Meirion James Trow (born 16 October 1949) is a Welsh author of crime fiction, who writes under the name M. J. Trow. He has written mysteries featuring Inspector Lestrade, Peter Maxwell, Kit Marlowe and Margaret Murray.

Biography

Trow was born in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. He went to Warwick School from 1961 to 1968. In 1968 he went to

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

to read history. After graduation he spent a year at

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...

. From 1972 he was a history teacher in

Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second Garden city movement, garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first New towns in the United Kingdom, new towns (designated 1948). It is ...

in Hertfordshire. On 14 July 1973 he married Carol Mary Long, and in 1976 moved to the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

where he worked as a teacher of History and Politics at Ryde High School. He is a member of the

Society of Authors The Society of Authors (SoA) is a United Kingdom trade union for professional writers, illustrators and literary translators, founded in 1884 to protect the rights and further the interests of authors. Membership of the society is open to "anyon ...

and of the

Crime Writers' Association The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors' organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its "Dagger" awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. ...

. Trow is also known for his work in theatre and dramas, organising and participating in many performances. In 2008 he appeared on the Channel 4 show '' Richard & Judy'' talking about his book ''Spartacus: The Myth and the Man''.

Works

Fiction

Trow has written over 50 fiction books, principally in three series.

"Inspector Lestrade" series

Featuring the character from the

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

stories.

"Peter Maxwell" series

Featuring a teacher and amateur sleuth. # ''Maxwell's House'' (1994) # ''Maxwell's Flame'' (1995) # ''Maxwell's Movie'' (1997) # ''Maxwell's War'' (1999) # ''Maxwell's Ride'' (2000) # ''Maxwell's Curse'' (2000) # ''Maxwell's Reunion'' (2001) # ''Maxwell's Match'' (2002) # ''Maxwell's Inspection'' (2003) # ''Maxwell's Grave'' (2004) # ''Maxwell's Mask'' (2005) # ''Maxwell's Point'' (2007) # ''Maxwell's Chain'' (2008) # ''Maxwell's Revenge'' (2009) # ''Maxwell's Retirement'' (2010) # ''Maxwell's Island'' (2011) # ''Maxwell's Crossing'' (2012) # ''Maxwell's Return'' (2014) # ''Maxwell's Academy'' (2015) # ''Maxwell's Summer'' (2020) # ''Maxwell's Zoom'' (2022)

"Kit Marlowe" series

Featuring the 16th-century playwright and poet as detective. # ''Dark Entry'' (2011) # ''Silent Court'' (2011) # ''Witch Hammer'' (2012) # ''Scorpions's Nest'' (2012) # ''Crimson Rose'' (2013) # ''Traitor's Storm'' (2014) # ''Secret World'' (2015) # ''Eleventh Hour'' (2017) # ''Queen's Progress'' (2018) # ''Black Death'' (2019) # ''The Reckoning'' (2020) # ''The Moon Rising'' (2024) The Kit Marlowe series is published by Severn House.

"Margaret Murray"

Featuring the 19th/20th-century archaeologist and feminist. # ''Four Thousand Days'' (2021)

"Britannia" series

Co-written with Richard Denham, and set in Sub-Roman Britain. # ''Part I: The Wall'' (2014) # ''Part II: The Watchmen'' (2014) # ''Part III: The Warlords'' (2016) # ''World of Britannia: Historical Companion to the Britannia Series'' (2016)

Non-fiction

*''Let Him Have It, Chris'' (1990), on which the film '' Let Him Have It'' (1991) was based *''The Wigwam Murder'', based on the '' August Sangret'' case. (1994, republished by ''T Squared Books'' in 2016) *''The Many Faces of Jack the Ripper'' (1997) *''Who Killed Kit Marlowe?: a Contract to Murder in Elizabethan England'' (2001) *''Vlad the Impaler: in Search of the Real Dracula'' (2003) *''Boudicca'' (2004) *''Cnut: Emperor of the North'' (2005) *''Spartacus: the Myth and the Man'' (2006) *''The Pocket Hercules'' (2006) *''El Cid: the Making of a Legend'' (2007) *''War Crimes: Underworld Britain in the Second World War'' (2008) *''A Brief History of Vampires'' (2010) *''Ripper Hunter: Abberline and the Whitechapel Murders'' (2012) *''A Brief History of Cleopatra'' (2013) *''The Hagley Wood Murder: Nazi Spies and Witchcraft in Wartime Britain'' (2023)

References

External links

Britannia series official websiteM. J. Trow
at Fantastic Fiction
T Squared Books official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trow, M. J. 1949 births Living people People from Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf Welsh novelists Welsh crime novelists Writers of Sherlock Holmes pastiches People educated at Warwick School Alumni of King's College London Historians of Jack the Ripper