The Many Faces of Crime - A Real Detectives Chronicle

DENNIS MCGOOKIN

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The Many Faces of Crime - A Real Detectives Chronicle is a gripping true crime book that takes the reader on a journey through some of the most notorious criminal investigations in the UK, as seen through the eyes of retired detective Dennis McGookin. McGookin’s career in UK police force spanned nearly three decades and included working on some of the most high-profile and complex criminal cases, including the M25 Road Rage killing and the hunt for the notorious criminal Kenneth Noye.

One of the most harrowing cases that McGookin worked on was the investigation into the deaths of fifty-eight Chinese nationals found dead in a container at Dover Docks, which remains the largest human smuggling, homicide case in UK history.

Despite the dark and often disturbing subject matter of these investigations, McGookin injects a sense of humanity and humour into the narrative, in the belief that it’s important to show the human side of life, along with the dark humour that sometimes arises when dealing with tragic situations. McGookin’s sense of humour, which he attributes to his Belfast roots, adds unique and relatable elements to the books.

The Many Faces of Crime - A Real Detectives Chronicle is a testament to McGookin’s years of experience in police work and a must-read for anyone interested in true crime or the inner workings of major criminal investigations.  

Dennis McGookin was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1953 and educated at Annadale Grammar School. He lived on the south-side of the city with his parents and two siblings. In 1970 a family tragedy occurred which changed his career plans, when the Provisional IRA targeted his maternal uncle. Instead of joining the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and for the sake of his parents, he decided to join the Kent County Constabulary in England. His initial posting was in the multi-cultural town of Gravesend, where he would visit his first murder scene. At the age of 22 years he was appointed as a Detective Constable in the Criminal Investigation Department and, over the following 28years, he would specialise in this form of policing. Later he was promoted to Detective Sergeant at Dartford, where he would first encounter the notorious criminal Kenneth Noye following the killing of a Metropolitan Police Officer. At the age of 33 years, he was promoted to Detective Inspector, in-charge of the CID in Margate. In March 1990 he was appointed Detective Chief Inspector and served in the Complaints & Discipline Department. He later took command of the CID for the Borough of Swale. In 1996 he was appointed as the force’s first Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) in this rank. In October 1996 he was promoted to Detective Superintendent, taking command of the Force Crime Management team and, later, the Force Serious Crime Unit. In the summer of 1998, he was appointed as the Head of the Major Crime Department, where he remained until his retirement from the Force in October 2002. Later that year, he formed his own company specialising in major crime reviews, training of detective at all ranks of the service, including Chief officers on crime related courses.