Yorkshire author's detective mystery dedicated to 'master storyteller' father

The idea for his latest work, a detective story called The Mystery of Melsham Wood, had been developing for some time.

He had always, he recalls, been drawn to detective mysteries and wanted to write one set in the era when his late father was growing up.

The Mystery of Melsham Wood is dedicated to his dad, Terence Gregson, who he describes as “the master storyteller”.

"My father always used to tell stories when I was younger,” Dave, from Wetherby, recalls.

“I used to read a lot around the detective mystery stories and an idea that grew from there was that I wanted to write a story, novella or short book, set in a historical setting, in a time when my father was growing up.

"It was an idea I’d had for some time and I got the opportunity, since winning the case with my former employers, to finally start writing.”

Dave, who was diagnosed with autism in his 40s, originally worked in the horticultural industry before spending twenty years as a support worker in health and social care and later becoming a registered carer for his parents.

He won a case of unfair dismissal around three years ago and then began putting pen to paper with a number of writing ideas.

He is now a writer of both adult and children’s fiction and has also published his autobiography, focused on school and workplace bullying, with proceeds going to charity.

This is the first detective mystery story for Dave, who is also a leading advocate for equality, disability rights, and animal welfare and says he’s determined to raise awareness around autism and make a positive impact on others.

"As a neurodiverse, autistic person, I do have an imagination. Some of the characters came from experiences with family history, some from my own research.

"I read a lot around the time, lots of historic books.

"I wanted to write something that people could pick up and comfortably read and that they could read in one go. I wanted to write a detective mystery story with a tribute to many of the classics.”

Dave comes from a family of writers, including his father, who had written for the BBC and brother, Dr John Gregson, who is a non-fiction writer, and senior lecturer in criminology in Leeds.

He has more writing projects in the pipeline. "I’ve got another one coming out, a different type of story, which supports the aims and causes I believe in. There’s a lot of issues around neurodiversity, overcoming trauma, coexistence,” he says.

"It’s been a really good learning process has writing,” he adds. “I’ve been supported well within the Society of Authors.”

The Mystery of Melsham Wood is out now.