History is Martyn Beardsley's big passion, and he has written books on a variety of subjects. He got the idea for (King Charles) while enjoying a pint (or two) in the George Inn Mere, Wiltshire, which sheltered Charles while on the run, and which has a King Charles room. His other non-fiction works include 'The Gunpowder Plot Deceit' and 'A Matter of Honour', an account of Britain's last fatal duel. He was born in Nottingham, where he still lives with a half-deaf and fully mad dog called Max.