Malcolm Rose was born in Coventry in 1953. He studied chemistry at the University of York. Before 1996 Malcolm was a Chemistry lecturer for the Open University and many of his books have a chemistry connection. While working as a lecturer, Malcolm was also writing several of his earlier books (Rift, The OBTUSE Experiment, The Higher Form of Killing, Son of Pete Flude) and now although mainly an author he still does some chemistry lectures and visits schools. He is married with an adult son.

As well as writing Malcolm also regularly makes visits to schools, libraries and various other venues including the Royal Latin School in Buckinghamshire. In the Royal Latin he performed to a group of year 7 students and signed autographs for some of the fans.

The first book of the Traces series, Framed!, has been selected by the United States Board on Books for Young People and the Children's Book Council as an Outstanding International Book for 2006. The Highest Form of Killing was nominated for an Edgar Award. Both The OBTUSE Experiment and Tunnel Vision were commended by the Young Book Trust. Tunnel Vision and Plague received the Angus Book Award, and also won the Lancashire Children's Book of the Year Award.

Traces series

• Framed!
• Lost Bullet
• Roll Call
• Double Check
• Final Lap
• Blood Brother

Lawless and Tilley series

• The Secrets of the Dead
• Deep Waters
• Magic Eye
• Still Life
• Fire and Water
• Lethal Harvest
• Flying Blind

Other novels

• Hurricane Force
• The Death Gene
• Transplant
• Clone
• Plague of death
• Bloodline (published as Lab 47 in German)
• The Tortured Wood
• Son of Pete Flude
• Breathing Fear
• Rift
• The Highest Form of Killing
• Formula for Murder
• Four Degrees More
• The Alibi
• The Smoking Gun
• Kiss of Death
• Forbidden Island
• Jordan Stryker: Bionic Agent