Queen of Grime by Helen Forbes

I am delighted to have been included in the blog tour for Helen Forbes on the publication of her new book Queen of Grime arranged by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines. Thank you for your time today Helen. Let me share the details of our chat with my readers.

What inspired you to write your most recent book?

In Deception, an earlier novel of mine, I had a subsidiary character with a crime and trauma scene cleaning business called Queen of Grime. My agent at the time said it was a waste of a storyline and deserved a story of its own. That got me thinking. There followed some grim research – it’s a fascinating subject, and I’ve tried to inject some dark humour along the way.

(Queen of Grime isn’t my most recent book, but I feel it needs some promotion before book 2 in the series, The Silent Watching, comes out in January. There is also a free prequel novella available called Spoils of the Dead)

Who is your favourite character in this book and why?

I love Erin and Kirsten – they’re strong, feisty women. But I have soft spot for Gladys. She’s big, brash, loud and funny. I’m thinking of a spin-off series for her.

What was the first piece you had published?

My first published novel was In the Shadow of the Hill, a police procedural set in Inverness and Harris. It was published in 2014. It began as a short story which was placed in a couple of competitions and published. Someone who read it said it would make a good novel. I had no intentions of writing crime, but as I thought about the story, I decided the main character should be a police officer, and it took off from there.

Do you have another story planned or in progress? When can we expect to see that?

I have finished the second in the QOG series – The Silent Watching. It’s a creepy tale that comes out in January 2026. In the meantime, I’ve started a standalone about an Inverness Sheriff who joins a dating service and gets caught up in some murky goings on. It’s in the early stages, but I’m enjoying incorporating my own court knowledge as I write.

Who is your favourite author?

Niall Williams, an Irish author

What do you like to do when you’re not planning or writing your next book?

Working, gardening, meeting friends and walking my dog

When did you know you wanted to write novels?

I started writing when I was a mature student and single parent. It was a great way to switch off from studying law and parenting. Despite growing up in the Highlands to Gaelic-speaking parents, it wasn’t until I moved to Edinburgh that I became really interested in Scottish culture and history. My first two novels, still unpublished, are. Respectively, women’s and historical fiction, set in the Outer Hebrides.

Do you write in other genres?

See above – I haven’t written anything else in another genre since I took up crime, but I’ve spent a lot of time editing the two non-crime novels, and I would like to write more in those genres eventually

What do you like most about being an author?

Switching off and escaping into another world. I feel quite discombobulated if I don’t have a story on the go. I’ve been known to submit a novel to an editor or publisher and start something new the very same day.

Do you have a specific routine for writing?

I mostly write in the evenings, as I work almost full-time. I try to write every evening, and sometimes mornings at the weekend.

Is there a special place or particular tool you use?

I can write anywhere, and usually write if I’m away, and staying in a hotel. I don’t really use any tools until I’m editing at the end, and then I use Grammarly or ProWritingAid

What advice do you have for other writers?

I think joining writers’ groups and going to retreats can be a great source of support and inspiration. I don’t do that so much now, but at an earlier stage, it was invaluable as a way to learn about writing, share your work, and get a support network of writers. I’ve made some great writing friends along the way.

If your book were to be made into an Audiobook, who would you choose to read it?

I’m not sure! A good Scottish female narrator – there must be plenty of them. Some research is required!

If your book were to be made into a movie, who would you like to play the main character?

Vicky McClure would make a great Erin Flett, as long as she could do a good Scottish accent!

And Gladys would have to be Katrina Milosevic, although the accent might prove more of a problem for an Australian!

The Blurb

The Queen of Grime is about to pay. Big time.

Erin Flett is used to clearing up the sad debris of forgotten lives and tragic deaths. A crime and trauma scene cleaner from a deprived Edinburgh housing estate, she’s made a good life for herself and her daughter. But a secret from the past is about to catch up with her.

Ten years ago, Erin told a desperate lie with serious consequences. Now, someone else knows, and they’re determined to make Erin and her loved ones pay.

Following a terrifying late-night attack, the tension mounts until Erin doesn’t know who she can trust. As she struggles to keep her family safe, little does she realise just how close the danger is…  

The Author

Crime writer, Helen Forbes, is the author of the novel, Queen of Grime. Featuring an Edinburgh crime and trauma scene cleaner, it’s a dark tale of family secrets and lies, with more than a hint of black humour. Researching the topic has been interesting and challenging, and Queen of Grime is the first in the series, although a prequel novella Spoils of the Dead, is also available. The second in the series, The Silent Watching, is due out in January 2026.

Helen is the author of In the Shadow of the Hill and Madness Lies, set in Inverness and the Outer Hebrides, featuring DS Joe Galbraith. She has also published two standalone psychological thrillers, Unravelling, set in Inverness and featuring the former Craig Dunain Hospital, and Deception, which is set in Edinburgh. Helen lives in the Outer Hebrides.