The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write.

I’m a crime fiction author with a Crime Writing MA from City University. No Signal is the second book in the iMe series and follows my debut novel Proximity. In a past life, I had a successful career in technology and investment management, and I’m inspired by the fascinating possibilities of where technology and AI will take us. And how easily people give away freedom and privacy for the convenience of the latest technology.
My books balance the pros and cons of our new worlds in a fast-paced crime thriller.

The CRA: Tell us about what you are doing during lockdown/while social distancing?

A lot of procrastination, watching the news and worrying about the world, but trying to balance it with hoping for the best. My third book, Dishonoured, is with my editor so while I’m waiting, I’ve written a short story, and planned a few others that I will give away free to readers.

The CRA: How does the above differ from your usual routine?

The pace of life has slowed, which is a good thing. Urgency and stress aren’t healthy to embrace and carry with you. Also the background hum of the road is quiet and you can hear the birds. It’s so nice to feel closer to nature.

The CRA: Tell us about your most recent/forthcoming book.

No Signal is the second book in the iMe series and follows on about a year after PROXIMITY ended. It asks the question: Can a game change the world? It starts with the selection process for an augmented reality game where The Ten are tested and become The Four. DI Clive Lussac hates iMe, the system that controls everything, but he’s ill and iMe’s health monitoring is helping him. He has to decide: conform or fight. As Clive’s world unravels, he and his partners DC Ava Miller and DS Zoe Jordan can’t believe the entry price to the game. They strive to answer the real questions:
Why does the ultimate Augmented Reality game have four different finishes? And how is a simple game wrapped up in politics, religion and the environment?

The CRA: Why will it appeal to lovers of crime fiction?

It’s fast-paced escapism that blends elements of a police procedural with an action thriller, and I hope is thought-provoking.

The CRA: What CWA member writers are you reading during NCRM?

Currently reading Adam Hamdy’s Black 13 and next is K J Howe’s The Freedom Broker.

The CRA: What one thing are you planning to do once lockdown is over?

Escape the house to hug family and friends – no virtual meetings and two metre exclusion zones.

To find out more about Jem Tugwell and his books visit his profile on the CRA website.