A GRITTY crime novel from a former detective has been downloaded thousands of times.

Robert Barker recently re-released The Last Gasp as a free download on Amazon, and has since reached the top five of its Top 100 free download chart.

Since it went live four weeks ago it has been downloaded on average 500 times a day. On one day alone it was downloaded 1000 times.

The Cuddington author decided to give the book away for free in anticipation for the second book in the trilogy, The Final Breath, which was released on November 28.

The series follows DCI Jamie Carver as he hunts a devious serial killer.

Robert drew on his 30-year career in Cheshire Police, with many of those years spent as a senior detective.

He said: “I don’t dwell on death and destruction. But having had the experience of what it is like to see real life crime and murder.

“It does help give me that perspective. It makes the writing more authentic I think.”

Robert describes the books as ‘dark, noir-style crime thrillers’.

The chairman of the Vale Royal Writers Club said: “Although there is a serial killer, and one the characters is a dominatrix, it is not at all gratuitous.

“It isn’t Fifty Shades of Grey, it is a crime thriller and people seem to like that.”

Robert worked for a number of years in CID in Runcorn, then Northwich and Winsford, before becoming Detective Inspector in Warrington. During his career he worked on numerous murder investigations.

He retired from the police force in 2002. One of the reasons he decided to do so was to see if he could make it as an author.

Robert said: “I finished the police and started writing. That’s where I had to learn the craft, it’s not something that comes easy.

“My first efforts weren’t brilliant by any means. But over time I honed my craft and worked on it. Judging by the reviews people do seem to enjoy the stories I am telling.”

The final book in the trilogy, Out of Air, is due out in 2018.