Detectives in The Dock: John Nicholl's detective Gareth Gravel laid bare! Love this name for a copper- it's all gritty and grumpy.
Tell us a little about DI Gareth Gravel’s background.
Gravel, or Grav as he’s known to all in the force, is an
old-school copper, who’s struggling to adapt to a chaging world. He thinks of himself as a dinosaur, the last of the Mohicans. A man who’s seen too much and heard too much. Grav’s worked in Wales for his entire life, drinks to excess, smokes too many cigars, bends the rules in the interests of justice, and has a scant regard for the new breed of management, who, in his opinion, “Have all the qualifications in the world but fuck all real frontline experience.”
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Grav’s a bit too handy with his fists at times, particulary when investigating crimes against children. He loathes those who prey on the innocent, plays the system to his advantage and knows how to bend the rules to the very limit. He’ll do whatever it takes to, in his words, “nail the bastard.”
Which 3 items would your character bring to a desert island … and why?
Whisky, cigars and a photo of his dead wife. He needs
the first two to survive and misses Heather every second of every day.
The Nitty Gritty: The Big Reveal
What or who does Grav hate most?
Grav hates predators with a burning intensity. He particularly detests men who offend against women and children, nonces, and he’ll do whatever it takes to bring them to justice. In his eyes, the punishment they receive never adequately reflects their crimes. He’d like to dish out his own brand of justice if he could, to make them suffer like their victims. He'd nail the cunt to a tree by his balls if it were up to me.”
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Grav married his chilhood sweetheart and feels her loss terribly. In truth, he’ll never get over her death. He has daily conversations with her, hears her whispering in his ear as if she was still with him, and sees her coming in and out of focus as she drinks away his free time. He dreams of little else.
What is his worst nightmare?
Grav dreads retirement. “If I’m not a copper, what the hell am I?”
In five words describe…
What his friends think of him
Determined, hard-working, hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, humerous.
His physical appearance
“Columbo, but not as stylish"
All of their favourite things …
What is Grav's favourite:
Food - chips
Weapon - Fists
Weapon - Fists
Drink/beverage - beer
Sport - rugby union
Would Grav rather… ?
Eat a doughnut or a muffin
He’d eat both
Use a gun or their bare hands
Definately his bare hands
Drink themselves to death or jog round the park
Drink every time.
Visit a museum or a pub
The pub, or preferably rugby club
Save a friend or kill their worst enemy
Save a friend
Thanks for featuring Grav on your excellent blog, it's appreciated.
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