What's Tha Up To?: Memories of a Yorkshire Bobby

I was really quite pleased when I found that a follow up book to What's Tha up to? was available on the Kindle as I really enjoyed the first.The era when Martyn joined the force is way, way before my time and made it more interesting for it. Sheffield is no more than a 20 minute dash down the M1 so the book is quite local.The tales in this book make it hard to put down and make me wish that Policing in this country could be done the way it used to be because communities sound so much more like we wish they all would be!I won't spoil any of it by going into detail about the stories, the postscript I liked a lot as Winscar Reservoir by the village of Dunford Bridge is one of our favourite walks so it was easy to picture!If you fancy a good read then this book needs your attention as I think you will really enjoy it from start to finish.

I love these books and listened with great interest as I was a WPC in the 1970's. The author read his work and it is delightful. I found myself laughing out loud several times and near to tears on others. Tiny word of criticism, not levelled soley at this series, why oh why having put two onto audio book, why isn't the rest of the series? So many times I have gone to purchase the next in a series to find it only available as hard copy of on kindle. Would really love to hear the last two books in this series.

Well written with a hint of ‘Heartbeat’ to go with it. Policing at its best.

This is an easy to read reminiscence of the life of an old fashioned bobby in an era when everyone knew and respected their local policeman. The tales are sometimes amusing and other times poignantly sad. The author, Martyn, has a lot to be proud of. Martyn was astute enough not to draw comparisons to todays style of policing.

Generally a good read. Action takes place on foot beat in a run down area of Sheffield. Life is a bit harsher on the beat there and tales can be a bit depressing. This contrasts with the sunny dales of Yorkshire where stories on police operations in the Dales are recorded by Mike Pannett. Mike is based at a rural "nick" in Malton..

As I was born and brought up on Attercliffe Common, living there right up to when the houses were demolished we got to know a lot of the local Bobbies who used to do their beat in the area and see us across the road safely to school.Throughout the book I could visualize every location, street, sounds and the different vehicles that Martyn Johnson described, as well as the shops and characters. I was 16 years old and had started my first job not far from Attercliffe police station on Whitworth Lane, when Martyn was starting work as a young constable. Thanks Martyn for all the good memories that came flooding back.

How Good Is This Book? - more than good enough for me to be ordering his next one!Old Fashioned Policing of the kind those of us of a certain age will remember well.Martyn delivered his tales with humour, sensitivity, and he kept me interested from start to finish. I really didn't want to put it down.This is the kind of Police Officer needed - not form-filling Politically Correct drones that our Politicians seem to want.I totally understood Martyn wanting to stay at the grass roots of policing, and admire him for doing so.Just keep writing Martyn, you're up there with the best.

Whilst the details of the incidents differ, the nature of "the job" is clearly described, not unlike my 37 years in the same role. Well written with the inevitable black humour and 'justice' that only the emergency services can relate to.