Stephen Ainley Books

Set in 1950, the story follows Jessup, a war-scarred man trapped in despair, working menial jobs while battling alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. His tumultuous relationship with his best friend Marlow adds to his struggles. When presented with a chance for a fresh start, Jessup faces a moral dilemma: pursue a new life or remain loyal to the one person who respects him, who is in grave danger. This gripping narrative spans from war-torn Europe to post-war London, offering a deep exploration of trauma, friendship, and redemption.

1969 - Man is about to set foot upon the moon. Meanwhile, momentous events are also taking place in the West Midlands. Weddings, funerals, hereditary hair loss, M. J. K. Smith's cricket bat, a missing masterpiece; dastardly deeds are taking place, above and below the streets of Birmingham. The police are baffled. This looks like a job for Dudley's finest, Bisskit and Blackshaw - private investigators. Yes, the boys are back. Older, but none the wiser in Dennis Bisskit and the Man from Paris with the Very Large Head.

Dennis Bisskit is the finest private investigator in Dudley, if not the entire nation.But he's also a husband and father, and unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.How can you possibly find the time to be a family man and fight crime?It's a difficult situation or, as best friend and business partner, Stinky Blackshaw would call it, 'a perplexing problem'.Catching a diamond thief or teaching baby how to survive in the wilds, it's all in a day's work for Dennis Bisskit.

THE HILARIOUS STORY OF A YOUNG BOY'S GROWING UP YEARS Meet Dennis Bisskit, short; ginger-haired; kind-hearted; game for anything. Born in 1945 on the day the war ended; it should have been a good omen. Instead it's been one disaster after another. Luckily fate normally steps in to save the day. Gasp at the great holiday camp knobbly-knees scandal of 1955! Be amazed as Dennis attempts to win back the world mile record for queen and country! Discover Fosdyke's department store and the all-powerful Mrs Ricketts! Shed a tear as Dennis visits the battlefields of France with his granddad. And meet the memorable Colour Sergeant Plunkett who teaches Dennis everything he needs to know about the army and finally makes a young man of him.

He's dangling from the rooftop of a Birmingham department store. He's wedged inside a baby's pram, floating down a canal. He's being chased half-naked down Dudley High Street. It can only mean one thing. BISSKIT IS BACK. It's 1969 and Dudley's premier private investigators, Bisskit and Blackshaw, are at the top of their game. After they foil a gang of shoplifters and save Christmas for the children of Birmingham, their fame spreads far and wide. Lady Ophelia Babbington-Perch hires them to safeguard her Crufts dog show favourite, Bertie. It all seems straightforward enough, but is there more to it? What if it all went wrong? Could this be the end of the road for Dennis Bisskit and Stinky Blackshaw?