Blizzard crime novels undergo a facelift
Joffe Books, which recently bought publisher The Book Folks, publisher of John Dean’s crime novels, has been relaunching his popular Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard series.
The stories include The Long Dead, which was the first to be published by The Book Folks and which is now the first to be relaunched with the new artwork for the Kindle versions, followed by Strange Little Girl.
There are currently 12 books in the series, which is set in Hafton, a fictional northern city of sharp contrasts, everything from bedsit land and sprawling crime-ridden housing estates to the affluent avenues on its rural fringes.
They can be found in a variety of formats on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/
Redesign of Blizzard novels is completed
The team at Joffe Books have completed the process of giving John Dean’s popular DCI John Blizzard series of crime novels a new look for the Kindle versions.
The process began when Joffe Books acquired publisher The Book Folks earlier this year and the treatment has now been given to The Meek Shall Inherit, number twelve of twelve in the series.
The novel begins when an elderly couple predict that they will be murdered unless Blizzard does something to protect them and eventually sees the DCI and his loyal sidekick David Colley travel to Singapore as their investigation assumes a global significance.
The book can be acquired in various formats on Amazon at.www.amazon.co.uk, as can the other titles in the series.
John is now writing Blizzard book thirteen.
The Name on the Bullet
Joffe Books’ programme of re-launches for John Dean’s popular DCI John Blizzard crime novels continues with a new look for the Kindle version of The Name on the Bullet.
The relaunches come after Joffe acquired publisher The Book Folks earlier this year and The Name on the Bullet tells how a young police officer is shot dead while filming a television reality show.
When the evidence points to a notorious gangster with long-standing ties to Hafton’s underworld, Blizzard is the only one willing to take him on.
As the media frenzy grows, Blizzard finds himself fighting battles on two fronts — one in the streets, and one inside the force. To achieve justice for a murdered colleague, he will have to play politics — and stay alive.
The Blizzard series has now topped 7,000 5-star ratings on Amazon, and the book can be purchased at https://www.amazon.co.uk/
John Dean has had 25 crime novels published by The Book Folks, including twelve in the best-selling DCI John Blizzard series:
The most recent is The Meek Shall Inherit {2025}
Can DCI John Blizzard stop an ex-con from getting his cut?
When an elderly couple walk into Abbey Road Police Station and announce, with a certain nonchalance, that they’ll be murdered in the coming week, Detective John Blizzard has every reason to take them seriously.
Twenty years earlier, they were subject to a brutal assault in their home, which they barely survived.
Enraged that he’d been diddled out of his rightful inheritance, their nephew Charlie Louden had decided to take the law, and a machete, into his own hands. Now he’s being considered for early release from prison.
Blizzard tries to put their fears to rest. Charlie is apparently a changed man. And surely the parole board would not make such a grave mistake.
Yet when a body is recovered following a warehouse fire, things begin to hot up in the industrial city of Hafton. Despite his assurances, inwardly Blizzard has a nagging feeling that matters are about to go south.
THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT is the twelfth standalone murder mystery by John Dean to feature stalwart crime-solver DCI John Blizzard. The full list of books is as follows:
It should be Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard’s big day – the relaunch of an old railway station as part of efforts by the heritage group of which he is a member to restore a steam railway to the northern city of Hafton.
Instead, he finds himself investigating the death of a notorious ex-boxer, whose battered body is discovered in one of the railway’s signal boxes.
The death of Billy Guthrie on his return to the city is mourned by very few people because his brutal ways meant that he had enemies everywhere, especially among the railway preservation group.
As Blizzard investigates the murder, he begins to question long-standing friendships and discovers compromised loyalties – and that’s even before another victim’s body is found.
You can buy John Dean’s crime novel The Railway Man (The Book Folks, a Joffe Books imprint) by keying the title into the search field at www.amazon.co.uk
The series has more than 7,000 5-star reviews. “⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent murder mystery storyline, enjoyed the read.”
— Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book, keeps you on your toes, with an unexpected twist at the end. Well worth picking up to read.”
— Kerry
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another great book. The banter between Blizzard and the team is so good. The way he deals with the cases is really good. A must read.”
— Mulli
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another well written and crafted story from John Dean. Lots of action with plenty of twists and turns and an exciting ending.”
— Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A thoroughly entertaining read, with realistic characters who continue to develop as the series of DCI Blizzard books keeps improving. Highly recommended.”
— John O
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love this writer and this book did not disappoint.”
— Sue Armstrong
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a different direction of investigation, looking for a shooter with a list of people to kill, including cops.”
— Susan Green
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All of John Dean’s books are good but I love DCI Blizzard! The books are carefully plotted and the characters are well written. I hope there are many more books in the series. I highly recommend this book!”
— Elizabeth P.
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good addition to the DCI Blizzard series. The author has another series that I like as well, the DCI Harris series. No nonsense detective with interesting plot turns.”
— J Austen
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just wasn’t long enough. I like DCI Blizzard and would like to know more about him.”
— Zippie 65
The Secrets Man has become the fourth in the DCI John Blizzard crime novel series written by John Dean to be given the Joffe Books relaunch treatment complete with striking new cover.
The relaunches follow Joffe Books’ acquiring of the publisher The Book Folks and the novels can be purchased in various formats on Amazon,
In the book, the northern city of Hafton is on edge. Teenagers are dying from contaminated drugs. Tensions are high. But nobody can pin down where the supply is coming from. DCI John Blizzard believes one man holds the answer — gangland figure Morrie Raynor, recently released from prison and quietly rebuilding his power. But Raynor is careful, slippery, and backed by people who want him left alone.When a former detective passes Blizzard a name — “The Secrets Man” — it’s a thread that links old cases, buried loyalties, and a criminal network long thought dormant. But with little evidence and rising pressure from above, Blizzard finds himself isolated.As more lives are lost and the clock runs down, Blizzard must choose between protecting his job — or doing what he knows is right.
Set in Hafton, a city of boarded-up pubs, burned-out estates, and crumbling loyalties, the novel explores both the physical and moral decay of a place on the brink. From derelict factories to hospital corridors, the city feels bruised — and dangerous. A perfect breeding ground for secrets
5. A BREACH OF TRUST
6. DEATH LIST
This is another of my posts reminding visitors to my website about one of my older crime novels that they may have forgotten, on this occasion Death List. (The Book Folks, a Joffe Books imprint) one of the DCI John Blizzard series – and it comes with an example of the many elements that go into the birth of a book.
| I know from what readers say that a lot of them are fascinated by the moment a story is born and the catalyst for this novel was, in part, the author’s favourite phrase ‘what if?’, in this case what if someone declared war on the forces of law and order? How far would they go? How far could they go? Could they really win if they got their act together? These thoughts interested me but there was another creative force at work at the same time and there was deliberately no indication in the early pages of the novel that this was a ‘big’ story, with all that mayhem to come, rather one that was exactly the opposite, somewhat claustrophobic – and that part of the process was inspired by ‘sense of place’, which is where most of my stories begin. I am reminded of all this when I look back at the opening pages and recall that myself and my wife had just moved onto the Scottish hillside where we still live (the cottage is pictured here) because several of the incidents in the opening novel were inspired by our new home. For instance, at the beginning of the book, an undercover detective is shot in the kitchen of his hillside cottage (except it’s our cottage and Frances was not entirely enamoured by the thought of attempted murder most foul in our newly-decorated kitchen!). Adding to that inspiration, the assassin waited for his victim in the a copse near our new home and made his getaway across the hillside on which our cottage. After that, the story quickly gets big as the two elements fuse into one, taking in the nearby city of Hafton and widening the story’s vista. A routine police patrol is fired on from close range, there are threats to others and Blizzard discovers that there’s a list of names of officers to be assassinated – and he’s on it, ensuring that the stones are terrifyingly personal. With the undercover officer hovering near death and public confidence spiralling, the inspector launches a wave of raids on the city’s most dangerous criminals and it’s all put war. So, who did win? To find out who won, you can purchase the novel in various formats at Amazon on www.amazon.co.uk |
The relaunch of A Flicker in the Night, which tells how the detective and his team try to track down a deadly arsonist, includes a new cover for the Kindle version.
The series can be found in a variety of formats on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/
8. THE LATCH MAN
The Latch Man is the latest DCI John Blizzard crime novel by John Dean to be given the Joffe Books relaunch treatment, including a distinctive new cover.
Joffe Books recently took over publisher The Book Folks and has embarked on a major campaign to breathe new life into the backlists of many of its authors as well as publishing new titles, all of which can be found in various formats on Amazon.
In The Latch Man, the head of a well-known criminal family is found dead and everyone is whispering the same name — the Latch Man. A legendary burglar with a long history in Hafton.
The Latch Man was once feared for slipping into houses undetected but DCI John Blizzard doesn’t believe he is responsible for murder.
As he digs into the rivalries and secrets surrounding the family, Blizzard begins to question everything he’s told. Is this the work of a long-retired thief? Or is someone hiding behind an old name to get away with murder?
And when a second body turns up, Blizzard must act fast — before the killer strikes again.
No Age to Die has been given a new cover for the Kindle version as part of the relaunch of John Dean’s popular DCI Blizzard series of crime novels by Joffe Books after it recently took over the publisher The Book Folks.
In the novel, number nine in the series, a dangerous felon is released from prison and given sanctuary by a local church, causing outrage in the community.
DCI John Blizzard is furious as well — he made it clear the man wasn’t welcome but nobody listened.
Then, when a local youth is found dead, suddenly, no one is talking about rehabilitation or second chances any more
As tensions spiral and public pressure mounts, Blizzard is left balancing faith, fear, and his own instincts. Is the ex-con truly responsible? Or is someone else taking matters into their own hands?
In a city where past crimes never really fade, Blizzard must fight to uncover the truth — before more lives are lost.
You can buy the book in various formats on Amazon.
The series has more than 7,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent murder mystery storyline, enjoyed the read.” Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book, keeps you on your toes, with an unexpected twist at the end. Well worth picking up to read.” Kerry
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another great book. The banter between Blizzard and the team is so good. The way he deals with the cases is really good. A must read.” Mulli
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another well written and crafted story from John Dean. Lots of action with plenty of twists and turns and an exciting ending.” Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A thoroughly entertaining read, with realistic characters who continue to develop as the series of DCI Blizzard books keeps improving. Highly recommended.” John O
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love this writer and this book did not disappoint.” Sue Armstrong
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a different direction of investigation, looking for a shooter with a list of people to kill, including cops.” Susan Green
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All of John Dean’s books are good but I love DCI Blizzard! The books are carefully plotted and the characters are well written. I hope there are many more books in the series. I highly recommend this book!” Elizabeth P.
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good addition to the DCI Blizzard series. The author has another series that I like as well, the DCI Harris series. No nonsense detective with interesting plot turns.” J Austen
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just wasn’t long enough. I like DCI Blizzard and would like to know more about him.” Zippie 65
Joffe Books has continued its programme of re-launches for John Dean’s popular DCI John Blizzard crime novels, which the publisher has carried out since it acquired publisher The Book Folks.
The latest book, which includes a new cover for the Kindle version, providing a dramatically different look from that used on earlier editions, is The Vengeance Man, which can be purchased in various formats on Amazon.
The novel tells how a frightened teenager’s report of being stalked by a ghostly figure in a graveyard is dismissed — until a body turns up in the same spot.
As whispers of the return of historical figure ‘The Vengeance Man’ spread, DCI Blizzard must follow the trail through legends, secrets and tensions before another life is taken.
The Blizzard series has now topped 7,000 5-star ratings on Amazon, and the book can be purchased at https://www.amazon.co.uk/
The books can be purchased at Amazon in ebook, paperback and hardback formats on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/
Books 1-7 are available in a super-value box set, exclusive to Kindle! All of these books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback.
The boxset of my first seven DCI John Blizzard crime novels to be published by The Book Folks continues to ride high in the Amazon bestseller charts sixteen months after it was launched, particularly those charts that feature anthologies.
That’s hardly surprising; you’ll not get much better offers than the one represented by the boxset, which is only available in ebook format. I mean, it’s difficult to argue with seven novels containing 1,387 pages for just 6.99p, isn’t it?
The boxset was published in December 2023 and the overwhelming response from reviewers of the collection has been positive, which is gratifying and which I offer heartfelt thanks to my readers.
You can find out more about what like, and purchase the collection, at
John Dean - Crime Writer 