It’s my absolute pleasure to talk to the talented Mr Beckler about his Ethiopian origin, interesting background as a firefighter and his crime thrillers set in Manchester, where he is based. Let’s hear it from David.
IN: Your latest novel, Missing, introduces Victor, a homeless private eye, and his dog Oscar on the streets of Manchester. His perspective changed my view of a homeless person to one who had a special skill. What inspired you to centre your story around such an unconventional detective?
DB: I started writing about a PI who poses as homeless so he could carry out surveillance without being noticed. But then I thought a homeless PI would be a more interesting protagonist.
We have so many homeless people on our streets, and I wanted to put one at the centre of a story.
IN: I was transported to a lively, cosmopolitan northern city. Manchester’s streets come alive in Missing. How does the city, with its grit, character, and contrasts, shape your narrative and influence your characters?
DB: Victor isn’t from Manchester, so his situation determines his knowledge of the city. How we experience them colours our perception of the cities we live in, and I had to ensure how I saw the city didn’t influence how Victor would see it. It made me see my home city differently.
IN: You’ve written multiple series from Mason & Sterling to Antonia Conti and now City Streets Mysteries. What draws you to crime fiction and keeps you exploring different facets of the genre?
DB: The different facets are what attract me to crime fiction.
You can explore almost every area of life in crime fiction because it can touch anyone.
You also see people at their lowest ebb and find out what your characters are made of.
IN: Your own background from growing up in Ethiopia to Manchester and working as a firefighter brings a unique perspective to your stories. How have your life experiences informed the themes or realism in your writing?
DB: I’ve always been a bit of an outsider. Starting as a child in Ethiopia, I was the only half-English kid. Then in England, I was the only non-white kid in my first school. This gave me an insight into what it’s like to be different, and I include characters that don’t quite fit in.
Apart from my time as a firefighter, I also worked as a doorman in clubs and ran an international business. I’ve used elements of those jobs to add realism to my books. I do a very mean fire scene.
IN: Oscar the dog adds a memorable (sarcastic and loyal-ish!) voice to Missing. How did you develop Oscar’s character, and what role do you see animals playing in crime fiction more broadly?
DB: I wanted the story to be realistic, so Victor is often alone, so I gave him Oscar. At first, it was for company, but making Oscar talk brought a dynamism to those scenes. He’s a pampered pet thrown out onto the street through no fault of his own, and I tried to put myself in that position. He’d be pretty fed up with Victor much of the time, hence his sarcasm. It added another layer of humour to what could have been a grim story.
Bonus Question: If I were to visit Manchester for a weekend, where should I stay, what and where should I eat, and what must I do to experience the city as a local interested in bookish culture?
DB: If budget isn’t a consideration, there are several magnificent hotels in Manchester. Out of the following, the Midland is the only one built as a hotel and is in a fabulous location opposite the Central Library—perfect for the bibliophile. Others, such as the Stock Exchange Hotel, The King Street Townhouse, Hotel Gotham and The Kimpton Clocktower are in iconic Manchester buildings, repurposed. I was involved in approving the plans for the Clocktower when I worked in the city centre fire safety department. Just go in for a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.
Food-wise, there are many restaurants with a wide selection of cuisines, including a thriving Chinatown. Apart from the food, I love to go to restaurants that are in wonderful buildings reflecting the history of the city. Grand Pacific is in the beautiful former Reform Club. Across the road, Browns is in an opulent former bank. Piccolino in Albert Square is in a great location, and a fabulous building, the former offices of an insurance company, and Hawksmoor on Deansgate is in a former Victorian courthouse and registry office. A newcomer, Cut and Craft, is in another former bank on Mosley Street, and I’m reliably informed they do a top-notch Sunday lunch.
If you can wait, the magnificent London Road Fire Station is being redeveloped and will contain a hotel and restaurants.
I mentioned the Central Library, built in the 1930s and recently restored, but Manchester has several inspiring libraries.
The Portico, a delightful place to visit, is undergoing a major refurbishment to restore it to its former size.
The Rylands Library, also on Deansgate, is in a neo-Gothic Victorian building, a cathedral for books. Chethams, by the actual cathedral, has such age and atmosphere it’s well worth visiting. It’s the oldest public library in Britain. You will need to book in advance to get into Chethams and the Ryland. The House of Books & Friends is an excellent bookshop with a cafe. Have a look in the atmospheric, panelled back room.
IN: Wow! I think you’ve made my day. Architecture, books and food are my main interests! I cannot wait to visit Manchester. I have heard so much about it.
David, I understand you have a photo you’d like to share with us here.
“The picture shows a view of London Road Fire Station in the centre of Manchester. I spent the first month of my life in the city at the training centre there, after transferring from Wiltshire Fire Brigade in February 1984, a significant point in my life.” -David Beckler
IN: Thanks for the special glimpse into the past and this wonderful building. The architecture is impressive. Lastly, readers would like to know more about you. Tell us about yourself, David.
DB: I’m a crime thriller writer based in South Manchester. My sixth novel, Missing, came out on February 1st under DE Beckler. It features homeless private eye Victor and his disgruntled dog Oscar solving crimes on the streets of Manchester. It’s the first of three novels featuring the duo, all of which will come out this year.
I wish David all the best for his 3-book series. Buy Missing here:
Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Beckler/e/B084X2HXFF
Find David here:
https://davidbeckler.co.uk/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/davidbecklerauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/@DavidBeckler1
BlueSky:
https://bsky.app/profile/davidbeckler.bsky.social
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/david.beckler/
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8364947.David_Beckler