Philip Kerr was a British author, renowned for his Bernie Gunther series of historical detective thrillers. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 22 February 1956, Kerr pursued a master's degree in law and philosophy before working as an advertising copywriter for Saatchi and Saatchi. He transitioned to a full-time writing career in 1989.

Kerr authored both adult fiction and non-fiction and wrote children's books under the pseudonym P.B. Kerr, notably the Children of the Lamp series. He contributed articles to prestigious publications such as The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, and the New Statesman. He was married to fellow novelist Jane Thynne.