Dr. Gerloch retired in 1999 from a career as academic and research scientist in the field of quantum chemistry in the University of Cambridge. He is an Emeritus Fellow of Trinity Hall. He and his wife, Gwyneth, have since lived in Canberra, Australia. During his first twenty years of blissful retired domesticity, Malcolm has enjoyed gardening, house renovation and above all, learning to cook in several cuisines. Gwyneth has relinquished the kitchen with mixed feelings. Prior to writing (mostly) children's books, Malcolm's greatest achievement has been the construction of a dual-manual harpsichord for his wife to play. That was a present to thank her for introducing him to the non-scientific literature of - mostly - the nineteenth and twentieth century European and twentieth century North American writers.