Some lives are so extraordinary, they could inspire novels, films and TV series. Barry Appleton’s life is one of them. A police officer at the Metropolitan Police and a Flying Squad detective who worked on high-profile cases, he reveals gripping true crime stories in his memoir.

Twentieth Century Cop chronicles his first-hand experience with historic cases, from the gangland killings of Kray associates George Cornell and Ginger Marks, the violent death of playwright Joe Orton to the 1976 £8m Bank of America robbery.

After being assigned to several high-ranking murder cases, Appleton was assigned to go undercover and investigate the assassination of Martin Luther King. His insights translated onto the screen as well as in 1984, he became the lead writer of the British police drama series The Bill and later won a Writers’ Guild of Great Britain award for his Taggart screenplays.

Now, Appleton has put his incredible life stories from work, life as an old school copper and the streets, into a book which he will present in Paphos. On October 15, the author hosts a book launch at Stage One Emba Theatre in Paphos, a venue he is no stranger to as he now lives in Paphos after retirement and wrote three plays for the local theatre company.

Doors to the event open at 6.30pm and the book launch officially begins half an hour later, followed by a Q&A, in English, of course, and a book signing.

Twentieth Century Cop

Book launch, author Q&A and book signing with ex-detective Barry Appleton. October 15. Stage One Emba Theatre, Paphos. 6.30pm. Free admission. In English. Reservations needed. Tel: 99-329107