Russell is a British writer, ex-Chairman of the Crime Writers Association, and author of twelve novels, crime and historical. Recent novels include The Maud Allan Affair, culminating in the shocking Old Bailey trial of 1919, and Requiem for a Daughter, set in the build-up to the 2012 London Olympics. Most of his hard-hitting, low-life thrillers are set in south east London and, unusually, they feature no detectives; when the police do appear it is on the sidelines.
He has also published four illustrated biographical encyclopaedias: Great British Fictional Detectives and its companion work, Great British Fictional Villains, followed by The Pocket Guide to Victorian Writers & Poets and its companion, The Pocket Guide to Victorian Artists & Their Models, published in spring 2011.
His books include:
POCKET GUIDE TO VICTORIAN ARTISTS & THEIR MODELS (Pen & Sword)
POCKET GUIDE TO VICTORIAN WRITERS & POETS (Pen & Sword)
GREAT BRITISH FICTIONAL VILLAINS (Pen & Sword)
GREAT BRITISH FICTIONAL DETECTIVES (Pen & Sword)
REQUIEM FOR A DAUGHTER (Prospero)
THE MAUD ALLAN AFFAIR (Pen & Sword)
NO ONE GETS HURT (Do Not Press)
PICK ANY TITLE (Do Not Press)
THE ANNEX (Five Star Mysteries
PAINTING IN THE DARK (Do Not Press)
OH NO, NOT MY BABY (Do Not Press)
COUNT ME OUT (Serpent's Tail)
SLAUGHTER MUSIC (Alison & Busby)
PAYBACK (Gollancz)
DAYLIGHT (Gollancz)
UNDERGROUND (Gollancz)