I’m pleased to welcome Richard Robinson back to Celtic Connexions with his fourth book in his Topaz Files series, Deep Swimmers.
Blurb
Belfast, 1995. When an elderly couple fall to their deaths from the city’s notorious Ashton Tower, the incident is quickly ruled a suicide. For most, it’s a tragedy. For British Intelligence, it’s the beginning of something far more dangerous.
Jones and Jenny, now seasoned members of MI5’s Young Communicators Unit, find themselves pulled into an investigation that reaches back to the Second World War. The case sees Jones return home to Suffolk, where he must handle a homeless republican veteran still hiding from something.
What begins as a routine inquiry soon exposes buried loyalties, forgotten operations, and a web of deception that comes to an extraordinary conclusion.
As police investigators, MI5 officers, and retired spymasters circle the truth, a Mossad agent opens old wounds. Someone is determined to keep the past buried, no matter the cost.
Set against the tense backdrop of 1990s Northern Ireland, Deep Swimmers is a gripping espionage thriller about the deadly legacy of covert lives and the price of keeping secrets.
Some falls are accidents. But hiding from the truth is a deadly game.
I’m a trained journalist and have written for as long as I can remember. I enjoy creating new landscapes with words and trying to fill them with colourful people. One of my earliest memories is standing up and reading a story I created at primary school. However, the notion of writing a novel never really hit me until I needed to rethink my life. I lost my father in October 2020 and needed something to throw myself into, to divert my brain away from that pain. Hence, after only eight months, Topaz was born. It was a form of escapism that continues to this day.
What drew you to write a novel
I think the turmoil of losing a loved one led me to want to temporarily live in a different universe, that I could shape and hone. In the past, when I needed space or to reset, I’d disappeared to Northern Ireland and I’d previously spent time living near Belfast in the 1990s. But more recently, I decided to build that new universe in my head, on paper and then add interesting dimensions. That’s not to say I hadn’t attempted novels in the past, I did once in the early 2000s (which became The Mainstay) but I only really ploughed on with Topaz in 2022 and 2023.
Fast forward to Deep Swimmers – book four. Where did the inspiration for that come from?
All good authors challenge their main protagonist and Jones has really been put through his paces in Deep Swimmers, after only just surviving Wild Flowers! Deep Swimmers was born out of an idea that everyone lives within the shadow of Divis Tower in Belfast. I’ve called it Ashton Tower in the book. That shadow meant the British Army had to helicopter onto the roof and it was a microcosm of the city. The two older people that fell from the tower allowed me to delve deeper into that community, the residents and the feeling of the time. Likewise, Jones being called home to care for his ailing mother gave me a chance to talk about Suffolk, where I grew up. And finally, the third strand was he real life story of Operation Green and the IRA links to Nazi Germany, which I found fascinating. That all came together and I was delighted that I was able to make it work. The reviews happily suggest that people enjoyed watching those strands come together.
Which writers past or present have influenced your style of writing?
I studied English Literature and have always enjoyed the classics, I like to delve into a character irrespective of the era or genre and try to get under their skin. I enjoyed reading Thomas Hardy and D.H. Lawrence. However, it was John Le Carre, Len Deighton and Ian Fleming that inspired me to look into thriller and espionage fiction. The only tweak I needed for my own style was to remove to machismo element and perhaps look at the flaws, weaknesses and humour of the main protagonists.
So, my style is somewhere between the humour of Andrew Cartmel (Vinyl Detective) and the spy thriller fiction of Charles Cumming.
There are many interesting characters in your Novel, do you have a particular favourite one?
There is a character called Declan McNally, a Derry man, who is a grizzled former spy and in Topaz becomes part of the management team at Milton College. I’ve enjoyed seeing his character change from a rather forlorn and frustrated man, to a reinvigorated and re-energised operative. He seems to get his inspiration from the youngsters on the team and discovers his humour whilst holding onto his little quirks. I enjoyed seeing him develop. He is the main protagonist in a new book called German Bite, which should be published later in 2026.
Do you see any of your characters personality in yourself and vice versa?
Both Jones and Jenny Richmond have my humour, challenges and traits in abundance. But neither are based on me. Jenny’s imposter syndrome, Jones’ struggle with his unique set of skills and even how their relationship blossoms due to their need for mutual support and care in a challenging context, reflects my own experiences in life. But Jones and Jenny are braver and more intelligent than I’ll ever be!
If you had the opportunity to write a novel with any writer alive or dead, who would it be and why?
In his books, Ian Fleming used to understand the technical detail behind every piece of equipment, the geography of every landscape and even the cuisine of every location. John Le Carre added the layers of emotion and feeling that brought his characters to life without being prescriptive to the reader. With that in mind, I’d probably want to meet those two incredible authors in a bar somewhere and craft a story together.
The website address is: www.thetopazfiles.com
BlueSky and X/Twitter: @thetopazfiles and Instagram @r_we_r
About the Author
Richard W. Robinson is an author and journalist and spent his early days freelancing or working in agency positions across the UK and Ireland. The Topaz Files is a series of spy fiction novels where we follow the missions of Jones and Richmond as they make their way through the early years of a career in espionage. The first, published in May 2023, is Topaz and this was followed by Wild Flowers a year later, The Mainstay and Deep Swimmers have since been published. The novels are works of fiction but reference historic events in 1994-1996, around the time of the peace talks in Northern Ireland.
Outside the literary world, Richard lives in East Anglia, England, with his wife and two daughters. He is the CEO of a charity focused on ending the abuse of older people. He’s a very committed cratedigger (vinyl collector) and can occasionally be seen in the stands at Loftus Road and Windsor Park. Look out for the Topaz Files on social media and for the forthcoming releases of SEEN/UNSEEN (book five) and The Rock Ledger (book six). Robinson has also finished a Cold War spy story called German Bite which is expected to be published in late 2026.
Aye, Irish traditions, folklore and myths. Who else could spin a yarn about finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Let’s not forget those mischevious leprechauns, too.
And the movie Waking Ned Devine takes place in Ireland. Only in the movies could that convoluted a plan to claim the lottery winnings happen. My favourite part of the movie (apart from watching Jackie and Michael tearing around the countryside on a motorcycle in their birthday suits) was the beautiful scenery of the country.
The Quiet Man starring Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne also takes place in Ireland. This is one of the few John Wayne movies I like.
I’ve schmoozed with Royalty having met Princess Anne but we never had the opportunity to chat about our favourite tipple – mostly our families and my connection to the place where we met. However, I do have one thing in common with former President Obama and his First Lady – Guinness! Although, I find it doesn’t taste as good here as there. Maybe because it’s too chilled in my part of the world? Dunno.
By Pete Souza (Executive Office of the President of the United States) (White House Flickr) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsThere is an art to pulling the perfect pint and it looks like the First Lady has mastered it, even under extremely close scrutiny…
More modern Irish traditions include drinking green beer on March 17th. I’ve seen pictures of it and while it looks good, it’s not my choice of colour for beer. I’ll stick with Guinness or an Irish amber – Kilkenny Cream Ale.
No wonder people look ‘green’ the day after St Patrick’s Day after consuming copious amounts of green beer. And we’ve not even touched on the whiskies.
Cafeirlandais at en.wikipedia / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)
How about a tune suitable to the occasion when many of your have partaken in copious amounts of green beer and/or Irish Whisky.
Enjoy your St Patrick’s Day no matter how you celebrate (or if you celebrate).
I’ll close this post with the Irish proverb…
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven
half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
Aye, the luck o’ the Irish… who else could find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Certainly not this girl. But shamrocks and leprechauns are part of the Irish folklore and tradition.
And the movie Waking Ned Devine takes place in Ireland. Only in the movies could that convoluted a plan to claim the lottery winnings happen. My favourite part of the movie (apart from watching Jackie and Michael tearing around the countryside on a motorcycle in their birthday suits) was the beautiful scenery of the country.
I’ve schmoozed with Royalty having met Princess Anne but we never had the opportunity to chat about our favourite tipple – mostly our families and my connection to the place where we met. However, I do have one thing in common with former President Obama and his First Lady – Guinness! Although, I find it doesn’t taste as good here as there. Maybe because it’s too chilled in my part of the world? Dunno.
By Pete Souza (Executive Office of the President of the United States) (White House Flickr) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsThere is an art to pulling the perfect pint and it looks like the First Lady has mastered it, even under extremely close scrutiny…
And how about a tune suitable to the occasion when many of your have partaken in copious amounts of green beer and/or Irish Whisky.
I’ll close this post with the Irish proverb…
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven
half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
Welcome to Celtic Connexions. Come in, make yourself comfortable. I know you under two different names – JB and Debbie. Which would you prefer I used?
Hi Melanie, thank you so much for having me as a guest. I honestly don’t mind which name you use. I will answer to anything! Most people online know me as JB so I suppose that one’s okay. At book events I attend I get called by both names. Whatever anyone is comfortable with. The name JB is a shortened version of two names – Jontybabe, which was my original online name, and Just Books Johnston! A little joke about when asked what I bought on a shopping trip I always say, ‘Just Books!’ My real name is of course Debbie but I do most of my writing under the name J.B.
I made sure to have Doritos and wine on hand since I know you enjoy them. One of the wines is from the Niagara region of Ontario, the other from somewhere in South America, Argentina I think. Hope you like red. I don’t have a lot of white wine, although I can send my manservant, Donald, to the wine cellar to see what’s there.
Oh thank you Melanie. Doritos are my guilty pleasure but I have to restrict myself to one bag a week now otherwise I’d be hugely fat! Friday nights are the nights that I settle down on the sofa with my Doritos and wine and I watch a movie with my son. I’m more of a rose or white wine girl myself but I have been known to partake in a glass of red although I do avoid it as it makes me very giggly and even more silly than I normally am. Also, it makes my face go very red too.
It is only Thursday, but then it’s a special occasion – and these Doritos are virtual so you can have as many as you like.
Ah, the manservant says we have some Jackson Triggs Sauvignon Blanc in the cellar. Shall we open one of them? It’s a very nice wine. * gives manservant the nod and a few minutes later, the wine appears in a cooler with two glasses already filled for us*
Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself? The readers at Celtic Connexions know Brook Cottage Books but not necessarily the woman behind the brand.
Oh gosh! It always feels funny talking about myself! I’m so used to promoting other people. Well, I am 45 years old and a bit of a book freak in case anyone hadn’t noticed. I am a fully qualified and practicing social worker in the real world although I am desperate to have a full time career in the bookish world and hope that one day someone notices me and offers me a job! Although not based in England, I’d be more than happy to fly to the mainland for meetings! Yes I’m that desperate for a job in publishing. I’d love to start branching out also and start writing magazine articles. I have some great ideas for articles and the plan is to start compiling them into a folder and pitching them to magazines.
I love walking and running and I used to be a real gym bunny until a shoulder injury slowed me down a little. I’m waiting for surgery to correct that. I’m always looking for new challenges and have turned into an adrenaline junkie. I abseiled down a very large tower a few years ago for charity and I’m always on the lookout for an adventure! Until my shoulder injury I was always taking part in charity runs but I’ve had to stop doing that for a while as apparently I swing my arms a lot when I run and that’s not good for my shoulder!
I’m very family orientated and have a real interest in special needs and parenting issues as my daughter has autism and a learning disability. I am very happily married to a wonderful man who is an accountant! I have 2 children and 2 step children and a mad dog. As well as Brook Cottage Books I have a personal blog www.thedebbiediaries.blogspot.co.uk and I have just started a product review site www.crazyatthecottage.blogspot.co.uk
What made you decide to start a book blog?
Well, a number of years ago I originally had a special needs blog called IT’S A CRAZY WORLD. That blog no longer exists now as I was concerned that now my daughter was much older someone in the real world would recognise that I was writing about her and tell her about it. On that blog I used to write some book reviews. I’ve always been an avid reader and constantly have my nose stuck in a book. However, the requests for reviews became so great that I knew I needed a dedicated site just for bookish things. I was really interested in having authors on the blog with interviews and guest posts too and I wanted to take part in book tours. And so, Brook Cottages was born and has evolved into something way beyond what my original expectations ever were for the blog. Now, as well as book reviews and author spots I coordinate and run virtual book tours which I absolutely adore. Although, this means never having a day off! But, I can live with that. Brook Cottage Books has taken over my entire life and made me realise that being involved in the book world is actually my dream job. I have met so many wonderful and generous people through the book world that I feel this is where I belong.
You were shortlisted for an award for your blog, were you not?
Oh yes I was! In 2013 I was shortlisted for Romance Blogger of the Year at the Festival of Romance. That was a great feeling and a wonderful black tie event to attend. Everyone was spruced up in their finest and to be honest I was more than a little nervous! Unfortunately I didn’t win but my lovely friend Sharon Goodwin did win with her blog Jera’s Jamboree. However, the lifestyle magazine I am involved with www.loveahappyending.com did win an industry award for Innovation in Romantic Fiction so that was a proud moment for those involved. At that event it suddenly dawned on me that book bloggers were at last receiving recognition for all the hard work they do. It was amazing! In 2014 I was honoured to be asked to present the award to that year’s winner Sophie Hedley for her amazing blog Reviewed the Book.
If memory serves, you’re from Northern Ireland. What sort of things do you and your family do to celebrate St Patrick’s Day?
Yes Melanie, I am from Northern Ireland. I live about 14 miles outside of Belfast. To be honest I don’t really do anything to celebrate St Patricks Day. It does mean a day off work so I usually spend it being quite lazy with a big lie in, daughter permitting! My husband can usually be found on the golf course every St Patricks Day as there is usually some sort of golf competition on that day. St Patrick’s Day celebrations always involve lots of Guinness though!
By Dirk Van Esbroeck (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsI’ll put on a bit of music for us to listen to while we sip our wine.
I hope you like corned beef and cabbage. It’s a staple here on St Patrick’s Day. If not, I won’t be offended. I also have a vegetable curry simmering in my slow-cooker. I know it’s not Irish but hey, why not?
By Jonathunder (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia CommonsWell I’m afraid I’m going to have to go for the vegetable curry being a vegetarian. I do love cabbage though and often stink the house out with it! It does not make me popular with the rest of the household!
You took part in this past November’s #NaNoWriMo. Can you share any of this project with us?
Oh my goodness what a stressful but exhilarating time that was! When I was in the throes of it and people asked me about the book I froze with fright, terrified to talk about it in case I jinxed myself! I’m pretty sure a lot of people thought I was a little bonkers! Apologies to the lovely Carol Cooper who asked me about the book when in a lift with me in London and I looked like I was ready to climb out the roof of the lift! I’m a little less dramatic about it all now. At the moment I am trying to find the time to do some revisions and edits on the book and its currently sitting at over 60,000 words. After NaNo I couldn’t look at it for months! I was so traumatised! Lol. Anyway, the general gist of the book is this………..My main character runs away from a life that is already planned for her by a very domineering mother. She returns to her home town 10 years later after living in Italy all that time. She comes back with some secrets and attempts to rebuild relationships with those she left behind 10 years ago which doesn’t prove easy. It’s kind of a sad story about lost relationships and wasted time. It’s also about forgiveness, love and hope. I’m not altogether sure it’s any good and whether I’ll ever share it with anyone but I was sobbing writing the final chapter!
Anything else you can share with us about the woman behind BCB?
I’m not too sure there are too many interesting things to say about me but here goes –
Last year I co-wrote a book called Little Kitty, The Cat Burglar and all proceeds raised from sales go to charity. It’s a children’s book and was written by myself and a group of authors and illustrators to raise money for Alzheimers Research. The book was the brainchild of author Suzan Collins who does a lot to raise awareness of dementia issues. I was honoured to be asked to participate.
I used to have a spot on a radio show with author Nicky Wells. The show was called Books Rock and combined wonderful music with book news, author interviews and reviews! I miss doing that and hope that one day the show airs again! Nicky was brilliant as a DJ as well as being a fantastic author! She’s one of my favourite people!
I edited a book in 2013 under my real name Debbie Johnston– Little White Lies and Butterflies by Suzie Tullet. The book was shortlisted for the Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize award. It’s a brilliant book! Go and buy it!
I’m afraid of the dark and always have been! I have a candle app on my phone that I switch on when I am staying away from home in a strange hotel so that I am not sleeping in complete darkness!
When I was 23 years old I was paid to be a model in a tourist board photo shoot for my town and had to dress as an Austrian milkmaid as the town is twinned with a town in Austria. I’d not long given birth to my son so was looking quite voluptuous in my outfit when the photographer offered me a glamour shoot! Needless to say I turned him down!
I got drunk when I was 15 years old and stole a horse as a dare, rode him about a field without a saddle or bridle and eventually fell off when he jumped over a hedge. My house was built in that very field many years later!
I have had the same group of 5 friends since I was at school. We are a close bunch and are always there for one another. I don’t know where I’d be without them. My next NaNoWriMo project may have characters based on each and every one of them. They are all a bit worried about that! I can’t think why!
When I was 17 I very nearly joined the Navy. But then I met my first husband and the rest they say is history. I did try to join the naval reserves last year but apparently I am too old now.
I’m not sure how Irish this is, but sometimes after a meal, especially if it’s a special occasion, we indulge in a dram of single malt whisky. So, if you’d like to carry on in our tradition, I have a selection of Irish ones to choose from.
By Cafeirlandais at en.wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia) [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5), GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons Usually, I invite my guests to kiss my ‘Blarney Stone’ as they come in. I thought I would see how well you do on your way out… Think you can manage? I’ve added a twist this year. It’s lower to the ground and you have to bend backwards over a railing. Don’t worry, the manservant will be your spotter.
Well it’s a good job I am double jointed! And, you should know that I can do the splits too so this will be no problem to me! Although, I should add that once on the floor, I usually require some assistance to get back up again!
Thanks for stopping by. It’s been a treat to have you here after being a host in so many of your book tours.
Thank you for having me here Melanie. It’s been wonderful being here and thank you for being such a valued member of the Brook Cottages family.
Aye, the luck o’ the Irish… who else could find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Certainly not this girl. But shamrocks and leprechauns are part of the Irish folklore and tradition.
And the movie Waking Ned Devine takes place in Ireland. Only in the movies could that convoluted a plan to claim the lottery winnings happen. My favourite part of the movie (apart from watching Jackie and Michael tearing around the countryside on a motorcycle in their birthday suits) was the beautiful scenery of the country.
I’ve schmoozed with Royalty having met Princess Anne but we never had the opportunity to chat about our favourite tipple – mostly our families and my connection to the place where we met. However, I do have one thing in common with President Obama and the First Lady – Guinness! Although, I find it doesn’t taste as good here as there. Maybe because it’s too chilled in my part of the world? Dunno.
By Pete Souza (Executive Office of the President of the United States) (White House Flickr) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsThere is an art to pulling the perfect pint and it looks like the First Lady has mastered it, even under extremely close scrutiny…
And how about a tune suitable to the occasion when many of your have partaken in copious amounts of green beer and/or Irish Whisky.
I’ll close this post with the Irish proverb…
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven
half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
My Scottish roots and writing by Melanie Robertson-King
