Edward Marston is the pseudonym used by the famous British author Keith Miles for writing mystery and historical fiction novels. Edward also writes under his original name sometimes. Other than these names, he has also written novels featuring ship’s detectives under other pseudonyms Conrad Allen and Martin Inigo. Edward is particularly known for writing the mystery novels set in the time of Elizabeth theater. Among the all the novel series’ written by him, the most famous ones include The Railway Detective series, the Bracewell series, the Domesday series, the Christopher Redmayne series and the Home Front Detective series. The Domesday series is the one for which author Edward Marston is well known. Apart from the mysteries, he also likes to write novels based on the Biography and Children’s genres. Edward was born in the year 1940 in Wales, United Kingdom and was also brought up there. He completed his studies from the Oxford University in Modern History and began working as a lecturer in the same college. He taught Modern History to the students of the Oxford College for a period of three years before going on to become a full time writer, mostly as a freelancer.
Edward has also worked as a director and an actor for a short period and also owned a professional theater company. Edward has also served as a drama teacher in a prison and worked as an editor for the stories of a film company situated in Pinewood. In his career spanning around 50 years, Edward has written more than 40 plays for the radio, theater and television. He has even completed a drama series comprising of hundreds of episodes. But today, Edward has left everything else and tries to concentrate on the development of his mystery series’. His nautical mysteries under the pseudonym Conrad Allen are set in the Edwardian era, the first of which, “Murder on the Lusitania” was released in the year 1999. Edward’s first historical mystery novel was released under the title “The Queen’s Head” in the year 1988, which launched the Bracewell series. Under his original name Keith Miles, he has written a total of 6 novels based on the crime genre. These novels feature the main protagonist, Alan Saxon. Edward has set all the novels in different countries each having different settings, the latest of which was released in the year 2004.
Edward has also written a couple of architectural novels, which are set in the 1930’s era of America, featuring the main protagonist Merlin Richards. Because of his highly acclaimed style of writing and unique setting, he is regarded as a pro in his field by many reputed magazines. The hallmarks of his books include consummate storytelling, astute characterization and plot setting and a love of period. His early series’ as a scriptwriter for radio and television include Z-Cars, The Archers and Crossroads. Edward adopted his pseudonym of Edward Marston inspired from a real Elizabethan playwright named John Marston when he began writing novels set in the Elizabethan theatrical world. His earlier series under the pseudonym featured a fictional theater company named Westfield’s Men. His other historical series’ have been set during the Restoration London, Victorian England during 1850’s and the military operations of the Duke of Marlborough. Edward was the chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association in the year 1997-98. He was married twice, first with Rosalind Miles and the second time with Judith Cutler, who is a mystery writer herself.
The novel series “Domesday” written by Edward consists of 11 highly successful novels based on the historical mystery genre. The novels were published from 1993 to 2000 and introduced the central characters Gervase Bret Ralph Delchard, set during the 11th century. Ralph is a soldier and Bret is a lawyer by profession, who are appointed as commissioners by King William. They are hired to investigate the irregularities that are highlighted during the survey of the lands of England, in the Domesday Book. Together, they form a good crime-fighting team and try to stabilize the violent and unstable era in the history of England. All the books of the series are set in different counties. The first novel of the series was published under the title “The Wolves of Savernake” in the year 1993 by the Fawcett publishing house. The novel shows the time of the year 1086 when William the Conqueror appoints surveyors for recording the resources of the lands of his kingdom. The surveyors are welcomed by some and hated by the others as several murders take place during their surveys. One such murder happens when a wealthy miller is killed by a wolf in the Savernake Forest in the Bedwyn town. The King appoints Ralph Delchard and Grevase Bret to investigate the murder. The two are stuck in a dilemma over the killer as they cannot decide whether the wealthy miller was killed by the monks in the town or his own wife has betrayed him. However, the two continue to investigate the murders along with the surveys amidst several other murders taking place in the Bedwyn town. The novel is full of evocative and artful adventures along with lore, humor and the historical legend of the 11th century England.
The second novel of the Domesday series was published under the title “The Ravens of Blackwater” in the year 1994 by the Fawcett publishing house. In this novel, the author has continued to describe the historically fascinating and colorful series of mysteries. The plot of the novel opens in the village of Maldon, which is controlled by the Fitzcorbucion family. This family, led by Hamo Fitzcorbucion, is a wealthy and rapacious family. Hamo is the lord of the Blackwater Castle, a bully who has a amassed his wealth by all sorts. However, he gets enraged at the murder of his eldest son, Guy and decides to demand justice at all costs. Soon, Gervase Bret and Ralpdh Delchard arrive in the village on the royal duty of surveying the lands of the village. Here, they find many irregularities, accounting the Fitzcorbucion family. In spite of the growing tensions between the Saxon and the Norman factions of the village, the two find relaxing time with the nuns of the village. However, they are forced to face dangerous situations due to the murder of Guy and Hamo’s determination for revenge. Author Edward Marston was highly praised for his efforts in penning down an intriguing story, filled with energy, tenderness, suspense, the heroism and chicanery along with the beautiful description of the historical era of England.
Just finished reading all the railway detective books, doomsday and the the home front detective series books for the last 15 months and they are brilliant books to read now to read other books
Scotland
My father was a typesetter (printer) and we were encouraged to read from the time we were old enough to pick up a book. SO – You would think that as an avid reader now in my 80th year, I would have come upon the writings of Edward Marston before this !!! After having come to terms with this dreadful oversight I have read all the later books readily available and am currently trying to track down some of the earlier editions of The Railway Detective, Home Front Detective, Ocean Liner Mysteries and Bow Street Rivals. Loving every page. Thank you for (belatedly) brightening up so many of my days. I’ve also managed to get my 86 year old sister hooked as well !!!
Kindest regards
Marjorie Moffatt
Australia.
(Formerly of Croydon, Surrey, so perhaps you can see why these series are especially interesting to us.
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Just finished reading all the railway detective books, doomsday and the the home front detective series books for the last 15 months and they are brilliant books to read now to read other books
Scotland
I have 100% railwau detective books most
also cd/mp3 .. hsve all Ocean liner and
Domesdsy series. I NEED MORE
Rob Jerrabomberra
My father was a typesetter (printer) and we were encouraged to read from the time we were old enough to pick up a book. SO – You would think that as an avid reader now in my 80th year, I would have come upon the writings of Edward Marston before this !!! After having come to terms with this dreadful oversight I have read all the later books readily available and am currently trying to track down some of the earlier editions of The Railway Detective, Home Front Detective, Ocean Liner Mysteries and Bow Street Rivals. Loving every page. Thank you for (belatedly) brightening up so many of my days. I’ve also managed to get my 86 year old sister hooked as well !!!
Kindest regards
Marjorie Moffatt
Australia.
(Formerly of Croydon, Surrey, so perhaps you can see why these series are especially interesting to us.