John Van der Kiste has published over seventy books, including music, historical biography, local history, true crime and fiction. His other musical titles include works on ELO, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Lindisfarne, Steeleye Span and Steve Winwood. He is a contributor to Guinness Rockopaedia and 'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography', has written CD insert notes for various reissues, and reviewed books and records for the national and local press. An occasional musician and songwriter in his spare time, he lives in Devon.