S J Mantle is a graduate of Ancient History and Classical Archaeology. She is married and has two grown-up children. She divides her time between writing and running a smallholding in the West Country. As a police officer for twenty-seven years, she worked on some high-profile criminal investigations which included murders, a terrorist attack, abductions, and other major incidents. Her debut novel, ‘The Accidental Warrior‘ is a crime thriller with a strong female lead and intriguing historical twist. An assassination from the ancient past is linked to a present-day murder case. In 2021 a submission from 'The Accidental Warrior' reached the finals in the screenplay category 'book adaption needed'.
‘Hiding the truth, seeking the truth,' is her second novel. Written as a stand-alone, it is also the sequel to ‘The Accidental Warrior.’ It is a dual timeline story featuring the same female character who searches for the truth amidst a difficult murder case. In the end, however, it is the truth seeker who finds herself concealing the very thing she holds so dear. “Sometimes, the truth is hidden for a reason.”
S J Mantle's third book is entitled 'Waiting to Die.' When a series of unexpected deaths occur at a local retirement home, Detective Sergeant Harriet Lacey and her team are sent to investigate. They uncover a web of lies and deceit, and despite their best efforts, there are more deaths. Harriet strikes up an unexpected friendship with resident Ada Brown who proves invaluable to the case. Slowly the police make progress but, in the end, it’s not they who silence the killer. "Hope may be all that stands between waiting to die and choosing to live."
S J Mantle's writing draws heavily on her experience of the policing world combined with her interest in history to create credible and intriguing storylines.
