In August 1994, while working as a studio director for Granada Television in Manchester, I was informed that my job would soon be eliminated as part of a restructuring initiative. After more than 17 years of service, I was told I would be unemployed by Christmas, though I suspected the timeline would stretch further – and indeed, I was not formally let go until June 1995. With the television industry in decline and few opportunities elsewhere, I decided to pursue an idea I had considered for years: writing a novel. On 2 September 1994, I bought paper, pencils and other supplies at the Arndale Centre and returned home to Cumbria to begin writing.
++ Britain’s most dangerous spider bite left man in Bedfordshire struggling to walk
By early September, I had completed the first chapter, which I showed to my wife. Encouraged by her approval, I continued through the autumn and winter. The initial manuscript, then titled Bad Luck and Trouble, revolved around drug money laundering, inspired by research I had done into the immense volumes of cash generated by the narcotics trade. After completing a draft in March 1995, I typed it up on my daughter’s laptop, printed it on her inkjet printer, and sent the first three chapters to literary agent Darley Anderson. He responded swiftly, offering representation and suggesting several editorial changes – including a new title.
I settled on Killing Floor, a title taken from both imagery within the book and lines from the song Born Under a Bad Sign. Anderson and I refined the manuscript over successive drafts until September 1995, when it was submitted to publishers. At that point, I had already been out of work for months, with my savings dwindling. Fortunately, Putnam editor David Highfill showed strong interest, though he asked me to rework the narrative away from drug cartels. Seizing on contemporary news about redesigned US $100 bills and the battle against counterfeiting, I rewrote the story around a counterfeiting operation.
++ Trump dismisses health rumours as ‘fake news’ during public return
The gamble paid off. In December 1995, Putnam made a two-book offer, rescuing me from near financial collapse. Although the manuscript was initially slated for spring 1996, production schedules delayed publication until March 1997. Released on St Patrick’s Day, Killing Floor quickly found favour in specialist mystery bookshops and the crime-writing community, winning major awards and establishing a strong foundation for my career. Since then, it has sold millions of copies across 50 languages and 96 countries. Today, the original pencil I used sits pinned to my office board, a daily reminder of how the journey began.
