Such a great read and, good grief, has this copper seen it all. Let’s start with the title: A Bonsai Tree called Geoff … Doesn’t it just make you want to dive in. Really? Geoff, a bonsai Tree? I had to find out. Indeed you must find out… And I have no intention of telling you – so very there. Let me just say that this hilarious and of course readable author, does what he does best, entertains with his bizarre, crazy and funny reminiscences.
This is the latest instalment of Donoghue’s memoirs, his fourth, and it is only now he is out of the force that we can share in the fun of this particular one. However, with all good humourous writing there is a darker underbelly of – I never knew, how very strange, oh how sad, thought provoking… this really happened??? Empathy abounds. Passion for his job too though would John agree about the passion? I don’t know, but I think it’s there.
John Donoghue served for twenty years as a front line police officer, he’s not perfect, which makes him one of us. ‘Having served in police forces in both England and Wales, I have changed names and places to protect the guilty. I have used the imaginary ‘Sandford’ as the station at which I was based. This could be your local station.’
‘With three bestselling books about my adventures in the police to date already published, my books are all imbued with humour, but have opened people’s eyes to what actually goes on behind the scenes but now that I’m retired, I can, and do, really tell it like it is.’
Having served Queen, King & Country over 40 years in the military and Police, John Donoghue has also been awarded the Chief Constable’s Commendation for Bravery after saving a family of seven (and their dog and cat) from a house fire one Christmas Eve… and routinely been castigated for telling it like it is.
Well, I should say so.
Give yourselves a treat, buy it, or ask for A Bonsai Tree called Geoff for a birthday present, or remember Father’s Day is coming up, and then beg steal or borrow – ooops, perhaps not steal – the other three too. Addictive they are. Enjoy them all as much as the Frost team have.
Published by New Moat Press, A Bonsai Tree Called Geoff– Police Stories I Probably Shouldn’t Share is available to purchase in paperback Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonsai-Tree-Called-Geoff-Probably-ebook/dp/B0CYF2TNR5
Price £9.99 and Kindle format (priced £2.99) on Amazon. Previous books: Police, Crime & 999 Police, Lies & Alibis. Police, Arrests & Suspects.
Donoghue has also previously written a humorous book about his military service and travels with his dog around the funny places in Great Britain – described as “Bill Bryson on Magic Mushrooms” when it first came out, it has now been updated and republished as ‘Tails of the Unexpected.’
Donoghue also enjoys an X (Twitter) following of over 65k – @johndonoghue64