A. J. Quinnell

Philip Nicholson (25 June 1940 – 10 July 2005), known by his pen name A. J. Quinnell, was an English novelist. He is best known for his novel Man on Fire, which has been adapted to film twice and a television series. Later in life he spent much of his time in Gozo, Malta, where he died.

Life and work Nicholson travelled throughout his life and several minor characters in his books are based on real people that he encountered on his travels. Nicholson was married three times. His last wife, Elsebeth Egholm, is a Danish mystery novelist. The couple maintained residences on the island of Gozo and in Denmark.

When the author was preparing to publish his first book, Man on Fire, he wanted to keep his real identity a secret. During a conversation in a bar, his agent, Chris Little, told him he could use a pseudonym. The author chose "Quinnell", after the rugby union player Derek Quinnell and "A. J." from the initials of the bartender's son.