Burgess Hill Girls Sixth Form students gathered in eager anticipation, the air thick with curiosity. The guest speaker was none other than Graham Bartlett, a man whose career had traversed the police force, crime fiction writing, and TV drama. His presence promised a journey into the underbelly of both real and imagined crime, offering an invaluable glimpse into a career shaped by experience, adaptability, and storytelling.
Bartlett, a former Chief Superintendent with Sussex Police, dedicated thirty years to policing, primarily in Brighton and Hove. Following a childhood dream, he rose through the ranks, working as a homicide senior investigating officer and Detective Superintendent for Public Protection. Demonstrating the variety of career pathways and opportunities of a career within the police, he addressed social issues and sought to make Brighton a safer and more inclusive city. These experiences gave him a profound understanding of the criminal world and became the foundation for his success as a crime writer and police procedural advisor.
After leaving the force, Bartlett chased another dream: to become an author. He co-authored the Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller Death Comes Knocking: Policing Roy Grace’s Brighton with renowned crime writer Peter James. He then gathered the confidence to write his own novels, producing bestsellers such as Babes in the Wood, Bad for Good, and Force of Hate, all of which received much acclaim. Passionate about writing, he has recently completed a book exploring gang crime, which he hopes to publish and develop into a series.
His expertise has also made him a sought-after consultant for TV, film, and fiction writers. Building on this new strand to his career, he now runs a business that connects authors and scriptwriters with a large group of expert crime advisors, ensuring their portrayals of policing are as authentic as possible.
In addition to his writing and advisory work, Graham attends crime writing events and teaches crime writing courses at university, helping aspiring authors bring their stories to life with accuracy and realism.
For students considering their futures, Bartlett’s visit was more than just an engaging talk; it was a valuable careers session. He offered firsthand insights into policing, crime writing, and the film and television industry. Illustrating how a career can morph in unexpected ways, he highlighted an important lesson: career paths are rarely linear. From investigating real-life homicides to advising best-selling authors and TV scriptwriters to becoming an author, his journey showed that careers can evolve in surprising and exciting directions throughout a lifetime.
The talk concluded with a Q&A session, where students asked about everything from real police work to representations of policing in TV dramas. Bartlett’s responses were both informative and inspiring, encouraging students to pursue their interests with passion while remaining open to unexpected career turns.
Graham’s visit was a masterclass in career evolution, storytelling, and the importance of embracing change. He left students not only entertained but also motivated to explore the many ways their skills and interests could shape their future careers.
