Now just waiting for Sir Wyn…
Hello!
On Friday I completed the rough first draft of what will become The Great Post Office Cover-Up. I thought you would like to be the first to know. It is some 60,000 words too long (I over-wrote Horizon’s pre-history by some margin) and currently very woolly around the edges, but there is a good book in there, I’m pretty sure.
The book itself will not be published until the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry delivers its final report, which we are expecting this summer, but the bulk of the writing is done.
The next step is a first pass edit, which I started over the weekend. I try not to over-romanticise the task of writing books, but I think putting the first draft together is like forming a block of granite. Every subsequent pass chips away at the block until something interesting starts to emerge.
I began the granite-forming in January last year and prioritised it for nine months, planning to be finished by June 2025 in anticipation of Sir Wyn’s final report. When that looked optimistic, I took a break for three months as I needed to earn some money and then got back in the saddle at the beginning of January to finish things off.
What happens next?
Once the first draft is in my publishers’ hands, they can start the proofing, typesetting, fact-checking and indexing process. After the Inquiry reports there will be short period of writing, assimilating that into the manuscript, a legal pass and then on to publication and delivery. Obviously I will continued to add anything significant which happens between now and the Inquiry reporting.
I am deeply grateful to everyone reading this who has put their money down for a first edition of The Great Post Office Cover-Up. The book went on pre-sale in December 2024 and for those who put their money down then or since I can only apologise for the delay.
Recent Post Office stories
Paul Patterson, European boss of Post Office IT scandal firm Fujitsu to step down – The Guardian
Thousands may lose out as Post Office closes main Horizon compensation scheme – The Guardian
Post Office will fight first ever Capture case at the Court of Appeal – Sky News. This is going to be very interesting. I have read the expert report commissioned for Patricia Owen’s initial court case in the 1990s. It concludes Capture contained demonstrable balance-affecting errors. The Post Office must be certain other evidence makes Pat’s conviction safe.
Noel Thomas hopeful after receiving treatment for cancer – BBC. Noel is well known to many members of this parish who crowdfunding the English translation of his book. More here.
Glitch! – a Post Office scandal play goes on tour – BBC. For my report on Glitch’s gala opening in July 2024, click here.
The next few months
Other than getting this book published I have no formal plans for the rest of the year, but hopefully I can start to do more Post Office scandal blog posts and secret email newsletters. If any Post Office execs are prosecuted (and those prosecutions go to trial) that will become the third book in the trilogy, but as the NPCC’s Commander Clayman doesn’t think that will be happening until 2028/9 I’ve got a bit of a break to think about what do next.
Having turned down most speaking engagements last year, I’ll see if there’s any interest in doing more, particularly once the book is finally published. If you work for a firm with an interest in corporate governance, being a competent board member and generally avoiding catastrophe (or know someone who does), do get in touch by hitting reply to this email and I’ll connect you with my speaking agent.
If I get offered any public-facing talks of course I will let you know! Don’t forget if you want to see me interview Private Eye’s Richard Brooks about his book Post Mortem and the wider the Post Office scandal at the ungodly hour of 10am on Sat 21 March, you can find the tickets here. Confirmed audience members include at least two secret emailers and a well-known former Subpostmaster (whose conviction was quashed at the Court of Appeal on 23 April 2021), so if you can deal with the early start, please join us!
Thanks as ever
Nick
I will soon be publishing a new book about the Post Office scandal called The Great Post Office Cover-Up. You can put your money down now for a copy which will arrive after Sir Wyn Williams’ final report. Buying a pre-publication copy of the hardback (£15 + P&P) or paperback (£10 + P&P) will be cheaper than the post publication price, help support an independent publisher (by buying direct) and offer you the opportunity to join my secret email mailing list. For more info about the book, click here!
