Forging a McPherson

The name that shaped a series

When I began shaping the world of the Sean McPherson crime thrillers, I wanted characters with authenticity, lineage, and a story that fit the bones of who they are.

I knew my crime thriller needed a sibling dynamic rooted in Irish heritage—enter Sean and Emma McPherson. To add a layer of levity to an otherwise gritty genre, I married Emma off to a Scotsman named Niall MacCullough, creating the perfect setup for some cross-border banter.

For the main character, Sean "Mick" McPherson, I researched the most popular Irish names for his birth year. "Sean" was a consistent frontrunner, and it fit the man and the era perfectly.

Once named, he stepped onto the page with the sure-footed confidence of a character who knew exactly who he was long before I did.