History is Martyn Beardsley's big passion, and he has written books featuring a variety of subjects and periods. He writes for children as well as adults, and got the idea for _The Gunpowder Plot Deceit_ when researching a children's timeslip novel in which the main character goes back to the same period. His other non-fiction works include a biography of the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, _Deadly Winter_, and an account of England's last fatal duel, _A Matter of Honour._ He also contributes to the children's educational magazine _Aquila._He is a full-time writer and editor, but tries to find time to indulge in a range of interests. He is a big sports fan, particularly football, enjoys cooking and makes a mean risotto, has an eclectic taste in music but especially folk and Celtic. He is a Buddhist and practitioner of Tai Chi. He was born in Nottingham, where he still lives with a half-deaf and fully mad dog called Max.