Miles, Keith 1940–
Miles, Keith 1940–
(Conrad Allen, David Garland, Kenneth Harper, Charlie Hope, Martin Inigo, Edward Marston, Christopher Mountjoy)
PERSONAL: Born May 16, 1940, in Cardiff, Wales; son of Ernest Walter (a railway inspector) and Violet Maud (a homemaker; maiden name, Allen) Miles; married Rosalind Mary Simpson (a writer), 1964; children: Helena Rose, Conrad David. Ethnicity: "Welsh." Education: University College, Oxford, B.A. (honours), 1962, M.A., 1964. Politics: "Radical." Religion: Church of England. Hobbies and other interests: Crime, theatre, history, sport, travel, politics, book collecting, gardening.
ADDRESSES: Home—Meadow View, Bossingham, Canterbury, Kent CT4 6DX, England. Office—11 Quarry View, Ashford, Kent TN23 5WD, England. Agent—c/o Stuart Krichevsky, SK Literary Agency, Inc., 381 Park Ave. S., Ste 914, New York, NY 10016. E-mail—[email protected].
CAREER: Wulfrun College, Wolverhampton, England, lecturer in modern history, 1962–65; playwright and author, 1965–. Winson Green Prison, drama lecturer, 1962–64; founder of a theater company, 1978; visiting lecturer at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, Europe, United States, and Australia.
MEMBER: Crime Writers Association (chair, 1997–98), Mystery Writers of America, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
WRITINGS:
Günter Grass (critical study), Barnes and Noble (New York, NY), 1975.
Ambridge Summer (novel), Wingate (London, England), 1975.
Crossroads, a Family Affair (novel), A. Barker (London, England), 1980.
The Finest Swordsman in All France: A Celebration of the Cliché (nonfiction), Sphere Books (London, England), 1983.
Breaks (novel), Arrow (London, England), 1983.
Russian Masters (also see below), Samuel French (London, England), 1984.
Not for Glory, Not for Gold (novel), Century Hutchinson (London, England), 1985.
(With Rahmat Khan) Jahangir and the Khan Dynasty (biography), Pelham Books (London, England), 1988.
(Under pseudonym Martin Inigo) Stone Dead, Sphere Books (London, England), 1991.
(Under pseudonym Martin Inigo) Touch Play, Sphere Books (London, England), 1991.
Murder in Perspective: An Architectural Mystery ("Merlin Richards Mysteries" series), Walker (New York, NY), 1997.
Saint's Rest ("Merlin Richards Mysteries" series), Walker (New York, NY), 1999.
(As David Garland) Saratoga: A Novel of the American Revolution, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2005.
(As Edward Marston) Murder, Ancient and Modern, Crippen and Landru (Norfolk, VA), 2005.
Also editor of The Handbook of Rugby, 1995. Contributor of stories to anthologies, including Times Anthology of Ghost Stories, 1975; Exciting Escape Stories, 1979; Royal Crimes, 1993; Murder at Anchor, 1997; Doomsday Deferred, 1998; Past Poisons, 1998; Impossible Crimes, 1999; Murder Most Medieval, 1999; Death by Horoscope, 2001; Ellery Queen Mystery magazine, 2001–06; Best British Mysteries, 2004–06; and Thou Shalt Not Kill, 2006. Miles's plays Chekhov and Dostoevsky, from the volume Russian Masters, were produced in Ealing, England, 1986 and 1989, respectively. Contributor of final chapter to The Sunken Sailor, Berkley (New York, NY), 2004.
"ALAN SAXON MYSTERIES" SERIES
Bullet Hole, Deutsch (London, England), 1986, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1987, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2002.
Double Eagle, Deutsch (London, England), 1987, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1988, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2002.
Green Murder, Macdonald (London, England), 1990, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2002.
Flagstick, Macdonald (London, England), 1991, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2003.
Bermuda Grass, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2002.
Honolulu Play-Off, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2003.
FOR CHILDREN
Skydive, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
Seabird, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
Bushranger, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Snowstorm, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Frontier, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Iggy (part of "Sin Bin" series), Armada Books (London, England), 1988.
Melanie (part of "Sin Bin" series), Armada Books (London, England), 1988.
Tariq, Armada Books (London, England), 1989.
Bev, Armada Books (London, England), 1989.
Death Vault, Knight Books (London, England), 1990.
Fast Wheels, Knight Books (London, England), 1990.
NOVELIZATIONS; UNDER PSEUDONYM KENNETH HARPER, EXCEPT AS NOTED
(As Keith Miles) The Warrior Kings, Fontana Books (London, England), 1978.
(As Keith Miles) Arabian Adventure, Mirror (London, England), 1979.
(As Keith Miles) The Spoils of War, Fontana (London, England), 1980.
(As Keith Miles) We'll Meet Again, Macdonald (Hove, England), 1981.
(As Keith Miles; with David Butler) Marco Polo, Dell (New York, NY), 1982.
Falling in Love, Panther (London, England), 1985.
Dance with a Stranger (based on an original film script by Shelagh Delaney), Panther (London, England), 1985.
The Deathstone, Knight Books (London, England), 1986.
Peril under Paris, illustrated by Bruce Hogarth, Knight Books (London, England), 1986.
Book of Power, illustrated by Bruce Hogarth, Knight Books (London, England), 1986.
Venice Menace, illustrated by Bruce Hogarth, Knight Books (London, England), 1986.
The Everglades Oddity, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
Panda Power, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
The Plunder of the Glow-Worm Grotto, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
Dragonfire, Knight Books (London, England), 1987.
Janine's Genie, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Slimer, Come Home, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Ghosts-R-Us, Knight Books (London, England), 1988.
Demob, Pavilion (London, England), 1993.
"CITY HOSPITAL" SERIES
New Blood, Collins (London, England), 1995.
Accident, Collins (London, England), 1995, reprinted under name Charlie Hope, 2000.
Flames, Collins (London, England), 1995.
Fever, Collins (London, England), 1995, reprinted under name Charlie Hope, 2000.
Emergency, Collins (London, England), 1995, reprinted under name Charlie Hope, 2000.
Coma, Collins (London, England), 1995.
Target, Collins (London, England), 1995.
Stress, Collins (London, England), 1995, reprinted under name Charlie Hope, 2000.
X-Ray, Collins (London, England), 1996, reprinted under name Charlie Hope, 2000.
High Rise, Collins (London, England), 1996.
(As Charlie Hope) Pulse, Collins (London, England), 2000.
RADIO PLAYS
Just for the Day (also see below), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 1964.
Athlete, BBC, 1969.
Only the Nuts Write In, BBC, 1969.
Red, BBC, 1969.
A Classic Case, BBC, 1970.
Conference, BBC, 1970.
White Nights, BBC, 1970.
Where's Your Sense of Democracy?, BBC, 1970.
A Touch of Henry James, BBC, 1971.
Present from an Admirer, BBC, 1972.
The Radical Dandy, BBC, 1974.
Laid to Rest, BBC, 1974.
Hanneman, BBC, 1975.
The Love Match, BBC, 1975.
Brushes, BBC, 1976.
Double or Quits, Capital Radio, 1980.
Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot, Capital Radio, 1981.
England and St. George, Capital Radio, 1982.
Faces in the Smoke, Capital Radio, 1984.
Hillcrest (104 episodes), BBC, 1990–92.
Contributor of stories to the radio programs Moments of Terror, Capital Radio, 1979–80, and Morning Story, BBC, 1979–82.
TELEVISION PLAYS
Just for the Day, BBC-TV, 1968.
Sinking Fish Move Sideways, BBC-TV, 1968.
The Helpers, BBC-TV, 1970.
Sloman, BBC-TV, 1970.
The Love Machine, London Weekend Television, 1970.
Quick and the Dead, London Weekend Television, 1970.
STAGE PLAYS
A Man Named John (one-act), produced in Oxford, England, 1960.
The Miracles, produced in Oxford, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland, 1960.
The Old World Touch (one-act), produced in Sutton Cold-field, England, 1966.
The Relationship (one-act), produced in Sutton Cold-field, England, 1966.
Mad Mike (three-act), produced in Coventry, England, 1977.
Goodbye Liberty Hall (three-act), produced in Coventry, England, 1978.
King Dick (one-act), produced in Coventry, England, 1979.
Songs for a Summer Day (three-act), produced in Sutton Coldfield, England, 1986.
STAGE ADAPTATIONS
(Coadapter) The Miracles, produced in Oxford, England, 1960, produced at Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1960.
Henrik Ibsen, Ghosts, produced in Sutton Coldfield, England, 1972.
August Strindberg, The Stronger, produced in Sutton Coldfield, England, 1972.
The Coventry Mystery Plays (produced in Coventry, England, 1978), Heinemann (London, England), 1981.
William Shakespeare, Henry IV, produced in Coventry, England, 1981.
D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley's Lover, produced in Coventry, England, 1981.
William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, produced in Coventry, England, 1981.
Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd, produced in Coventry, England, 1983.
UNDER PSEUDONYM CONRAD ALLEN
Murder on the Lusitania, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2000.
Murder on the Mauretania, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2001.
Murder on the Minnesota, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.
Murder on the Caronia, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.
Murder on the Marmora, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2004.
Murder on the Salsette, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2005.
Murder on the Oceanic, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2006.
UNDER PSEUDONYM CHRISTOPHER MOUNTJOY
Coming of Age (novel), Futura Books (London, England), 1984.
Queen and Country (novel), Futura Books (London, England), 1985.
The Honourable Member (novel), Futura Books (London, England), 1986.
"ELIZABETHAN THEATER" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM EDWARD MARSTON
The Queen's Head, Transworld (London, England), 1988, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1989.
The Merry Devils, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1989.
The Trip to Jerusalem, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1990.
The Nine Giants, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1991.
The Mad Courtesan, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1992.
The Silent Woman, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1992.
The Roaring Boy, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1995.
The Laughing Hangman, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1996.
The Fair Maid of Bohemia, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.
The Wanton Angel, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1999.
The Devil's Apprentice, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2001.
The Bawdy Basket, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.
The Vagabond Clown, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The Counterfeit Crank, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2004.
The Malevolent Comedy, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2005.
The Princess of Denmark, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2006.
"DOMESDAY" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM EDWARD MARSTON
The Wolves of Savernake, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1993.
The Ravens of Blackwater, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1994.
The Dragons of Archenfield, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1995.
The Lions of the North, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1996.
The Serpents of Harbledown, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1996, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1998.
The Stallions of Woodstock, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1997, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1999.
The Hawks of Delamere, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1998, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2000.
The Wildcats of Exeter, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1998, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2001.
The Foxes of Warwick, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1999, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2002.
The Owls of Gloucester, Hodder Headline (London, England), 2000, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The Elephants of Norwich, Hodder Headline (London, England), 2000.
"CHRISTOPHER REDMAYNE" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM EDWARD MARSTON
The King's Evil, Hodder Headline (London, England), 1999.
The Amorous Nightingale, Hodder Headline (London, England), 2000.
The Repentant Rake, Hodder Headline (London, England), 2001.
The Frost Fair, Allison and Busby (London, England), 2002.
The Parliament House, Allison and Busby (London, England), 2006.
"INSPECTOR ROBERT COLBECK" SERIES; UNDER PSEUDONYM EDWARD MARSTON
The Railway Detective, Allison and Busby (London, England), 2004.
The Excursion Train, Allison and Busby (London, England), 2005.
The Railway Viaduct, Allison and Busby (London, England), 2006.
SIDELIGHTS: Welsh novelist, playwright, and children's author Keith Miles is best known for his historical mystery novels. A prolific writer, Miles has authored numerous plays, teleplays, adaptations, and academic works, such as his first book, Günter Grass, which analyzes the German psyche during the Nazi era.
Miles's first mystery series, the "Alan Saxon Mysteries," is set in contemporary times and focuses on professional golfer/detective Alan Saxon, who not only plays golf in a different country in each book, but often ends up embroiled in a mystery, too. Novels in the series include Bullet Hole, Double Eagle, Green Murder, Flagstick, Bermuda Grass, and Honolulu Play-Off. Commenting on his writing style in the series, Miles told J. Kingston Pierce of January Magazine: "What was interesting … was that I wrote them in the first person, which has advantages and disadvantages for the writer. The main advantage is the concentration of the narrative, telling the story through one man's eyes and building in moments of self-discovery for him; the reverse side of that coin is that all the information about other characters and events has to be fed through him."
Another of Miles's series, written under the pseudonym Edward Marston, features Nicholas Bracewell, the manager of Lord Westfield's Men, a theater company plagued by bad luck in sixteenth-century Elizabethan England. Miles told Pierce that his inspiration for the "Elizabethan Theater" series and its main character "came out of a love for the theater, buttressed by regular visits to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford." Miles also admitted that he most enjoyed writing the sixth volume in the series, The Silent Woman, because it closely examines Nicholas and his past. "He is by no means an unblemished hero and this book explained why," Miles remarked. In the book, a young girl disguised as a boy is poisoned while en route to deliver an urgent message to Nicholas. In order to unmask the murderer, Nicholas must revisit his childhood home and confront demons from his past, which have haunted him for more than twenty years. Writing for Publishers Weekly, one critic noted that The Silent Woman is "sparkling with humor, dramatic twists and deft turns of phrase." A frequent reviewer of Miles's work, Booklist contributor Margaret Flanagan reported that the author "continues to deliver an entertaining and artfully engineered balance of ribald comedy, suspenseful action, and tender intrigue."
Other books in the "Elizabethan Theater" series have also received positive critical attention. A Publishers Weekly contributor felt that The Roaring Boy, in which Nicholas must search for both a killer and a way to save his theatre company, is "expertly wrought." Likewise, a Booklist reviewer termed The Laughing Hangman, "a delightfully dazzling period piece." In it, Nicholas investigates a series of hangings by a killer whose distinctive cackle echoes throughout the theater after each murder. The Fair Maid of Bohemia, deemed "an excellent Elizabethan historical" mystery by Library Journal reviewer Rex E. Klett, finds Nicholas and his acting troupe investigating a murder that occurs during the first performance of a play.
The thirteenth volume of the series, The Vagabond Clown, continues the story of Nicholas and Lord Westfield's Men, as a riot and murder during a performance leave Nicholas searching for a new venue where his troupe can perform. Nicholas must also locate a substitute for injured clown Barnaby Gill. When the substitute clown is stabbed, Nicholas suspects sabotage and launches an investigation to expose a murderer. Writing for Publishers Weekly, one critic observed that Miles "vividly evokes the sights, sounds, and smells of the taverns, inns, guildhalls, and castles visited by the players." Similarly, Booklist contributor Flanagan maintained that The Vagabond Clown is "steeped in authentic Elizabethan detail" and "continues to serve up equal portions of humor and suspense."
Following The Vagabond Clown, Miles penned the fourteenth and fifteenth installments of the "Elizabethan Theater" series. In 2004's The Counterfeit Crank, which a Publishers Weekly reviewer felt has "a breathtaking finale," Nicholas and his troupe encounter a string of problems, from a playwright who falls ill to stolen costumes and fraud. The Malevolent Comedy, published in 2005, finds Nicholas hiring the promising, if obnoxious, new playwright Saul Hibbert to boost numbers in the audience. However, after a string of strange occurrences, including a poisoned actor and a kidnapping, Nicholas begins to wonder if the new playwright might have one too many enemies. A contributor to Publishers Weekly called The Malevolent Comedy a "lively and entertaining caper," while a Kirkus Reviews critic described it as "a wild romp with subplots as amusing as those of many an Elizabethan comedy."
Miles is also known for the books in his "Domesday" series, which are set in eleventh-century England and feature the adventures of Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, two men leading a royal commission for William the Conqueror. "The narrative and thematic richness of the books," noted a contributor to the St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers, "combined with substantive characterization, serve to elevate them above the genre category." The first book in the series, The Wolves of Savernake, follows Ralph and Gervase through Savernake Forest near Stonehenge as they attempt to assess the charter and holdings for a taxation dispute. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that the book is filled with "period details and colorful venues."
Ralph and Gervase return in The Ravens of Blackwater to investigate the death of a serf's son. Flanagan, writing in Booklist, rendered the second volume of the "Domesday" series "a splendid medieval mystery … suffused with fascinating historical detail." Similarly, a contributor to Publishers Weekly observed that the author "draws a resonant and historically accurate picture of life during the period."
The third installment, The Dragons of Archenfield, follows Ralph and Gervase to the Welsh border to settle a land dispute and solve another murder. A Publishers Weekly reviewer believed that the book starts off well, "but peters out into standard costume drama." However, Booklist reviewer Flanagan acknowledged The Dragons of Archenfield as an "outstanding medieval mystery brimming with intrigue, suspense, and authentic historical detail." Other books in the "Domesday" series that won praise from Flanagan include The Lions of the North, in which Ralph and Gervase go to York to settle a series of tangled property disputes, and The Serpents of Harbledown, which follows the pair as they lead the murder investigation of an adored young woman supposedly killed by a snake bite.
In The Stallions of Woodstock, the sixth "Domesday" book, Ralph and Gervase investigate the stabbing of a prominent rider during a horse race and the apparent suicide of a Norman lord's talented sister. As a Publishers Weekly critic explained, the novel "brings to life the turmoil of an England torn between Norman and Saxon, where the conquered's underlying resentment of the conquerors often bubbled over into murder."
Following The Stallions of Woodstock, Miles penned The Hawks of Delamere. While investigating a land dispute on the Welsh border, Gervase and Ralph are entangled in a mystery when the Earl of Chester's prized hawk and hunting partner are both killed by arrows from an assassin's bow. Writing for Publishers Weekly, one contributor noted that the "explanation for the deadly archery comes as a real and satisfying surprise."
In the eighth book in the series, The Wildcats of Exeter, Ralph and Gervase are sent to hear a property dispute caused by the death of Nicolas Picard, who appears to have been murdered. Together, the duo must sort through a growing list of suspects to find the killer. "Monks peevish and saintly, a jester wise in his foolery, another murder, and some marital mayhem complete the entertaining picture" in this book, wrote Booklist reviewer GraceAnne A. DeCandido.
In 1997, Miles began a series of books about a young architect named Merlin Richards, the first of which is titled Murder in Perspective: An Architectural Mystery. Like his other historical novels, the books in this series are carefully researched and full of historical detail, observe critics. In the first book, Richards travels to the United States to meet famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In the second, Saint's Rest, Richards is hired to work in Wright's old stomping grounds and stumbles upon a mystery. Critics were mostly positive in their reviews of the "architectural mysteries." Emily Melton, in a Booklist review of Murder in Perspective, acknowledged Miles's "pleasant, low-key style" and "well-designed story," and called Richards an "endearingly honest hero." In a critique of Saint's Rest for the Library Journal, reviewer Klett rendered the series "captivating."
Writing under the pseudonym Conrad Allen, Miles debuted in 2000 a series of historical novels that take place on luxurious ocean liners in the early twentieth century. Murder on the Lusitania introduces the Cunard Line's charming, intelligent, and good-looking private detective George Porter Dillman, who goes undercover as a first-class passenger during the Lusitania's maiden voyage in 1907. Shortly into the voyage, diagrams of the luxury liner's wiring system are stolen and a journalist is murdered. As George works to find a thief and a killer, he also finds a bit of romance with the outgoing and adventurous Genevieve Masefield. In a review for Booklist, Budd Arthur commented that Miles's "style harks back to the classic English mysteries of the first half of this century."
George and Genevieve return in Murder on the Mauretania, working undercover to catch a thief—who later turns up dead—and attempting to hide their budding relationship. According to Library Journal contributor Klett, Murder on the Mauretania is full of "lush descriptions," while Booklist reviewer DeCandido termed the book "good period fun."
For their next adventure on the high seas, George and Genevieve board a steamship traveling from Seattle to China and Japan. Murder on the Minnesota follows the pair as they try to locate a group of weapons smugglers. Things turn deadly, however, when a priest is murdered. In a review of the novel for Booklist, Barbara Bibel noted that "[Miles] captures the historical details and nuances of social class very well."
Following Murder on the Minnesota, Miles authored Murder on the Caronia, in which the detective duo board a ship sailing from New York to Liverpool. Among the ship's passengers are two Scotland Yard police officers who are escorting John James Heritage and his mistress, who together murdered Heritage's wife by poisoning her. While George and Genevieve take turns solving several small crimes, the real mystery takes off when one of the police officers is killed. One Kirkus Reviews contributor felt that Murder on the Caronia offered "less nautical opulence" than earlier works in the series, but noted "there's a veritable shoal of red herrings" throughout the book.
In the fifth book in the series, 2004's Murder on the Marmora, George and Genevieve embark on a small passenger ship as security guards. However, a number of robberies and a murder keep George and Genevieve busy. To make matters worse, Genevieve spots her ex-fiancé with his new wife. In a review for Publishers Weekly, one critic observed: "The happily-ever-after ending … should please mystery readers seeking purely escapist fare."
Newly married and fresh from their honeymoon, George and Genevieve return to sleuthing in Murder on the Salsette. Working undercover, the two detectives discover that a jewel thief is lurking aboard the ship. As Genev-ieve concentrates on finding the thief, George must investigate a murder. Booklist reviewer DeCandido felt that while some of the characters in Murder on the Salsette seemed somewhat "stereotypical," she did find that "the ambience and engaging story make for lightly captivating reading." In a critique for Midwest Book Review Bookwatch, one reviewer noted that Miles "has written an entertaining and enjoyable sea cruise mystery."
In 2006, Miles released the seventh book in the series, Murder on the Oceanic, which, according to Barbara Hoffert of the Library Journal, has "a nicely surprising ending." This installment follows George and Genevieve as they search for the thief who killed a security guard in order to lift priceless artwork from the stateroom of a wealthy passenger. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews observed that Miles "savors the opulence of the early-20th century" and creates "a cast of impeccably gowned and bejeweled suspects."
In addition to the "Alan Saxon," "Elizabethan Theater," and "Domesday" series, as well as his series featuring George and Genevieve, Miles has authored other historical mystery series. The Railway Detective, The Excursion Train, and The Railway Viaduct all feature Scotland Yard Inspector Robert Colbeck. Miles has also penned a series of mysteries revolving around London architect Christopher Redmayne. Both series are written under the pseudonym Edward Marston.
Miles once told CA: "I began writing plays and revue material while still at school. Oxford gave an enormous boost to my writing ambitions. I was involved in dozens of productions and learned about every aspect of drama. My first play, A Man Named John, was performed at the National Student Drama Festival in 1961. The work brought me to the attention of a BBC-Television drama producer who gave me invaluable encouragement and advice.
"After three years as a lecturer in social and industrial history, I became a full-time freelance writer. My first regular assignment was on a television drama serial which proved to be an excellent discipline. As well as writing original plays and a variety of books, I have also contributed over six hundred episodes to radio and television drama series. In the early days, I also formed my own theatre company to perform in small venues. I wrote, directed, designed, and even took the tickets at the door.
"I enjoy working on books because they offer the writer more creative control. My fascination with history runs through almost everything I write. My books are a learning process for the author as well as, hopefully, a source of entertainment for the reader. My first book was a study of Günter Grass. His work excited me very much indeed and I wanted to find out why. Writing the book gave me the answer. The vital ingredient for me is enthusiasm. A book requires an immense amount of time and energy. Do not commit yourself to any creative work unless you have boundless enthusiasm for the subject and for the characters. That will sustain you."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
BOOKS
St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers, 4th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1996.
PERIODICALS
Armchair Detective, summer, 1997, review of The Fair Maid of Bohemia, p. 363; winter, 1997, review of The Laughing Hangman, p. 101.
Booklist, October 1, 1993, review of The Wolves of Savernake, p. 257; May 15, 1994, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Silent Woman, p. 1667; September 15, 1994, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Ravens of Blackwater, p. 117; October 15, 1995, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Dragons of Archenfield, p. 388; September 1, 1996, review of The Laughing Hangman, p. 68; September 15, 1996, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Lions of the North, p. 224; February 15, 1997, Emily Melton, review of Murder in Perspective: An Architectural Mystery, p. 1007; May 1, 1998, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Serpents of Harbledown, p. 1506; July, 1999, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Wanton Angel, p. 1927; November 1, 1999, Budd Arthur, review of Murder on the Lusitania, p. 510; February 15, 2000, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Hawks of Delamere, p. 1089; December 1, 2000, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Murder on the Mauretania, p. 694; January 1, 2001, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of The Wildcats of Exeter, p. 925; August, 2001, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Devil's Apprentice, p. 2098; December 15, 2001, Barbara Bibel, review of Murder on the Minnesota, p. 706; March 15, 2002, Bill Ott, review of Bermuda Grass, p. 1216; May 1, 2003, Margaret Flanagan, review of Frost Fair, p. 1549; August, 2003, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Vagabond Clown, p. 1961; March 15, 2004, Bill Ott, review of Honolulu Play-Off, p. 1269; January 1, 2005, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Murder on the Salsette, p. 824; July, 2005, Margaret Flanagan, review of The Malevolent Comedy, p. 1905.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 1993, review of The Wolves of Savernake, p. 894; March 15, 1994, review of The Silent Woman, p. 345; May 15, 1995, review of The Roaring Boy, p. 672; August 1, 1995, review of The Dragons of Archenfield, p. 1064; July 15, 1996, review of The Laughing Hangman, p. 1006; August 1, 1996, review of The Lions of the North, p. 1102; January 1, 1997, review of The Stallions of Woodstock, p. 28; May 1, 1997, review of The Fair Maid of Bohemia, p. 762; May 1, 1998, review of The Serpents of Harbledown, p. 619; January 1, 1999, review of Murder in Perspective, p. 25; June 1, 1999, review of Saint's Rest, p. 839; December 15, 2000, review of The Wildcats of Exeter, p. 1725; January 1, 2001, review of The Wildcats of Exeter, p. 925; November 1, 2001, review of Murder on the Minnesota, p. 1516; November 15, 2002, review of Murder on the Caronia, p. 1658; November 15, 2003, review of Murder on the Marmora, p. 1341; May 1, 2005, review of The Excursion Train, p. 514; June 1, 2005, review of The Malevolent Comedy, p. 613; December 15, 2005, review of Murder on the Oceanic, p. 1299.
Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide, March, 1997, review of The Roaring Boy, p. 10.
Library Journal, September 1, 1994, review of The Ravens of Blackwater, p. 218; June 1, 1995, review of The Roaring Boy, p. 170; August, 1995, review of The Dragons of Archenfield, p. 124; July, 1996, review of The Laughing Hangman, p. 168; September 1, 1996, review of The Lions of the North, p. 214; February 1, 1997, Rex E. Klett, review of Murder in Perspective, p. 111; June 1, 1997, Rex E. Klett, review of The Fair Maid of Bohemia, p. 156; June 1, 1998, review of The Serpents of Harbledown, p. 167; February 1, 1999, review of The Stallions of Woodstock, p. 125; May 1, 1999, Rex E. Klett, review of Saint's Rest, p. 117; June 1, 1999, Rex E. Klett, review of The Wanton Angel, p. 186; December, 2000, Rex E. Klett, review of Murder on the Mauretania, p. 195; February 1, 2001, Rex E. Klett, review of The Wildcats of Exeter, p. 128; July, 2001, Rex E. Klett, review of The Devil's Apprentice, p. 130; January, 2003, Rex E. Klett, review of Murder on the Caronia, p. 163; May 1, 2003, Rex E. Klett, review of Frost Fair, p. 159; May 1, 2004, Rex E. Klett, review of The Railway Detective, p. 143; August, 2004, Rex E. Klett, review of The Counterfeit Crank, p. 60; May 1, 2005, Rex E. Klett, review of The Excursion Train, p. 66; December 1, 2005, Barbara Hoffert, review of Murder on the Oceanic, p. 106.
Midwest Book Review Bookwatch, April, 2005, review of Murder on the Salsette.
New York Times Book Review, May 29, 1994, review of The Silent Woman, p. 15; August 22, 1999, Marilyn Stasio, reviews of Saint's Rest and The Wanton Angel, p. 25; September 9, 2001, Marilyn Stasio, review of The Devil's Apprentice, p. 26.
Publishers Weekly, August 2, 1993, review of The Wolves of Savernake, p. 66; April 11, 1994, review of The Silent Woman, p. 59; August 22, 1994, review of The Ravens of Blackwater, p. 44; May 29, 1995, review of The Roaring Boy, p. 70; July 17, 1995, review of The Dragons of Archenfield, p. 242; June 24, 1996, review of The Laughing Hangman, p. 48; January 13, 1997, review of Murder in Perspective, p. 58; March 30, 1998, review of The Serpents of Harbledown, p. 72; January 18, 1999, review of The Stallions of Woodstock, p. 330; June 28, 1999, reviews of Saint's Rest and The Wanton Angel, p. 57; November 29, 1999, review of Murder on the Lusitania, p. 55; January 31, 2000, review of The Hawks of Delamere, p. 84; December 4, 2000, review of The Wildcats of Exeter, p. 56; June 25, 2001, review of The Devil's Apprentice, p. 53; February 25, 2002, Eunice Gould, "PW Talks with Keith Miles," p. 46; July 15, 2002, review of The Bawdy Basket, p. 58; June 30, 2003, review of The Vagabond Clown, p. 60; December 1, 2003, review of Murder on the Marmora, p. 44; April 5, 2004, review of The Railway Detective, p. 44; July 19, 2004, review of The Counterfeit Crank, p. 148; June 20, 2005, review of The Malevolent Comedy, p. 61.
School Library Journal, April, 1995, review of The Ravens of Blackwater, p. 167.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 1997, review of Murder in Perspective, p. 112.
ONLINE
Edward Marston Home Page, http://www.edwardmarston.com (February 6, 2006).
January Magazine, http://www.januarymagazine.com/ (February 6, 2006), J. Kingston Pierce, interview with Keith Miles.