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. His debut novel, The Festival Murders, was longlisted for the Independent on Sunday's 2014 Alternative Booker prize, and selected as the Mail on Sunday's 'Thriller of the Week'.