the slow grind of an investigation) are as central as the plot, and where they're portrayed accurately. There's a fuller explanation elsewhere on this site.
Where are you based? I'm in the Winchester area of Hampshire. When I'm not writing you'll find me walking the countryside, fly fishing the Rivers Itchen or Meon, or watching rugby with a pint in my hand.
How can I follow you and hear about new books? I'm on Facebook, and the best way to keep up with new Tom Kessler releases is to join my reader list. You can sign up on the Contact page of this site, and the easiest route is to download the free short story, which adds you to the list. You can also follow me as an author on Amazon, and on Goodreads and BookBub.
The Books
What order should I read the Tom Kessler series in? The series runs in this order: 1) A Detective's Dilemma, 2) A Minister's Downfall, 3) A Hidden Enemy, 4) A Shared Danger, 5) A Reluctant Asset. 6) A Dangerous Alliance (available to pre-order now; publishing 1 January 2027).
Do I have to read the series in order? Each book is written to work on its own, with a self-contained operation at its heart. That said, you'll appreciate the stories more having watched the characters grow, so reading in order gives you the richer experience.
What is each book about? A Detective's Dilemma (Book 1): DC Tom Kessler's surveillance operation collapses and exposes him to crime boss John Falstead, who threatens his family. Cut off from official protection, Tom warns cocaine dealer Pete Johnson of an impending raid instead of arresting him, and a dangerous alliance is born. A Minister's Downfall (Book 2): when a powerful MP assaults Pete's wife and walks away, Tom and Pete take him on themselves, and find Russian intelligence watching the same target. A Hidden Enemy (Book 3): disgraced Russian officer Dmitri Volkov resurfaces in the UK hunting next-generation missile data, and MI5's off-the-books unit is the only thing in his way. A Shared Danger (Book 4): Tom and Martina go deep undercover in Iran; a covert delivery ends in an airstrike, their cover is blown, and they run, from the mountains of eastern Iran to the port of Bandar Abbas. A Reluctant Asset (Book 5): IRGC Colonel Reza Farhadi arrives in London under diplomatic cover and within hours his family is kidnapped; Tom's rescue turns Farhadi into the deepest source MI6 has run inside Iranian intelligence in a generation. A Dangerous Alliance (Book 6): Pete's turn to shine (about time, some said). Available to pre-order now; publishing 1 January 2027.
What genre are the books, and who are they for? Gritty British crime and espionage thrillers, grounded in real tradecraft. The series starts as police procedural and moves into intelligence and geopolitical territory. Perfect for readers of Stephen Leather, Neil Lancaster, Mark Dawson and Gerald Seymour.
Where can I buy the books? Books 1 to 5 of the Tom Kessler series are available in eBook and paperback on Amazon UK, and each title has a buy link on its page here on the site. Book 6, A Dangerous Alliance, is available to pre-order as a Kindle eBook on Amazon UK for release on 1 January 2027. Books 1 to 4 are also available as eBooks in German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish. Translations of Book 5 are planned. If you'd rather buy in person, P&G Wells bookshop in Winchester can get the published books in for you. Signed copies are also available in the shop on this website.
Can I get a signed copy? Yes. You can order signed copies from the shop on this website. If you are ordering from overseas, email me at peter@peterjcharles.co.uk with your requirements and I'll get a price for postage.
Is there a free story I can try? Yes. There's an exclusive Tom Kessler short story you can download free. It's a glimpse of Kessler's daily grind, where routine procedure collides with the unexpected. You'll be taken to a secure BookFunnel page to request access. This is like a prequel and shows a typical surveillance day for the Drug Squad team.
Will there be more Tom Kessler books? Yes. Book 6, A Dangerous Alliance, is available to pre-order as a Kindle eBook and will be published on 1 January 2027. Translations of Book 5 into German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish are also planned.
The Characters
Who is Tom Kessler? The protagonist. He starts as a Detective Constable on the Surrey Drug Squad, often running operations, before leaving the police and becoming field leader of an off-the-books team allied to the security services. Ex-Army (2 Para, with an Intelligence Corps attachment and MI5 agent-handling training), fiercely protective of his family and team, calm under authority but blunt under pressure. As he puts it to his daughters, he's "still a policeman. Just a different sort."
Is Tom Kessler based on you? Loosely, yes. Many of the operations outlined in Books 1 and 2 are based on actual events. If you join my mailing list I share some of these details with you. As the books progress into more espionage and geopolitical territory, they move away from my personal experience to just 'things I know'. You work out why.
Who is Pete Johnson? A sharp, disciplined, high-end cocaine dealer who becomes Tom's registered informant in Book 1 and then a full member of the team. Brilliant in social and undercover settings, devoted to his wife Martina, and increasingly uneasy about her closeness to Tom. Based on a real person who was an informant of mine for many years.
Who is Martina? Pete's wife, who starts as a civilian drawn into the operations and grows into a fully operational field agent and, by Book 5, co-handler on the Farhadi recruitment. Sharp and composed; she becomes fluent in Farsi. Daughter of career intelligence officer Charles Aitcheson. Also based on a real person.
Who is CJ? Timothy Cartwright-Jones, the urbane, calculating senior intelligence officer who runs the off-the-books unit with deniability, and who recruited (and coerced) the whole team. Cold on the surface, with more underneath than he lets on.
Who else is on the team? Andy "Annie" Summers, the ex-Army technical, electronics and weapons specialist, plus recurring figures including Sharon Girton (Tom's early surveillance partner - also my surveillance partner in real life), Simmo (firearms instructor), Hannah (free climber, cat burglar and covert-entry specialist) and Cara (ex-GCHQ hacker).
Events and Speaking
Do you do talks, signings or events? Yes. I'll travel anywhere within a reasonable distance of Winchester, any time, for talks, signings, book groups and similar. Just email me to arrange it.
How do I get in touch? The best way to reach me is by email at peter@peterjcharles.co.uk. I'm always glad to hear from readers, event organisers and press.
I'm a journalist or blogger. Can I get a review copy or an interview? Yes, review copies are available and I'm happy to do interviews. Email me at peter@peterjcharles.co.uk with brief details of your outlet and your deadline.
CONTACT
For any inquiries, please contact:
Step inside the world of Detective Constable Tom Kessler, the driving force behind the series of novels. This exclusive short story offers a glimpse into his daily grind, where routine procedure collides with the unexpected, and even the smallest detail can shift the balance. It’s a chance to see Kessler navigating the pressures of surveillance, and the quiet moments that shape the man behind the investigation.
You’ll be taken to a secure BookFunnel page to request access.
