After attending Dean Close School in Cheltenham he obtained a BA (Hons) in English and Theatre at the University of Warwick.

[1] As well as his literary career, Richards has worked as a technical writer,[2] editor, programmer, and user interface designer at IBM, and as an errand boy in a hotel.

[4][needs update] Richards has also written audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions, original audiobooks, and has contributed to television including Five's soap opera Family Affairs.

[2] Set in London in the 1930s, the series recounts the adventures of Arthur (Art) Drake, Jonny Levin, Meg Wallace and Flinch, who invented the "Invisible Detective" Brandon Lake and who investigate all his cases themselves.

[6] (written with Jack Higgins) A series of books set in Victorian London (1886) describing the adventures of Eddie Hopkins, Liz Oldfield, Sir William Protheroe of the British Museum's secret 'Department of Unclassified Artefacts' and his assistant George Archer.