Mark McCrum began his career as a travel writer, with well-received books about Southern Africa (Happy Sad Land), Australia (No Worries) and Ireland (The Craic). He is also the author of the UK Top Ten non-fiction bestsellers 1900 House and Castaway 2000, the UK No.1 bestseller Robbie Williams: Somebody Someday, and Walking With The Wounded, which told the story of four wounded soldiers and their successful attempt to reach the North Pole. The Festival Murders is his debut novel.