Bernard Taylor (author) - Biography

Biography

Born in Wiltshire, Taylor moved to London to study at the Chelsea School of Art, where he was awarded the National Diploma in Design and the Chelsea Diploma. He then worked for several years as an illustrator and teacher before moving to the USA where, based in New York City, he went into the theatre, first as a designer, then as an actor. As an actor he worked on Broadway and in various theatres across the country, later taking up writing as well, including several children's plays which were successfully produced.

Following his return to England, he continued with his acting career, appearing in numerous stage, film and television productions, but concentrating on his writing. His first play, Daughter of the Apaches (which he directed and appeared in), was produced in 1975 at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch. It won Taylor Thames Television's Most Promising Playwright award, and he was also seconded as Resident Playwright to the theatre for a year. During this time the theatre produced his second play, Mice on the First Floor, starring Frances Tomelty, and produced several children's plays which he wrote in partnership with Ginnie Hole.

Also in 1975, he wrote his first novel, The Godsend. Between 1976 and 2006 he published ten novels and three non-fiction works under his own name, and five novels under the pseudonym Jess Foley. Taylor's three non-fiction works were all shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction Award. Perfect Murder, written with the late Stephen Knight, won the award in 1987. Taylor currently lives in Blackheath, southeast London.