Are Our Fire-fighters Dying Of Work-Related Cancer? Top Ten World Book Day Thriller Investigates

• Monday, 11 February 2008

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Crime writer, Pauline Rowson’s controversial thriller, In Cold Daylight shortlisted for the World Book Day Prize could spark a debate in the UK, which is already raging in America, about the high number of fire-fighters dying of work-related cancer.

In Cold Daylight came third in an online poll out of 100 books for the World Book Day prize. Now readers are being asked to vote for their favourite title from a choice of ten and Rowson’s hard-hitting thriller could take the prize, which will be announced on World Book Day 6 March.

Rowson, married to a former fire-fighter from Portsmouth, wrote In Cold Daylight after hearing that several fire-fighters from one watch had contracted cancer. The official conclusion was that the cancer wasn’t work-related, but many believe their cancer was contracted from exposure to hazardous chemicals in the line of duty. This should have been the end of the story, but Rowson blended the facts of this case within a dramatic fictional plot, creating a powerful novel.

Since writing In Cold Daylight, research from the University of Cincinnati has found, after looking at studies covering 110,000 fire-fighters, that rates of testicular cancer were a hundred per cent higher and prostate cancer twenty-eight percent higher among fire-fighters. In addition, the researchers also discovered a fifty percent increase in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Researchers say fire-fighters are exposed to many compounds designated as carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents including benzene, chloroform, soot, styrene and formaldehyde. These can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin at the scene of a fire.

Rowson hopes that her novel will not only prove a ‘good read’ but could open the debate in the UK about the high rates of cancer amongst fire-fighters.

Instead of featuring a brave fire-fighter hero in In Cold Daylight, Rowson has chosen to tell the story through the eyes of a man who is the opposite. This is marine artist, Adam Greene's journey through overcoming depression, a nervous breakdown and leaning on the prop of his strong-willed, ambitious wife as much as discovering why his best friend, Jack Bartholomew was killed in the line of duty before he can reveal the cause of his own – and his colleagues’ cancer. In a cryptic message orchestrated before Jack’s untimely death, he has left a trail of clues that will lead his best friend into a labyrinth of lies, secrets and government conspiracy.

Pauline Rowson from Hayling Island, burst onto the crime writing scene in 2006 when, along with her detective novel, Tide of Death, based in Portsmouth, her thriller In Cold Daylight was also published. Since then she has written a further three crime and thriller novels, all set in the Solent area. At the end of last year her books were launched in America and Pauline was elected a Member of the Crime Writers’ Association of Great Britain.

She says, ‘I’m over the moon at reaching the top ten. This is a huge step forward for me as a writer. I’m up against some tough competition from authors far more established than me, so it’s going to be difficult, but not impossible. Many readers have come out in support of In Cold Daylight, which is great. There is a strong central message in the novel and readers may read it as a piece of thriller fiction or they can start wondering could this have really happened? If In Cold Daylight opens the debate then that’s all to the good.’

And if she wins the World Book Day prize, Pauline is going to donate the £5,000 prize money to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund.

People can read about and vote for In Cold Daylight on line.

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February 2008

For more information or to arrange an interview contact pressroom@rowmark.co.uk or telephone 023 9246 1931 or 07973 338543

The author’s web site can be found at www.paulinerowson.com

To read more about In Cold Daylight www.incolddaylight.blogspot.com

For more information on the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund contact 01256 366566 www.fsnbf.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

The World Book Day campaign called Spread the Word: Books to Talk About harnesses the power of recommendation. It focuses on books which have genuine word of mouth appeal. Reading groups and individuals vote for their favourite title and the incentive to get involved is a weekly draw amongst voters to win £100 of National Book Tokens right through until World Book Day 2008. The top ten titles form the focus of the Spread the Word: Books to Talk About. Online voting throughout February will result in the announcement of a winner – The Book to Talk About 2008, and an award of £5000 to the author.

This press release was distributed via Response Source, a service from Daryl Willcox Publishing, on behalf of Rowmark Ltd. For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/pressreleasewires