In over thirty years as an author, Mark Timlin has written some thirty novels under a number of different names. His nom-de-plumes include Jim Ballantyne, Martin Milk, Tony Williams and Lee Martin for his novels Gangsters' Wives (2007) and Lipstick Killers (2009), which explored the female side of gangland violence. Timlin is best known, however, for his Nick Sharman novels and the 1995 TV spin-off series starring Clive Owen.

Both the violent nature of the Sharman novels, and remarks made by Timlin himself, made the author a figure of controversy and earned him the title of 'the bad boy of crime fiction'. He has since become a prominent critical voice in crime fiction, writing reviews for the Independent on Sunday. Having lived in Docklands for most of his life, Mark Timlin now lives in Newport, South Wales.