Majoring in Mathematics and Chemistry at university, he threw in a perfectly good job in chemical research for the uncertainties of a literary life. But the gambit has paid off and Duncan's books are the recipients of many awards.

Duncan says that his strong commitment to literacy stems from his having been a very poor reader as a child. He says that he keeps his former self firmly in mind while writing his fast-paced, plot-driven stories and using the most accessible language that he can.

Duncan has been a full-time author and occasional scriptwriter since 1982. He and his wife live in the Inner Western suburbs of Sydney.