An illustrated Mitch adventure
Mitch and the Missing Princess
Russell’s much-loved black Labrador takes centre stage in a warm and playful mystery about friendship, courage and a princess who has vanished.
Find it on AmazonStories from a life well lived — mostly
Russell
Firth
A 77-year-old Yorkshireman writing about family, work, loss, laughter, dogs and the occasional good idea that gets completely out of hand.
Mitch insisted on the front cover.
The memoir — out now
Never Better
A life of mishaps, memories and making the best of it
From bed-wetting to retirement, with several careers, one wonderful marriage, family life, bereavement, online dating and a black Labrador called Mitch along the way.
Warm, honest and self-deprecating, Never Better is the story of an ordinary Yorkshire life that turned out to contain rather a lot of stories.
Find it on AmazonBooks by Russell Firth
Something for every generation
From Mitch’s colourful adventures for younger readers to memoir, artificial intelligence and a dark chapter of Yorkshire history.
An illustrated Mitch adventure
Mitch and the Magic Tunnel
A mysterious glowing tunnel offers Mitch and his friends a doorway to another adventure, filled with discovery, friendship and a little magic.
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A festive illustrated adventure
Mitch and the Missing Christmas Bell
An important Christmas bell has disappeared, and Mitch and his animal friends have a festive mystery to solve before the celebrations can begin.
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Special Christmas edition
The Mitch Christmas Treasury
Five illustrated adventures collected in one festive volume, bringing together Mitch, his friends, royal mysteries and Christmas magic for families to share.
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Memoir and artificial intelligence
Me and Charlie
What happened when a retired 77-year-old Yorkshireman began talking to artificial intelligence—and found an unexpected writing partner called Charlie.
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Yorkshire historical fiction
The Moor and the Rope
Yorkshire, 1855. Inspired by real events and Russell’s family connection to James Waller, this is a story of love, loyalty and pride—and the consequences that outlive a man.
Find it on AmazonAbout the author
A Yorkshireman.
A storyteller.
A work in progress.
Russell Firth is a widower, father, grandfather and retired jack-of-more-trades-than-he cares to count.
His working life took him from W. H. Smith to a mobile grocer’s van, from bus conducting and thirteen years as a milkman to purchasing, property management and the managing director’s chair. He has cleaned windows, worked on a nuclear power station and learned that most grand plans make better stories once they have gone slightly wrong.
Russell lives in Yorkshire with his family and Mitch, his black Labrador and Hearing Dog. When he is not writing, he can usually be found walking the moors, bowling, gardening, making wine or cooking a chicken madras powerful enough to interfere with artificial intelligence.
Russell Firth
“Sometimes life doesn’t go to plan — and that’s where the good stories begin.”Russell Firth · Never Better
A family moment
A very special delivery
Today I handed my mother, who is over 100, her copy of Never Better. At 77, I may now be a published author, but I’m still her lad.
Seeing her holding the finished book was a very special moment—and a photograph I shall always treasure.
September 2026
On Russell’s desk
What’s coming next
Retirement, apparently, is when you finally have time to discover how many new projects you can start at once.
Book two
Solar Power
One Yorkshire household, a roof full of possibilities and a determined attempt to get as close as possible to free electricity.
Currently being written
The next Mitch adventure
Mitch and the Arctic Adventure
When snow falls in the sunny castle garden, the magic tunnel is back. Mitch and Sparky follow an Arctic fox into a sparkling snow world to help a lost polar bear cub find his way home.
Coming soon