Publishers of a true crime book by an “experienced criminal profiler” have pulled his work from sale, after his claims to have interviewed serial killers including Ted Bundy and Peter Sutcliffe were called into question.

Described as “the master of the true crime genre” by Martina Cole, Paul Harrison is the author of more than 33 books, including his latest, Mind Games, issued by Urbane Publications in October 2018. The Doncaster author says he worked as a police officer in the UK for three decades, “serving as a dog handler, intelligence officer, as a detective and later as a profiler”, and that he “worked closely” with the FBI’s Behavioural Science Unit in Quantico, Virginia for six months in 1982.

In interviews and at his live events, Harrison has claimed that Sutcliffe told him: “You seem completely indifferent to me. I’m scared of you.” He also claimed to have been present in the final days of Reggie Kray’s life and that he met American serial killers including Bundy and John Wayne Gacy. Harrison said Gacy had sent him paintings of clowns after tracking down his address, before his execution in 1994.

Seven former FBI agents who were at Quantico when Harrison claims to have been there denied knowing who he was or that he would have interviewed Bundy and Gacy. The Kray twins’ former hitman Fred Foreman also said it was unlikely that Harrison would have been present at Kray’s deathbed. “Reggie would never have entertained police,” he said.

Northants police confirmed Harrison had left the force in 1999, after working as an officer in Kettering.

In a now deleted Facebook post, Harrison wrote: “This monster is no longer mine, nor is it what I wanted it to be. I saw it as a tool to give victims a voice, everywhere, but because I’m weak and vulnerable and utterly useless at decision making I was introduced into sensationalising events by promoters who often sent out misleading blurb. Something I had to live up to. I’ve decided to call it a day for now. No more shows or interaction on social media … It seems I’ve let everyone down, I’m sorry for that.”

On Friday, Urbane Publications issued a statement: “Like everyone who worked with Paul Harrison, the attendees to his talks and the readers of his books, we are very concerned by these revelations and are currently seeking clarification before deciding what further action to take. However, with immediate effect we will be withdrawing Mind Games from sale and endeavouring to remove all stock and details from every relevant retail channel. We will also be donating any profits we have secured thus far from the sales of Mind Games to charities that help and support victims of violent crime.”

On Saturday, a post on the Facebook Manchester Crime Club – co-founded by Harrison – announced it was “closing its doors with immediate effect for the foreseeable future” because “due to ongoing ill health, Paul has been advised by his doctors not to undertake any more events”.