Pseudonym of John Franklin Broxholme. He was born in Bradford. After attending Bradford Grammar School, he joined the Bradford Telegraph and Argus as a copy boy where he learned his trade as a reporter. Following his national service,which he spent with British Army Intelligence, he joined the Leicester Mercury as a sub-editor, then as picture editor for the Yorkshire Post. In 1957 he joined Odhams Press, working as assistant editor on Today, before becoming editor of TV World. In 1969 he left Odhams to become a full time writer. He also wrote under the pseudonym 'James Meldrum'.