Los Angeles 2023
Cruise Ship Heist: the prequel to a stand-out six-strong Cruise Ship Crime Investigators (CSCI) wins top prize.
Having successfully reinvented himself several times over, Stuart St Paul has led a diverse and hugely successful life. From action directing pop videos in the ‘80’s (Duran Duran’s Wild Boys video) to making his name as a stuntman (credits include three Bond movies, James Cameron’s Aliens, and Batman amongst others), to garnering countless TV and film awards, this versatile man can now add thriller novelist to his list of accomplishments. Cruise Ship Heist was a winner at the L.A. Neo Noir Festival in the fall of 2023, and with the buzz, it hit number 1 in a few Amazon book charts.
(Last Tv interview was with Emma Bunton on Too Much TV BBC 2)
Stuart St Paul won Best Director in the USA, a Silver Palm in Mexico, was nominated for a Star & Screen in Mumbai, and his movie Scarlet Tunic was selected in Cannes for official selection at both Cabourg and Verona. As a result of the multitude of story-telling tricks learnt during his time as a director, he delivers a humorous, action-packed, and tension-laden narrative that leaves readers on the edge of their seats, and impossible to second guess. Despite all his achievements he is still known as the Celebrity Stuntman, even though his last performance being back in 1985 playing inside the iconic Queen Alien for James Cameron in Aliens.
The first in his six-strong Cruise Ship Crime Investigators (CSCI) series, this second edition of Cruise Ship Heist is published on 26th August 2023.
A thriller that has movie adaptation written all over it, Cruise Ship Heist will undoubtedly meet with universal approval, not least from the 31.5 million passengers* expected to take a cruise this year, all of whom are looking for a standout and topical read.
Retired Commander Kieron Phillips is looking forward to the chance to catch up with his adopted Syrian daughter, a dancer onboard the cruise ship. He quickly realises that there was nothing coincidental about him being on board this specific voyage, and he brings into play the full arsenal of his military background, in order to return the MV Lady Diana to holiday mode.
Awarded ‘Book of the Day’ and a glowing official 5-star review by OnlineBookClub.org. St Paul delivers a crime drama set at sea that feels frighteningly real. From the official 5* review –
… the plot was complex and had much depth to it; it presented this giant riddle with many unpredictable facets. The story carried intrigue right from when Commander Kieron Philips was introduced at the airport. His character gave off waves of mystery and intrigue with the peculiar situation in which he found himself…
Kieron was the tangy combination of the good cop and the bad cop. He was the guy you wanted in your corner when things got ugly. His character stood out because of his keen eye for foul play, bravery, and kindness. More so, the author gave a lot of insight into Kieron’s thoughts and the complicated mental process of solving the mystery. Another impressive character was Hunter Witowski, the cruise ship’s head of security. He had a dry humour that belied his tough exterior. He was one character I didn’t expect to like, but he became one of my favourites. It was fun to see the wordplay between the characters. Cruise Ship Heist was action-packed, suffused with danger, murder, and unpredictability.
This was one of those stories that would stay with you for a while, as it delivered mystery and intrigue. The book was fun to read; there was no dull moment, and the entire experience was a rollercoaster ride. I enjoyed every part of Cruise Ship Heist. It was professionally edited, and I disliked nothing in it. Therefore, I’d rate it five out of five stars. Cruise Ship Heist would be appreciated by lovers of mystery and thrillers.
The book was fun to read; there was no dull moment, and the entire experience was a rollercoaster ride. I enjoyed every part of Cruise Ship Heist. It was professionally edited, and I disliked nothing in it. Therefore, I’d rate it five out of five stars. Cruise Ship Heist would be appreciated by lovers of mystery and thrillers. Full review by Bibliophile
Published by Doris Visits, Cruise Ship Heist (2nd edition) is available on Kindle, in paperback and large print, and also audiobook either as a novel or the TV screenplays on Amazon.
Stuart has also now delivered a first draft screenplay of the book. It is six x 1-hour episodes in commercial teleplay format. They are each in four ten to eleven minute sections making a 44 minute program which is a commercial hour. By putting five sections into each episode Cruise Ship Heist runs nearer to the full hour for box set release like Prime or Netflix. Adding in the next book, Serial Killer, could see a ten episode series. That has also been made available is book form and Kindle. In order to tell the books apart, the ship points in a different direct in the teleplay version, and it is clearly marked as being the teleplays.
About Stuart’s close call with death and the start of the novels
Stuart has just been announced as one of the celebrity guests on the Cunard’s new ship, Queen Anne and will feature in their ‘Up Close Insights’ programme next year, which includes Kate Adie OBE and Julian Lloyd Webber. He is a regular guest speaker on the UK land and cruise circuit. He is as engaging as his novels, both serious and funny with over fifty years of stories to tell of major movies, stars, and working all over the world. He has financed, distributed, and made movies and created them, so his knowledge runs deep.
After 50 years at the sharp end of A-list movies and TV, he was nearly killed on a movie set in Hungary in 2014. Whilst in therapy for extreme PTSD, and before they even knew he would require the eventual brain surgery, he was encouraged to write. The goal was to get him back in touch with both the workplace and his past. While he wasn’t keen on writing his amazing life story – which included iconic moments like being the Queen Alien and designing the Emmerdale plane crash – he penned a novel about a character that he could understand: Commander Kieron Philips was forcefully retired from Special Forces and was trying to find himself.
St Paul’s increasing facial fits and head pains were kept under control by medication until they were not. Then there was no turning back; with no medication option left, he went into major brain surgery having completed six books in the gripping CSCI (Cruise Ship Crime Investigators) book series and knowing that could be his legacy. Now 100% recovered from the operation that was done during COVID restrictions, he has re-visited the initial book that had already gained great reviews and has written the teleplay. The six 1-hour episodes have allowed him to revisit Cruise Ship Heist, add in the new cliff-hangers and tension points, and reduce it to the new second draft to be released on the 26th of August in all formats. Unusually, a screenplay version will also be released.
Media: Stuart St Paul +44 7775 768 531 e-mail WEB IMDB
Stuart is represented by CHAMPIONS
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