Edinburgh police officer uses experience to write crime book

A police sergeant in Edinburgh has used her professional experience to pen her second crime novel.

Lee Cockburn has published her second book

Lee Cockburn has worked for the police for 16 years.

Inspired by her experience on the beat and as a public order officer in specialist riot squads in Edinburgh her new work Porcelain: Flesh of Innocents’ is the second in her Detective Sergeant Taylor Nicks series.

The work’s themes of good versus evil are intricately woven into each characters’ lives creating a complex account of the unspoken world that goes on unseen in our everyday lives.

Lee, 47, said: “The inspiration behind both books are actually my own fears, my aim is to highlight that there is a darker more sinister section of society, many of them living side by side with those deemed as good people, with their sinister side remaining undetected by those who surround them.

“So many horrific crimes go unnoticed, unreported and some sadly undetected. As always, my theme being good versus evil, a thrilling, heart-stopping book, as you dare to read on, dreading what might happen next.”

She added: “I joined the police 16 years ago, ten years later than I hoped to. I joined to help others, fight crime and try and make a difference.

“My whole service has been on the front line, as I don’t want to get too far removed from the street, where the crime takes place – and I also want to try and maintain a positive image of what a police officer should be.”

Before joining the force, Lee played for the Scotland Women’s rugby team for 15 years, earning more than 80 caps for the Scottish ladies and British Lionesses teams.

She also swam competitively for 12 years, successfully representing Edinburgh at the age of 15 in the youth Olympics in Denmark in 1984.

Lee lives in Edinburgh with her civil partner Emily and their two young sons Jamie and Harry.

Her first book Devil’s Demise was published by Clink Street in 2014 and received positive reviews.

Her latest book sees DS Taylor Nicks in charge of tracking down a sadistic vigilante, with a penchant for torturing paedophiles.

High-powered businessmen are turning up tortured around the city with one specific thing in common — a sinister double life involving paedophilia.

The book will published by Clink Street and available in stores and on Amazon next month.