Maureen Carter

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Maureen Carter

Maureen Carter used to work as a BBC TV journalist. She’s the creator of two crime series that feature strong female detectives and she generally throws a stroppy reporter into the blend!

After starting her career in journalism as a newspaper reporter, she joined BRMB in Birmingham in what were the early days of commercial radio. Her job description back in those non-PC years was Newswoman! She then moved to Pebble Mill where she joined BBC TV News and Current Affairs as a broadcast journalist. Maureen stayed almost 20 years in various posts including reporter, presenter and producer, and became the BBC’s first woman AEN (assistant editor news) outside London.  She loved producing live news but still had a burning ambition to become an author, so became a freelance journalist – only to spend most of her time writing fiction.

Her first novel Working Girls was published in 2001 and introduced DS Bev Morriss. Her second series debuted in 2011 with A Question of Despair featuring DI Sarah – Ice Queen – Quinn and the TV reporter, Caroline King.

Interviewed 27 February 2016

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

Twenty years covering news stories now I create crime fiction.

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

My desk is in front of a window on the third floor and the view’s dominated by a huge oak tree that enables me to watch the seasons pass as I write a novel. If the tree’s in full leaf – I know a deadline’s looming. Inside I see: a solar dancing daisy, a gold-framed cross-stitched heart made for me by my daughter more than 20 years ago, a Johnny Depp mouse mat, a pot with pens and pencils, a pin-board covered with photographs of my favourite people and postcards from my favourite places, a couple of memory sticks and two coffee mugs – one empty, one full.

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

Pasta, prosciutto, parmesan and a cheeky little Pinot Grigio.

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

Jennifer Saunders, Sally Wainwright, Kirsty Young, Janet Evanovich, Johnny Depp, John Humphrys and Lee Mack.

Six things you can't live without ...

Coffee, internet, books, radio, crosswords and a cheeky little Pinot Grigio.

Five favourite words ...

I love your books, Maureen

Four places you'd run away to ...

Venice, New York, Polzeath, Paris.

Three books you've bought recently ...

Time Of Death by Mark Billingham
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker

Two things that make you rant ...

Bullies and bigots.

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

Just do it, darling.