Alan Tootill

Alan's background includes technical writing, writing for magazines and press agent work, but it was with the Martin Cole series, based in the fictional Devon town of Roselake, that he turned to creating fiction. Currently there are six books in this series, and five in the Fylde based Blackpool novels. His work includes a book of short stories continuing the Blackpool noir/pulp theme, and by contrast a further light-hearted Roselake novel, which one reviewer has dubbed "The English Clochemerle".

The Martin Cole Novels combine humour and crime mystery. The Blackpool Novels are grittier, a new British noir blended with pulp fiction.

Alan's non-fiction title, Fracking The UK, came out on Kindle and in paperback in March 2013, and discussed the threat to Britain at that time of a new dash for gas. It was a significant analysis of the prospects for UK shale gas fracking, and had influence on the anti-fracking movement which won the argument when the UK finally called for a halt to onshore shale gas fracking. An update was published in December 2016.

After living for over 25 years in Devon, Alan returned to the Fylde, where he grew up, and now lives in Lytham St Annes.

His latest book, published in 2024, Cole's Christmas, continues the Martin Cole series with a string of short stories loosely based on the Christmas theme, and Martin's life and loves.