About

Paul Dettmann writes nonfiction about crime, gangs and music. He sometimes writes novels.

Tennessee Vibes

My main project in 2025 was my music Substack. It follows a number of up-and-coming independent Americana musicians mainly based in Tennessee. There is an occasional podcast linked to this newsletter. You can follow or subscribe for free here.

Crime Guy

My longest-running project is Crime Guy. I follow two cases closely: Sophie Toscan du Plantier from 1996 and Suzy Lamplugh from 1986. There is an occasional podcast linked to this newsletter. You can follow or subscribe for free here.

Books

I wrote my first novel as Paul Charles, during my X-Files period in the mid 1990s. From Beyond Belief, also known as The Playground, describes Peter Flynn’s hunt for the evidence that might prove his wife really was taken by aliens. My only other Paul Charles novel was Kicking Tin and it tells the story of an NTSB investigator who tries to solve the mystery of a plane crash that resembles TWA-800. More recently I wrote British Gangs 1900 - 1950, a nonfiction history of gangs in the first half of the twentieth century. I also write crime noir pot-boilers as Ernest McQueen. My two-volume history of Fleetwood Mac is due at the end of 2026. You can read about my books here.

Praise for my writing

"This was the best review I've ever gotten, it was so on point... this made me cry this was so perfect. Thank you so so much for understanding me and letting me be me and not just comparing me to other female artists... you have no idea how this all aligns with me... so to have someone genuinely come to my show and take the time to write something that’s so honest and real it just makes me feel so good."
(Kitty Coen, Nashville, TN)

"HOLY HELL. You are such an amazing writer. You get me better than I do!!!" (Cyrena Wages, Memphis, TN)

"You’re one of the most brilliant, perceptive, unique writers I’ve ever known in this space. Your words helped me understand my own brand and more importantly, my own intentions. Gratitude isn’t lost on me. 🙏🙏 LFG. Rocket ship to the moon, friend!"
(Cyrena Wages, Memphis, TN)

“I’ve been blown away by your writing, and how personable it feels reading it. Any artist would be lucky to have a write up by you!” (Sophie Baldwin, This New Century, Memphis, TN)

"Paul has a rare gift for diving into not just the meaning behind your lyrics, but into who you are as an artist—and how it all ties together. In a world that often feels fast and dismissive, his writing makes you feel truly seen. That’s a beautiful and rare thing. I’m beyond grateful." (Zoee, Nashville, TN)

"I absolutely love this in depth , track by track review of my new album Desert Queen! With the continued disappearance of outlets for music journalism, it's very heartening to see our work as independent artists inspire other independent creators of all mediums to write about the record we put so much effort into. Thank you 🩷" (Pearl Charles, Joshua Tree, CA)

"I love the article. It’s perfect. Just seems like he got me word for word." (Singer/Songwriter, Nashville, TN)

"This is my favourite review." (Sweet Megg, Nashville, TN)

“You are an incredible writer. I loved how you compared Nashville to Liverpool.” (Caroline Cotto, New Orleans, LA)

"Wow this is SOOOOO cool 😭🖤" (Valley James, Texas & Idaho)

"This wonderful journalist seems to understand my art at a deep level and I appreciate his time and energy spent analyzing it 🙏" (Zandi Holup, Nashville, TN)