Journalism career during Northern Ireland troubles inspires Sudbury charity CEO’s latest spy novel
As a young journalist in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, Richard Robinson recalled the most striking part of the experience was the characters he encountered, amidst the conflict all around them.
Such was the lasting impression this left that when he turned his hand to the world of fiction writing, it was only natural to base his stories on his time across the Irish sea.
Earlier this month the Edwardstone resident released The Mainstay – a part-spy thriller, part-murder mystery, which serves as the third instalment in a series of novels called The Topaz Files.
Richard says he sought to portray a politically and historically accurate setting in Northern Ireland, while parts of the story are also based in Suffolk, where he is from originally.
“I was based in Belfast in the ‘90s myself,” he said. “The books I’ve written are loosely based on people, ideas and subject matter from my time there.
“I grew up in Hadleigh, which is very quiet, so the first thing that hit me about Northern Ireland was the community spirit.
“While it was very divided, the real characters shine through and make it such a fascinating community.
“In the midst of the conflict we had normal lives going on. While I’m not Northern Irish, I can pay respect to these characters on both sides of the conflict.
“I suppose the wider thing was, being a young journalist, you saw a lot of skirmishes and other things you would not see in England, so it left a real impression.
“This new book is a completely fresh story with the same characters as the first two books. The response has been fabulous.
“I was in the top five new releases in Northern Ireland, which I had with the first book as well. I’ve had a lot of contact from people talking about how realistic the books are.
“I’m really hoping people take these stories into their imagination. It’s not a book I feel you have to be a ‘90s child to read.”
The success of the novel means Richard is already working on two further books – the first targeted for release by the end of this year and the second by summer 2026.
Reflecting on the writing process, he said he would recommend it to anybody looking for a way to decompress from emotional stresses.
Day-to-day, he works as the chief executive of Sudbury-based charity Hourglass – the UK’s only organisation dedicated solely to tackling elder abuse – and also cares for his mother at home.
“I would strongly urge someone who works a very emotional job like mine to have some form of escape,” said Richard.
“I had given up writing books for a while. Then my dad died in October 2020 and I needed something else to focus on.
“When something tragic happens you look for a way to escape, so I escaped back into the world I created.
“I’m also a carer for my 85-year-old mother, who currently lives with me. That’s a big and important job.
“It’s important to have escapism, because that enables you to do your other jobs. I hear that a lot from other writers as well.
“I never anticipated being a published author, so the fact that everything has been so well received is just brilliant.”
The Mainstay, published by Spellbound, is available now from major book retailers.
