His critically acclaimed debut novel, Bait, published in December 2008 by Piatkus, was the first in a series featuring Kenyan crimebusting duo Jake Moore and Detective Inspector Daniel Jouma.

In 2014, writing as Jim Ford, Brownlee produced three crime novellas set in his native Newcastle and featuring Detective Superintendent Theo Vos.

Brownlee was born in Blyth, Northumberland, and educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, and the University of Leeds.

Choosing to go with the latter, Bait was subsequently bought by Piatkus, an imprint of Little, Brown publishers, as part of a two-book deal featuring the characters Daniel Jouma and Jake Moore.

The collection, which also features the work of Alexander McCall Smith and William Peter Blatty, is available exclusively in ebook form, with all profits going to Unicef to aid victims of the Haiti earthquake.