Detectives in The Dock: GB Williams' Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Piper

Mathew Piper is a career copper, a Detective Chief Inspector, a position he worked hard for and cherishes. He is married, has three children, the oldest are two twin girls, Shauna and Ashley, and a son Joshua. He believes in what he does, and believes in fighting for what he believes in. He encourages his children to do the same.

The Fields of Wheat moment… What is the most rebellious thing your character has ever done?

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This is something that must never get around, he’d never live it down at the station – assuming they believed it. One of the reasons that Piper is so keen to allow his children to make their own choices is that he had to fight for his own. It was his parents ambition that he become an accountant, so they arranged for him to do a work placement at a large, well established, and somewhat staid, accountancy firm. His mother made sure that he wore a suit, his father drove to the firm and lectured him all the way. His then girlfriend, Sheila (the one he’s now married to), met him around the corner of the building and he went into the public conveniences to change. An hour later he was back in his father’s car no lecture this time, in fact his father didn’t speak to him for a fortnight after. Perhaps he objected to something about the green hair dye, red tartan bondage pants matched with safety pins and a nose stud that was, thankfully, only stuck on.

Which 3 items would Mathew bring to a desert island … and why?

A kindle fully loaded with as much Fantasy fiction as he could get, but particularly the works of David Eddings, oh and at least one book on Bushcraft would be good. Piper read Eddings as a teenager and loved the man’s work from start to finish. His life often seems so serious; and being stranded on a desert island is about as serious as it gets, so a little down time would be nice, as would having time to read.

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He’d want a survival knife too. Piper knows how to look after himself, so a decent blade would be practical.

Finally, a bolt of calico. The strong thick material would be useful in so many ways, not least of all, for a hammock, a shelter and the individual fibres could be separated for making a net and or a fishing line. And ultimately – a sail.

The Nitty Gritty: The Big Reveal

What secret does Mathew carry with him?

Ah well, that would be telling. Though the biggest secret comes out in “Locked Down”, there are a lot of things that he’s had to keep to himself. Oddly the secrets are, for the most part, about doing the right thing.

What is his worst nightmare?

Not being able to provide for his family. He might not have the best paid job in the world,

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and the work itself has an obvious effect on his family, but he provides a good life for them, one that allows his wife to pursue the career important to her, allows their children to pursue their own dreams. The idea of letting them down makes him sick to his stomach. And in the idea that one the villainous scum that he hasn’t been able to put behind bars could get to them breaks him out in a cold sweat.

How important is doing right to Mathew?

Very. It’s one of his driving and defining characteristics. Piper can tell the difference between right and legal, and while it is his job to uphold the law, he knows that sometimes, the right thing requires bending the rules. So far, he’s managed not to actually break any laws, but there are things he’d rather Detective Chief Superintendent Broughton didn’t find out about.

In five words describe…

What his friends think of him ...

Intelligent, loyal, strong, caring, admirable

What his enemies think of him ...

Smart-arse bastard deserves shooting.

All of his favourite things …

What is Mathew's favourite:

Holiday destination - Hawaii