The book, which includes the infamous Hot Press interview with John Gilligan, the man who has been accused of masterminding the murder of journalist Veronica Gurin, as well as interviews with Patrick "Dutchy" Holland among others, entered the charts at No.10 in the non-fiction category.

In the current issue of Hot Press, editor Niall Stokes reveals the background to the interviews which are collected in the book, and discusses the crucial information, as well as the insights, which Hot Press interviews offer into their subjects. "That is one of the functions of good journalism," he says, "to lay down the foundations on which future history will be written."

Stokes also describes the reaction in Hot Press to the interview in which Kieron Wolf" Ducie gave his account of the death of Katy French. "I remember the afternoon the issue arrived back at the office very well. Everything stopped, as virtually the entire staff read the piece from start to finish. It was rivetting stuff."

Crime Ink is published by Merlin Publishing.