<p><strong>David McGill is a New Zealand social historian and fiction writer who has published 60 books.</strong> Born in Auckland, educated in the Bay of Plenty and at a Christchurch seminary, he trained as a teacher and did a BA at Victoria University of Wellington. He worked as a feature writer for <em>The Listener</em>, Sydney’s <em>The Bulletin</em>, London’s <em>TVTimes</em>, wrote columns for the <em>Evening Post</em> in Wellington and edited a local lifestyle magazine before becoming a full-time writer in 1984. His book subjects include <em>Ghost Towns of New Zealand</em> and the country’s first bushranger, local and national heritage buildings, Kiwi prisoners of war, the history of the NZ Customs Department, a biography of a criminal lawyer, a personal history of rock music, a rail journey around the country, historical and comic novels, several thrillers and six collections of Kiwi slang and recently seven Dan Delaney Mysteries. He collects owl figurines and reads thrillers.</p>
