Havoc Shore

Maureen Cullen is a retired social worker living in Argyll & Bute. She completed a Master's Degree in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in 2015 with distinction.She has been shortlisted in numerous short story competitions, including the V.S. Pritchett Prize, the Fish Prize, and the Bristol Prize. After making her name as poetry and short story writer, Maureen's debut novel Kitten Heels was released by Ringwood in 2024, to great critical acclaim and it was longlisted for the People's Book Prize 2024/25.Maureen’s collection of short stories, Havoc Shore, was longlisted for The Saltires Fiction Book of the year 2026:Scotland’s National Book Awards.

Havoc Shore is the perfect choice for any short story reader. From the first paragraph of every story, Maureen Cullen captures her audience by going straight in with the action. Each narrative has the perfect sentence structure, and powerful imagery.The author portrays female protagonists as strong, independent women, and she isn't afraid to touch on sensitive topics such as domestic abuse, alcoholism and juvenile delinquency.If I had to choose a favourite tale, and that is difficult because each one is a winner, it would be the chilling ghost story, 'The Boy on the Bridge'.I highly recommend the Havoc Shore short story collection and believe that every bookshelf should possess a copy.Patricia M Osborne - novelist, poet and short story writer.1960s Clydeside is lovingly and vividly recreatedCullen has a natural gift for the short story Alastair Mabbott TheHerald 10/07/25