(WRITTEN AS STE McCOINNICH)
Revenue Man is a fictional, light hearted account of the work of the Inland Revenue internal corruption unit, the Boards Investigation Office or BIO, during the late 1980s. It is set in London and the Home Counties and introduces the reader to Tubal McArthur, a young man from a nefarious background who finds himself working for the tax man, a role totally at odds with the ‘family business’ on the periphery of South London criminality. Punctuated with adventures that steer Tubal’s development from fledgling investigator to seasoned officer, he soon lands the case of a lifetime leading him from squalid council flats to corruption at the top of the Department and a mysterious ‘fixer’ for Middle Eastern princes and millionaires. But first, accompanied by the outwardly demure but highly efficient Felicity Francis, Tubal must locate the elusive Patrick Sweeney, the mastermind facilitating a massive fraud in Surrey Docks, London. Fast cars, loose women, and Tubal’s close encounter with armed police lead them on to investigate the identity of ‘Revenue Man’; a senior officer accepting prostitutes, cash and foreign travel in exchange for quashing tax liabilities of the rich and powerful. A job leading him on a switchback ride in the clandestine world of catching criminals and enjoying the tremendous esprit de corps of playing fast and loose alongside a skilled and highly effective group of misfits.
I really enjoyed writing Revenue Man and first started during the Covid lockdown. Originally, I scoped the possibility of writing a non-fiction book about the BIO, a little known unit whose work was far removed from that of the typical ‘taxman’. Investigators operated in dirty, dangerous places and BIO evolved to investigate all criminal activity against the Inland Revenue from corruption through to organised construction industry crime funding paramilitary organisations. Their aim, not primarily tax recovery but taking criminals off the street. However, I uncovered very limited information within the public domain. I then read an interview with the author Jo Nesbo. He was asked for advice on writing a crime novel. Quite simply, he said ‘write what you know about’. So, I decided to fictionalise my own experience of 14 years with BIO by developing the ‘ultimate’ case for my protagonist, Tubal McArthur. I was one of the youngest Investigating Officers at BIO and my own upbringing, albeit fictionalised and reimagined, undoubtably provides elements of Tubal’s history. Revenue Man does include some facts though, the long hours, amazing camaraderie, penchant for pubs and drinking and regular late-night curries. Not all very healthy. Nevertheless, these components bind a band of brothers that remain my lifelong friends. Readers should be aware though that the old adage ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ more than fits the work and people of BIO. I hope that Revenue Man will appeal to readers of crime fiction who wish to move away from the mainstream and examine the murky world of fraud investigation from a new perspective.
I was born in North Lambeth, growing up and working in South London. Like Tubal, all school holidays were spent with my grandparents. For me, this was at Riverside Caravan Centre in Bognor Regis or at home with them in Chessington, Surrey. My parents though were nurturing and loving. Conversely, Tubal’s early family life is marred by disruptive influences and an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. This creates quite a complex character whose natural introversion battles against his desire for success. Tubal labels himself as an ‘enigma’. That may be, but his greatest challenge is finding romance. A situation Tubal finds increasingly perplexing as his bond with Felicity Francis develops.
In contrast, my wife Sue and I have been married for 36 years. Most of that time we lived in Ashtead, Surrey, with an eleven year stint in the North Dorset countryside before moving to Camber in December 2023. I enjoy living here. I have always wanted to live by the sea but Camber offers me both country and coastal living. Early each morning I am on the beach with my dogs amid the beautiful sunrises, ever changing landscape and occasionally wild tides. It offers me a place of solitude and reflection before I start my day.
I hope that my readers enjoy Tubal’s journey and find Revenue Man as enjoyable as I found writing it.
Revenue Man is released on 28th March 2025 and is available from https://troubador.co.uk/bookshop/crime-and-thrillers/revenue-man, and on-line booksellers. An e-book version is also available. Further information and book extracts are on the Sté McCoinnich website https://stemccoinnich.com/ .
