Gerry Burke received a Jesuit-inspired education at Xavier College in Melbourne, Australia, where he still lives. Before commencing his long career in advertising, the author was employed by an international mining company, which included a three-year stint in New Guinea. He also dabbled in the horse racing industry, as an owner and breeder, with some success. Being a former accountant and advertising creative, no-one expected Gerry to become a published author, but he embraced this initiative to stave off dementia. He has since penned seven novels, seven volumes of short stories, and two offerings of commentary and opinion relating to politics, entertainment, sport, and travel. The PEST pseudonym was subjected to a sea change with the introduction of popular discount detective Paddy Pest to booklovers everywhere. Most people see the garrulous gumshoe from Down Under as a cross between James Bond and Maxwell Smart, and he has been the protagonist in a number of the author's humor-laden publications. In recent times, there have been diversions into science fiction and absolute fiction, all of which have won enthusiastic acclaim. Mr Burke's credentials have been well established, with thirteen of his books featuring as a winner or finalist in a variety of international literary competitions. Four volumes have received multiple citations. Gerry is single and lives with photographs of his best racehorses. http://gerryburke.net