Simon Mclean

I spent much of my working life as a Scottish police officer, dealing with organised crime, drug enforcement, and the kind of cases that stay with you long after the paperwork is filed. Policing gave me a frontrow seat to human frailty, institutional pressure, and the uncomfortable truth that justice is rarely simple.

Now I write.

My first book, The Ten Percent: The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Something Like The Truth, reflects on policing, power, and the stories we tell ourselves about crime and punishment.

My novel Kintyre is crime fiction rooted in that same world. Set in western Scotland, it weaves together past and present, corruption and memory, and the long reach of unresolved truth. The landscapes are real. The emotional weight is real. The rest is fiction, mostly.

I founded Tartan Tales Media, a justice-led publishing platform focused on crime fiction, true crime, policing, and drug law reform.

I also host the Crime Time Inc podcast, where we explore organised crime, justice systems, and the realities behind the headlines.

I live in Scotland. I still ask awkward questions. And I still believe stories matter. All of our stories.