Paul has been working for forty years with children with special needs and deaf children in particular. He has always enjoyed writing, but up to now has confined himself to the song lyrics and book for four musicals. He has always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes stories and was discussing this one day in the office of the special needs co-ordinator in a school in Dagenham. Suddenly, a girl called Charlotte came in, and out of nowhere Charlie Holmes sprang fully formed into his head. Charlie then took over and more or less wrote the book for him.