Karline Smith is unique in being the firstblack female crime author to deal with the subject of drug gangs in inner-city Britain, Karline’s gripping novels Moss Side Massive and Full Crew explore the terrifying rise of gun culture and gang violence amongst young British mainly black males in 1990s Manchester, dubbed ‘Gunchester’, due to the high level of shootings. 

 

Fast emerging as one of Britain's brightest urban noir writers, Manchester based Karline drew heavily on her surroundings and first-hand experience in the Moss Side community where she grew up. Many of the characters and scenes in her books were modelled on real-life characters and events. 

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Born to Jamaican parents who arrived in Britain in the 1960s, Karline Smith grew up in Moss Side, Manchester and still lives in the city. Working in a library she discovered her love of crime fiction and was inspired to write her first novel Moss Side Massive.  With a MA in Scriptwriting for Radio and TV, she is currently working on her fourth novel.