How Did A Sheffield Tree Spark Creative Genius For Crime Writer Bobby Cussens?

Ever wonder where brilliant ideas come from? For some people, it’s in the shower, for others, it’s on a long walk. But for the hit crime writer Bobby Cussens, it all started while perched in a tree during her Sheffield schooldays. It sounds like something out of a book, doesn't it? Well, that childhood habit of writing stories until the sun went down has paid off big time. Her debut novel, Shotley Bridge Murders, rocketed into the Amazon Top 10 for Women's Adventure Fiction less than a week after it came out. The story behind the author is just as gripping as the murder mystery she’s written.

From a garden tree in Sheffield to the top 10

Long before she was a successful crime writer, Bobby Cussens was a young girl with a big imagination living on Ashland Road in Nether Edge, Sheffield. Back in the 1970s and 80s, while attending Abbeydale Middle School and later Abbeydale Grange Comprehensive, she found her special spot. At the bottom of her family's garden was a tree, and this tree became her office. Every day, she would climb up and let her creative streak run wild, writing and writing until it was too dark to see the page. This dedication to writing started early.

It seems her talent didn't go unnoticed. She recalls a particularly encouraging moment from her schooldays. Cussens said:

“My English teacher told my mother at a parents’ evening that it didn’t matter if she didn’t understand any of my poems. He told her it was a sign of ‘creative genius’ - which just spurred me on.”

And what fantastic encouragement that turned out to be. That spark of ‘creative genius’ cultivated up a tree in Sheffield has now blossomed into a best-selling debut novel, with Shotley Bridge Murders capturing the attention of readers across the country since its publication at the end of November.

What exactly is Shotley Bridge Murders about?

So, what’s the book that’s causing all this buzz? Shotley Bridge Murders is a police procedural—that’s a fancy way of saying it’s a story that shows you exactly how detectives solve a crime, step by nail-biting step. The story is set in the seemingly peaceful community of Shotley Bridge in County Durham. But when a brutal murder takes place, that peace is shattered, and a hunt begins for a killer who could be anyone.

The person leading the investigation is the book's hero, Detective Constable Heather Hudson. She’s a young mum on her first major case, thrown into a complicated world of secrets and lies. Author Bobby Cussens, whose real name is Julie Wilson, was obsessed with making the setting feel real. She didn’t just imagine the village; she practically mapped it out. She said:

“I was literally measuring the exact number of metres between points in the village. Shotley Bridge is a hidden gem with so much history — it felt like an honour to capture it.”

Fans of the area will recognise plenty of real-life locations woven into the story, including:

• The King’s Head
• Wood Street
• Muggleswick
• Derwent Reservoir
• The historic streets of Shotley Bridge

This attention to detail makes the world of Detective Constable Heather Hudson feel incredibly alive and adds an extra layer of mystery for readers.

A story that started as a giggle

You might think that a hit crime novel would start with a detailed plan and a serious goal, but for Cussens, it was much more casual. In a recent BBC Radio interview, she revealed that the whole thing began as a bit of fun. She wasn’t trying to write a novel at all. Instead, she started writing as “a way to make friends smile” in her home village of Shotley Bridge.

But the story quickly grew into something much more. “I realised I was writing Heather’s story, and then it just became a compulsion,” Cussens (under her real name, Julie Wilson) explained. The characters and plot took on a life of their own. “I’d get these images in my head and I had to write them down. It got uncomfortable if I didn’t. That’s what drove me to finish the book.” It shows how a fun project can turn into a real passion that you just can't ignore.

The businesswoman behind the pen-name

So who is the real person behind the pen-name Bobby Cussens? She’s a local businesswoman named Julie Wilson. Before becoming a best-selling author, she had a completely different career. With her daughter, she co-founded Settld, a nationwide bereavement notification service. It was a clever service that helped thousands of families deal with all the difficult paperwork—or "death-admin"—that needs to be sorted when someone passes away. What a massive change, going from that to crime writing!

After the business was sold in 2024, Wilson found she had some free time on her hands. The next chapter, it turned out, was writing. She explained the surprising journey: “Many people who write secretly want to write a novel. I didn’t realise I was doing it until halfway through. And then it just took over.” Her story is a great reminder that it’s never too late to follow a new path, especially one that leads to a crime-filled life on paper and a spot in the Top 10.

What's next for Bobby Cussens and Detective Constable Heather Hudson?

If you’ve already read and loved Shotley Bridge Murders, there’s good news. This is just the beginning. The book is the first in a planned five-part series, and Cussens is already hard at work on the sequel, with 26,000 words already written. Her writing style is described as being in the same vein as famous northern crime writers like Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid, so if you're a fan of their work, this series is definitely for you.

And as of 10 December 2025, there's another way to get into the world of Shotley Bridge. Cussens has released a companion book called Shotley Bridge Puzzles. It invites fans to solve cryptic clues and word mysteries inspired by the scenes and characters in her debut novel. Both Shotley Bridge Murders and the new puzzle book are available in paperback and e-book on Amazon, ready for all the armchair detectives out there.