Press Kit

Feel free to use the below images, assets, and bios for the purposes of online postings, articles, event listings, and press releases. For anything else, please contact Sean directly.

Author Images

Please credit the below image to Lee Isserow, Vessel Studios.

Biographies

Short bio – 50 words

Sean Watkin is the author of Black Water Rising, shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award 2025. Set against the gritty backdrop of Merseyside, his atmospheric crime fiction continues with his second novel, Better Off Dead, and a third featuring DCI Winifred de Silva, No Place Left, publishing in September 2026.

Medium bio – 100 words

Sean Watkin is the author of Black Water Rising, which was shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award 2025. Known for atmospheric Merseyside settings, layered psychological insight, and intricately plotted investigations, his crime fiction masterfully blends social realism with compelling procedural narratives. Following his second DCI Winifred de Silva novel, Better Off Dead, his third in the dark procedural series, No Place Left, publishes in September 2026. Sean’s compelling work deeply explores grief, loss, and the human cost of secrets.

Born and raised in Liverpool, he earned his BA in Creative Writing and MA in Writing from Liverpool John Moores University.

Long bio – 200 words

Sean Watkin is the author of Black Water Rising, which was shortlisted for the prestigious McDermid Debut Award 2025. Known for atmospheric Merseyside settings, layered psychological insight, and intricately plotted investigations, his crime fiction masterfully blends gritty social realism with compelling procedural narratives. His writing deeply explores grief, loss, trauma, and the human cost of long-buried secrets.

His second novel, Better Off Dead, was published in January 2026, continuing the gripping series featuring DCI Winifred de Silva as she navigates complex criminal cases across Liverpool and its surrounding areas. The third instalment in the dark procedural series, No Place Left, is scheduled for publication in September 2026. Through his expanding body of work, Sean has established a distinct voice in contemporary British crime fiction, delivering high-stakes mysteries grounded in authentic local characterisation and meticulous law enforcement detail.

Born and raised in Liverpool, Sean attended Liverpool John Moores University, where he earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing. He continues to live and write in the North West of England, drawing constant inspiration from the rich social history, urban landscapes, and vibrant culture of his beloved home city.

Awards, Nominations, and Shortlistings

Sean was shortlisted for the Fresher Writing Prize in 2015 with his short story, He’s Gone – an early draft of Newquay and The Seekers, which you can read here. You can purchase a copy of the Fresher Writing Prize 2015 anthology here.

Sean was shortlisted for the Book a Break Prize in 2017 with his short story, Piece of Tin. You can purchase a copy of the With Our Eyes Open: Book a Break 2017 anthology here.

Sean was shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize in 2019 with his short story, I Walked There. You can purchase a copy of the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology volume 12 here.

Sean was shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award at the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in 2025 with his debut novel, Black Water Rising. You can read Sean’s solo interview for this shortlisting here, listen to two interviews featuring all of the 2025 shortlistees here, and can purchase a copy of Black Water Rising here.