Chris McDermott

Chris McDermott started Murder Mystery Players in 1996, following a period of time in which he acted in Murder Mystery evenings. Chris graduated with a degree in Education from Cambridge University in 1976, before teaching English in secondary school and then moving to Sweden, where he was a member of Clogs Mobile English Theatre and a teacher of English. Clogs performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 1980. Chris has extensive experience in education leadership, having been both a primary and secondary teacher. He has delivered leadership training in places as far-flung as Nairobi, Kenya and Bangalore, India. He has been a National Leader of Education, and Headteacher of two schools in London. He is currently Principal/CEO of GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai. He is married with three grown-up children; his family home is now in Croxley Green, near Watford.

John McDermott

Born in Liverpool in 1925 and educated at the Holt High, one of the grammar schools in the city at that time. He had an eventful war during which he was evacuated for a few months to Shrewsbury before returning home. He became a scout messenger during the blitz, a member of a Home Guard anti-aircraft unit and finally, for the last couple of war years, a Coder in the Royal Navy. After working in the offices of a large chemical company he was transferred to one of their factories in Cheshire, and has lived in the county ever since. He married, had a family of six children, all now grown up and independent. His wife, Marjorie, has his undying admiration for her unstinting devotion to bringing up the family. After taking early retirement, he ran a small training business for several years before a further change when he started writing short stories for publication and later some murder mystery plays for his son Chris's excellent playwriting business.

He says: When I was growing up, we always had a selection of books in the house with authors such Charles Dickens and H.G.Wells. However, the two most favoured writers were Jeffrey Farnol and P.G.Wodehouse. I feel lucky to have been introduced to the Wodehouse books so early as I consider him to be the greatest comic writer in the English language. Whoever said laughter is the best medicine had the right idea and I'm sure it's as much benefit to personal well-being as the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day. Mind you, Wodehouse had his own unique slant on this when he remarked that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, providing it's well aimed.