Mark Harris

Author's story

After nearly 38 years working for Barclays Bank International Ltd, subsequently Barclays Bank Plc, one of the largest banks in the world, Martin Fraser took his chance and the opportunity to follow his dream.After nearly 38 years working for Barclays Bank International Ltd, subsequently Barclays Bank Plc, one of the largest banks in the world, Martin Fraser took his chance and the opportunity to follow his dream.After nearly 38 years working for Barclays Bank International Ltd, subsequently Barclays Bank Plc, one of the largest banks in the world, Martin Fraser took his chance and the opportunity to follow his dream.
Born in 1961, his mother taught music, while his father worked for the Signals Research and Development Establishment, the Military Research Centre in Christchurch, developing Military communications satellites.
From a young age, he developed a lifelong passion for history, reading, films, music, photography, the natural world and sport, which helped to fuel Martin’s imagination and fill his inquiring mind with possibilities. With both parents, older brother Grenville and uncle, all writers or musicians, it was inevitable that Martin should harbour an artistic seed waiting to germinate and burst onto the world.
On countless occasions, Martin would sit at his desk and dream of leaving the bank and unleashing his creative talents, but personal circumstances wouldn’t allow it. Eventually, though, when the chance came, Martin didn’t hesitate.
In 2022, that dream was realised with the completion of his first novel, The Shadow of the Albatross, a fast-moving international thriller set around the millionaire’s playground of Sandbanks in Dorset, Central London, and Wimbledon Village, featuring nefarious billionaire Olga Devereux. In 2023, Martin finished the first follow-up novel entitled The Cerberus File, set in London, Poole, and Jersey. Plans are already well advanced for the as-yet-untitled third novel to feature MI5 Intelligence Officer Greg Travers.
Martin lives in Poole with his beloved Rescue dog Oscar. Martin eschews the current TV trend for grim, dour, dreary and confusing thrillers that leave one feeling distinctly un-thrilled and more often than not end with an unsatisfyingly damp squib. As Martin says, “The clues in the title, a thriller should thrill, if it doesn’t, what’s the point?”