London, UK – September 22, 2026 – Mark Harris announces the release of It’s Darke Outside, a powerful thriller that combines real-life events with a story of bent cops, ruthless gangsters and rogue intelligence services set in London and Belfast in 1969. It is a time when London is no longer swinging and Britain is a country where political ambition, criminal enterprise and hidden agendas collide.

It’s Darke Outside follows the Met’s elite C8 Flying Squad unit as they fight to take down two new crime families in North London, the Dicks and Tates, with corruption inside and outside the squad hampering their efforts. Home Office official Dyson lurks in the background but seems to be pulling the strings.

From exclusive London clubs where influential figures debate the future of the country, to the divided streets of Northern Ireland and the dangerous world of organised crime, Mark Harris delivers a story where loyalty is fragile and everyone has something to hide.

At the centre of the novel is Detective Inspector Eliot Darke, a smoothie and sharp dresser who cuts corners and can’t keep it in his trousers. He is a charismatic but complicated Flying Squad detective navigating a city where the boundaries between right and wrong are becoming increasingly blurred.

A stylish outsider within Scotland Yard, Darke is ambitious, intelligent and willing to bend the rules. He clashes with his superiors but not with his fellow DI, Vic Mullen, or his bagman, DS Bill Rourke. Darke has earned their respect because he has their backs. His superiors want rid of him but can’t do so whilst his record is so good. Is he heading for a fall?

As Darke investigates a world of criminals, corruption and hidden influence, he finds himself drawn deeper into a web where politicians, intelligence figures, journalists and gangsters all compete for control. To complicate matters further, he’s also sleeping with the daughter of one of the crime families he’s tasked with putting away. Meanwhile, investigative journalist David Neatby begins asking dangerous questions about secrets buried within Britain’s establishment — questions that could threaten powerful men who believe they are untouchable.

But the darkness is not confined to London. As violence and division spread across Northern Ireland, ordinary lives are caught in the crossfire of history. Mark Harris brings readers into the human reality behind political conflict, showing how moments of fear, anger and injustice can change lives forever.

Blending political thriller, crime drama and historical fiction, It’s Darke Outside is a story of ambition, deception and survival — a portrait of a Britain standing on the edge of transformation.

When power hides in the shadows, someone has to step into the dark.

About the Author

Mark Harris is the author of It’s Darke Outside, a richly detailed thriller exploring Britain’s political, social and criminal landscape during the post-Kray and Richardson gangland era, one of the most turbulent periods of the twentieth century.

Through a cast of powerful characters and a vivid recreation of late-1960s Britain, Mark Harris examines the choices people make when institutions fail, ambitions collide, and secrets refuse to stay buried.

For interviews, review copies, and further information, please contact London Book Publisher.

Book Details

Title: It’s Darke Outside

Author: Mark Harris

Genre: Historical Thriller / Crime Fiction / Political Thriller

Publisher: London Book Publisher

Publication Year: 2026

Media Contact:

London Book Publisher

www.londonbookpublisher.co.uk

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