Martin Fido
Encyclopedia
Martin Austin Fido is a university teacher, true crime
writer and broadcaster. His many books include The Crimes, Detection and Death of Jack the Ripper, The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard, and The Murder Guide to London.
After leaving Balliol College, Oxford
in 1966 where he had been a Junior Research Fellow in English, he went to the University of Leeds
where he lectured in English until 1973. In 1971 he went to Michigan State University
in the USA where he was a Visiting Associate Professor for one year, and in 1973 he became a Reader in English Literature and Head of the English Department at the University of the West Indies
, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados
. In the West Indies he was active in theatre and educational broadcasting. In 1983 he returned to England and became a free-lance writer and broadcaster, specializing in true crime. He broadcast a weekly radio programme called Murder After Midnight on London's LBC Radio
from 1987 to 2001, some of which were produced and released commercially on cassette and CD by his friend (and fellow LBC broadcaster) Paul Savory. Aside from his many true crime books he has also written illustrated biographies of Charles Dickens
, William Shakespeare
, Rudyard Kipling
and Oscar Wilde
, and books on Agatha Christie
, and Sherlock Holmes
. He translated Louis Cazamian
's 'Le Roman Social en Angleterre', and his play 'Let's Go Bajan!' was performed successfully in Barbados and London
. In 2000 he settled in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States, to help his third wife (Karen) nurse her parents through their terminal illnesses, and since 2001 he has been teaching writing and research at Boston University
.
He is the uncle of Penelope Friday, an erotica
and sci fi author living in Kent
.
True crime (genre)
True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.The crimes most commonly include murder, but true crime works have also touched on other legal cases. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to...
writer and broadcaster. His many books include The Crimes, Detection and Death of Jack the Ripper, The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard, and The Murder Guide to London.
After leaving Balliol College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1966 where he had been a Junior Research Fellow in English, he went to the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
where he lectured in English until 1973. In 1971 he went to Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in the USA where he was a Visiting Associate Professor for one year, and in 1973 he became a Reader in English Literature and Head of the English Department at the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. In the West Indies he was active in theatre and educational broadcasting. In 1983 he returned to England and became a free-lance writer and broadcaster, specializing in true crime. He broadcast a weekly radio programme called Murder After Midnight on London's LBC Radio
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
from 1987 to 2001, some of which were produced and released commercially on cassette and CD by his friend (and fellow LBC broadcaster) Paul Savory. Aside from his many true crime books he has also written illustrated biographies of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
and Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, and books on Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
, and Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
. He translated Louis Cazamian
Louis Cazamian
Louis François Cazamian was a French academic and literary critic.He was the author of many books in both French and English dealing with English literature, including 'A History of English Literature' , 'Le Roman Social en Angleterre' , and 'The Development of English Humor'...
's 'Le Roman Social en Angleterre', and his play 'Let's Go Bajan!' was performed successfully in Barbados and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 2000 he settled in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States, to help his third wife (Karen) nurse her parents through their terminal illnesses, and since 2001 he has been teaching writing and research at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
.
He is the uncle of Penelope Friday, an erotica
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
and sci fi author living in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.