Michael Francis Gilbert was born in Billinghay, Lincolnshire.
After leaving school he decided to read law but due to lack of funds he
had to teach at a preparatory school in Salisbury, while studying at London
University. In 1938 he joined a firm of solicitors. To bring in some extra
money, he had the idea to write a detective story. He was however called
up at the outbreak of World War II. In 1943 he was captured by the Germans
in North Africa. He managed to escape but was recaptured and sent to a
P.O.W. camp in Italy. In 1943 he was released and rejoined his regiment.
Soon after the war he qualified as a solicitor. In 1947 he joined the firm
of Trower, Still and Keeling and shortly afterwards married one of the
firm's secretaries, Roberta Mary Marsden. That year also saw the publication
of his first crime novel. In 1952 he became a partner in the firm. In 1960 he became
legal adviser to the Goverment of Bahrain. Although Gilbert has used a large number of different
protagonists in his novels and stories, he has also created several series
characters like Chief Inspector Hazlerigg of Scotland Yard.
In 1983 he retired from the law.
