The women and children a Tenby author encountered during his career helping victims of domestic abuse have never left him, years after he stopped working in child protection.
For bestselling author John Nicholl, those experiences continue to influence the stories he writes, including his latest psychological thriller, That Day at Rose Cottage.
The former child protection social worker spent his career working with the police, social services and the NSPCC, investigating and managing cases involving domestic violence and seeing first-hand the impact abuse could have on women, children and their families.
And although that chapter of his professional life has ended, the people behind those cases have stayed with him.
"Those cases were part of my working life, but they involved people I have never forgotten," said Mr Nicholl.
He said he had witnessed how the consequences of domestic abuse could continue long after the abuse itself had stopped.
"I saw the harm done to women and children, and how the effects could last long after the abuse had stopped.
"Some women lived in constant fear. They worried about what would happen if they stayed, and what their partner might do if they left. Their children often saw and heard things that would stay with them for years."
Those memories helped inspire That Day at Rose Cottage, a psychological thriller drawing on Mr Nicholl's professional experience and exploring the impact of domestic abuse.
Media reports about domestic abuse and the early release of offenders brought former cases back to mind and contributed to his motivation for writing the novel.
Through the book, Mr Nicholl said he wanted to give survivors a voice and help readers understand both the realities of abusive relationships and the courage required to escape them.
While the story is fictional, he hopes it can encourage greater understanding of what survivors endure and the difficulties they can face as they rebuild their lives.
"I hope the book tells a gripping story. But I also hope it helps someone feel understood, or encourages a reader to think more carefully about what survivors have endured."
Mr Nicholl, from Tenby, headed up child protection services for Carmarthenshire before becoming an author and has since built a reputation for psychological thrillers exploring justice, trauma and resilience.
His latest book has also attracted attention from an unexpected reader.
Mr Nicholl sent a copy of That Day at Rose Cottage to Queen Camilla because of her advocacy relating to violence against women and children.
He subsequently received a personal reply in which the Queen thanked him for the novel, said she looked forward to reading it and expressed appreciation for his work supporting victims of domestic abuse during his career.
Mr Nicholl said he had written to the Queen's private secretary because he thought the subject matter might be of interest.
"I wrote to the Queen's private secretary saying she might be interested in the book because of her wonderful work on violence against women and children.
"I headed up child protection services for Carmarthenshire before I began writing, and so know how important the Queen's advocacy work is.
"I was not expecting a personal response from the Queen herself. And even more surprised she plans to read my book."
But behind both the novel and its royal recognition are the experiences Mr Nicholl encountered long before he became a bestselling author, and the women and children whose stories have remained with him.
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