Gary Martin Best

I was brought up in the North-East and studied history at Oxford University. I became a teacher and was Head of Sixth-Form at Newcastle-under-Lyme School before becoming Headmaster of Kingswood School in Bath from 1987 to 2008. I have written about my experience in the book 'TRANSFORMING LIVES'. Over the years I have written a number of specialist publications on Methodist history. I am best known for my ground breaking biographies of 'CHARLES WESLEY' (2007) and GRACE MURRAY (2016). My latest biography JOHN CENNICK: THE FORGOTTEN EVANGELIST was published in Dec 2016. My daughter challenged me in 2008 to start writing fiction. So far I have had four detective novels published: OLIVER TWIST INVESTIGATES (2010) WUTHERING HEIGHTS REVISITEd (2011), THE JACOBITE MURDERS (2013), and 'THE BARCHESTER MURDERS (2014).Each features a famous writer: Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Henry Fielding, and Anthony Trollope - and all have been well received. In 2017 my first children's book is published. Called 'GOSPEL'S STORY', it's about the travels of John Wesley as seen by his horse. Since 2009 I have been the volunteer Warden at John Wesley's Chapel and have been responsible for creating a new Visitors's Centre and Museum opening in 2017. 'THE CRADLE OF METHODISM' was published to coincide with that event. In 2020 my latest history book 'SLAVERY AND BRISTOL' was published and rated as one of the best non-fiction books of the year. In 2021 my latest novel 'WRITERS IN LOVE' was published on Amazon. It features the love affair between Rebecca West and H.G. Wells set against the backdrop of World War 1.

Some reviews :

OLIVER TWIST INVESTIGATES

'intriguing.... innovative... gripping... a tantalizing maze of clues.'

'I'm not aware of any other detective story that mixes fact and fiction in this way... it's a fascinating read.'

'You will never look at the original in the same way again'.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS REVISITED

'Re-invents his Brontes and completely re-configurates Emily Bronte's novel'.

'Fascinating review of a classic'.

'Haunting return to Wuthering Heights and the tragic Brontes... a deeply disturbing tale of cruel love, heartbreak and the disastrous consequences of passion.'

THE BARCHESTER MURDERS

'A worthy addition to cathedral city-based fiction'

'It sucks the reader in from the first page and doesn't let go... Highly recommended for an entertaining read.'

'Many twists and turns and more than one red herring - more than enough to keep the reader entertained'

"Lovers of the bickering and scheming clerics in the six Barsetshire novels will be delighted to find many characters revived.'

CHARLES WESLEY:

'A very fine book...wonderful insights... Make sure you read it'.

'The standard bearer of its kind for the foreseeable future... accessible and enjoyable.'

'The definitive book of Charles Wesley.'

'A welcome resource... thorough and engaging'.

GRACE MURRAY

A very compelling book'

A page-turning story. I couldn't put it down'.

'Scrupulously fair to all the protaganists... and very readable.'