A DARK and seedy underworld has been brought to life in a series of thrillers by a Moulton woman with a lifelong passion for writing.

Debbie Bennett is a mum and a school governor who has worked in law enforcement, both frontline and back office, for more than 25 years.

But now she can proudly add author to her list of achievements as her reputation as a writer grows.

“I’ve been writing since I was nine or 10, going back to primary school when you have to write a story,” she said.

“Everyone else would write one page and I would write 10.

“When I got to secondary school I won a scholarship and went to private school but my friends all went to grammar school, so I got to a stage when I was about 13 or 14 and I was desperately lonely and at night used to sit and write.

“When I was that age young adult books just didn’t exist, there was nothing for my age group, so I decided to write my own.”

Debbie, 49, spent years trying to get her work published, being told by publishers that they loved her writing but felt unable to market or sell it.

Then she discovered e-books and the world of self-publishing.

She said: “Anyone can chuck a book on there, and a lot of people do, but there’s another group of us that do it properly, who hire editors and designers – you want to give people a product that is worth what they pay for it.”

So far Debbie has published four books, including a book of short stories, a young adult fantasy novel and the first two parts of a thriller trilogy set in the seedy world of London’s drugs rings.

Inspired by her law enforcement work in London, the thrillers, Hamelin’s Child and Paying the Piper, have been well received by readers but come with a warning of strong scenes and adult material.

“There are some nasty scenes but they have to be there to explain motivation – they’re not gratuitous,” Debbie said.

“It would be cheating the reader and the character if you’re not going to tell the story properly.

“But if my parents actually read it I would die.

“I had always been reluctant to come out as an author because people might start judging me by what I’ve written, especially because I’m a school governor as well.

“It’s taken me a long time to have a bit more self confidence but it’s coming now.”

For more information about Debbie and her novels visit debbie-bennett.blogspot.co.uk. The books are also on sale at Moulton’s The Lion Hotel, in Main Road.