Robin Odell developed an interest in forensic science after training as a laboratory technician and turned to crime writing as a pastime. His first book, Jack the Ripper in Fact & Fiction, published in 1965, is still regarded as an important contribution to the subject. In a writing career spanning over forty years, he has written or co-written eighteen books in the fields of true crime, forensic investigation and criminal history. Paul Donnelley has written over 20 books including Essex Murders, Assassins and Assassinations, and 501 Most Notorious Crimes. He has worked for several magazines and newspapers including The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph, Punch, and, since 2008, Master Detective where he writes 'Paul Donnelley's Murder Month,' a column on criminal history.