Joe Owens

JOSEPH THOMAS OWENS

Joseph writes fiction specializing in mysteries, thrillers, and crime dramas. I write novels, novellas, short stories, and screenplays.

His passion is murder, mayhem, cops, and courtrooms. He writes twisty thrillers, heavy on procedure, with engaging characters and broken heroes.

A new novel, Conspiracy of Law, is the story of a young, idealistic ADA who needs to solve his good friend's murder to prevent a disaster that could kill thousands of New Yorkers. He started the book in 1992, put it aside, and brought it back in 2025 for completion. "It's a bit strange. When I started the book, 1992 was the present and now it's three decades in the past. There's thirty-three years of progress I have to ignore. People have asked 'why not just move it to the present?", but the concept lends itself to a world of pay phones, boom boxes and solving cases without things like DNA. It belongs in the 1990s". He's even doing most of the writing on the same IBM Selectric typewriter where the book began. Conspiracy of Law ships in July, 2026.

Next up is Autumn Stayed Too Long, a murder mystery set in Los Angeles in the early 1950s.

His Victorian crime/horror series (Penny Dreadful Books) hearkens back to a time of Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens and Mary Elizabeth Braddon with stories inspired by real historical cases from the Victorian era. He lives in Florida with canine companions Beau and Snoop Dogg, and devotes most of his time to writing and fending off the relentless onslaught of technology.

The Private Enquiries of Victoria Graves features the young, bright and inquisitive daughter of the Reverend John Graves who shares her father's passion for faith and justice, is a modern woman in a rapidly changing time, and whose relationship with deceased murder victims is, in a word, unique.

The Investigations of Augustus Blythe follows a retired Scotland Yard inspector known for his sharp eye, relentless logic, and mastery of interrogation.

The Trials of Jonathan Blackwood centers on a young barrister committed to defending the innocent—even when it puts him at odds with the powerful forces of Victorian society.

All three series draw from forgotten true crimes, blending meticulous research and character-driven storytelling with a Victorian gothic flair.

Joe believes a great mystery isn't just about solving the crime—it's about exploring the darker corners of human nature, justice, faith, and morality. His stories reflect the belief that the past may not be as distant as we think, with tensions and truths that still echo today.

He has released works with Big Five publisher HarperCollins, graphic novels, and self-published fiction. He believes in the philosophy of Italian historian and author Umberto Eco, who said, “To survive, you must tell stories.”

He studied with Booker Prize winner Michael Ondaatje (The English Patient) and holds degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing from Temple University in Philadelphia and York University. in Toronto.

If you like your fiction rich with atmosphere, layered with character, laced with intrigue, and sufficiently disturbing to require a peek under the bed and a look in the closet before bedtime, you’re in the right place. The stories are taking shape—and there’s always murder afoot.