Stephen Leather

Last updated

Stephen Leather
Stephen Leather Profile.jpg
Born (1956-10-25) 25 October 1956 (age 67)
NationalityBritish
EducationBSc in biochemistry [1] [2]
Alma mater Bath University [2]
OccupationAuthor
Years active1987–present
Known for Thriller books: Dan Shepherd Mystery and Nightingale Series
Website Official website

Stephen Leather (born 25 October 1956) is a British thriller author whose works are published by Hodder & Stoughton. He has written for television shows such as London's Burning , The Knock , and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. [3] [4] He is one of the top selling Amazon Kindle authors, the second bestselling UK author worldwide on Kindle in 2011. [5] [6]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Leather was born in Manchester. He grew up in Sale and Chorlton-cum-Hardy, and attended Manchester Grammar School. [7] He attended Bath University, where he obtained a BSc in Biochemistry in 1978. [2]

Early career

Leather was employed as a biochemist for ICI, shovelled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue. [2] He began his writing career as a journalist, working for newspapers such the Glasgow Herald , Daily Mirror , The Times , Daily Mail , and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. [8]

Writing career

Leather began writing when he was in college; however, he "never managed to get beyond a few pages," [9] and did not begin writing full-time until he had worked as a journalist for more than ten years. [8]

His first novel, Pay Off, was written while he was still employed at The Daily Mirror. [8] It was published from the "slush pile" at HarperCollins. The novel is a thriller about a merchant banker who takes revenge on two gangsters who killed his father. The book is set in Scotland, where Leather worked for five years on The Glasgow Herald as a business writer.

His second novel, The Fireman, was written while he was working as the business editor of the South China Morning Post. [9] [10] In The Fireman, a British tabloid journalist travels to Hong Kong to discover why his sister committed suicide. Both novels, and his third, Hungry Ghost, were published by HarperCollins.

Leather wrote his fourth novel, The Chinaman , while working as night news editor on the business desk of The Times in London. [8] [9] At the time, the Provisional Irish Republican Army's bombing campaign was at its height, and in The Chinaman, a Sino-Vietnamese man loses his family in an attack loosely based on the bombing of the Harrods department store in London. Having been turned away by the authorities, the man, a highly decorated Special Forces fighter in the Vietnam War, travels to Ireland and hunts down the people responsible. [8] [11] [12] The book was used as the basis for the 2017 thriller The Foreigner . [13]

Published works

Leather's novels frequently include themes of crime, imprisonment, military service, and terrorism. Settings are typically London and the Far East. Leather writes different series in slightly different genres. The main character of one series, Dan 'Spider' Shepherd, is a former Special Air Service soldier who becomes an undercover policeman. Another series, Jack Nightingale, is about a former police negotiator who becomes a private investigator; [14] this supernatural detective series is also published by Hodder & Stoughton and includes the books Nightfall, Midnight, Nightmare, Nightshade [15] and Lastnight.

Leather has written screenplays for London's Burning , The Knock , and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. [3] [16] [17] Two of his novels, The Stretch and The Bombmaker, were screened for made for TV movies and filmed for Sky Television. The Stretch starred Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson, two popular soap opera stars from the U.K. [18]

Amazon Kindle releases

Leather became successful in the Amazon Kindle market in 2010. [19] Amazon UK opened an eBook store that year. As reported in The Guardian , Leather anticipated that people buying eBooks would be seeking bargains, and he priced his books at the minimum price for independent writers in order to get his books into the top ten. [6] He then marketed the books on various forums online. [6]

Early in 2011, Leather's books The Basement, Hard Landing , and the vampire novella Once Bitten occupied the top three places in the UK Kindle bestseller list, a feat matched only by Stieg Larsson with his The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. [20] That same year, Leather was the second bestselling UK author on the Kindle worldwide, beaten only by Lee Child. [21] [22]

Awards and recognition

In 2002, Leather's book Tango One was nominated for the inaugural CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, awarded by the Crime Writers' Association. [23] [24] His book Hard Landing was nominated for the award in 2004. [25]

His book Cold Kill was nominated for Best Novel in 2007 by International Thriller Writers Inc. [26] In 2011, Leather sold over 500,000 eBooks[ citation needed ] and was voted by The Bookseller magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the UK publishing world. [12]

2012 Harrogate Crime Writing Festival

On 5 August 2012, journalist Nick Cohen wrote in The Observer that Leather had created phony Twitter accounts in the name of another writer, and used those accounts to praise Leather's own books. [27] Cohen quoted Leather's response to a question, as a panelist, at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, which was recorded for BBC Radio 4: [28]

"As soon as my book is out I'm on Facebook and Twitter several times a day talking about it. I'll go on to several forums, the well-known forums, and post there under my name and under various other names and various other characters. You build up this whole network of characters who talk about your books and sometimes have conversations with yourself." [27]

Leather's comment was widely reported, [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] and, on 3 September 2012, forty nine other British authors issued a group statement in which they "unreservedly condemn" the use of sockpuppets, or paid reviews. [34] [35] [36]

Jeremy Duns and Steve Mosby have alleged that Leather has harassed them online. [37] [38]

Bibliography

Novels

Publication yearTitleSeriesOriginal publisherISBNNotes
1987Pay Off St. Martin's Press ISBN   0312014872 Hardcover (1988), Paperback (2002), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2009)
1989The FiremanSt. Martin's Press ISBN   0312038313 Hardcover (1990), Paperback (1996), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2008)
1991Hungry Ghost HarperCollins ISBN   0002236370 Hardcover (1991), Paperback (2008), Audio Book (2008), and eBook (2008)
1992 The Chinaman Mike Cramer #1 Pocket Books ISBN   0671743015 Hardcover (1992), Paperback (1992), Audio Book (2007), and eBook (2008). Also published as The Foreigner (2017)
1992The Double TapMike Cramer #3 Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   9780340628393 Hardcover (1996), Paperback (1997), and Audio Book (2006)
1993The VetsPocket Books ISBN   0671743031 Hardcover (1993), Paperback (1994), and eBook (2004)
1994The Long ShotMike Cramer #2Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   9780340632376 eBook (2009)
1996The Birthday GirlHodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340632364 Hardcover (1995), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2007), and eBook
1997The Solitary ManUlverscroft ISBN   0340628375 Hardcover (2004), Paperback (1997), and Audio Book (2010)
1997The Tunnel RatsUlverscroft ISBN   0753170655 Hardcover (2004), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2009), and eBook (2009)
1999The BombmakerHodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340689552 Hardcover (1999), Paperback (2005), Audio Book (2003), and eBook (2009)
2000 The Stretch Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340770325 Hardcover (2000), Paperback (2001), Audio Book (2001), and eBook (2009)
2002Tango OneHodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340770341 Hardcover (2002), Paperback (2006), Audio Book (2004), and eBook (2009)
2003The EyewitnessHodder & Stoughton ISBN   034082400X Hardcover (2003), Paperback (2003), Audio Book (2004), and eBook (2008)
2004 Hard Landing Dan 'Spider' Shepherd #1Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340734116 Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook
2005Private DancerThree Elephants ISBN   9810539169 Paperback and eBook
2005Soft TargetDan 'Spider' Shepherd #2Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340834072 Hardcover (2005), Paperback (2005), Audio Book (2005), and eBook (2008)
2006Confessions of a Bangkok Private Eye Monsoon Books ISBN   981054832X With Warren Olson
2006Cold KillDan 'Spider' Shepherd #3Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340834102 Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook
2007Hot BloodDan 'Spider' Shepherd #4Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340921692 Paperback and eBook
2008Dead MenDan 'Spider' Shepherd #5Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340921706 Hardcover (2008), Paperback (2008), Audio Book (2008), and eBook (2008)
2009Live FireDan 'Spider' Shepherd #6Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340921730 Hardcover (2009), Paperback (2010), Audio Book (2009), and eBook (2009)
2010Dreamer's CatThree Elephants ASIN   B00486U6VU eBook
2010The Basement Amazon Encore ISBN   1612181481 Paperback (2011), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2011)
2010Rough JusticeDan 'Spider' Shepherd #7Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340924934 Hardcover (2010), Paperback (2010), Audio Book (2010), and eBook (2010)
2010NightfallJack Nightingale #1Isis Large Print ISBN   1612182291 Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, and eBook (2012)
2011Once BittenAmazon Encore ISBN   1455871702 Paperback (2011), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2011)
2011Bangkok Bob and The Missing MormonMonsoon Books ISBN   9810877765 Paperback (2011) and eBook (2010)
2011Fair GameDan 'Spider' Shepherd #8Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   0340924969 Hardcover (2012), Paperback (2012), Audio Book (2011), and eBook (2012)
2011MidnightJack Nightingale #2Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   1444700669 Hardcover (2011), Paperback (2012), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2012)
2012False FriendsDan 'Spider' Shepherd #9Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   1444736779
2012NightmareJack Nightingale #3Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   1455866792 Hardcover (2012), Paperback (2012), Audio Book (2012), and eBook (2012)
2013True ColoursDan 'Spider' Shepherd #10Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1444736564
2013NightshadeJack Nightingale #4Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   9781444740684 Hardcover (2013), Paperback (2013), Audio Book (2013), and eBook (2013)
2014White LiesDan 'Spider' Shepherd #11Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1444736588 Hardcover (2014), and eBook (2014)
2014LastnightJack Nightingale #5Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   1444742655 Hardcover (2014), and eBook (2014)
2014San Francisco NightJack Nightingale #6Three Elephants ISBN   978-0-9566203-9-2 Hardcover (2015), and eBook (2014)
2015Black OpsDan 'Spider' Shepherd #12Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1444736656 Hardcover (2015), and eBook (2015)
2015New York NightJack Nightingale #7Three Elephants ISBN   978-0956620378 Hardcover (2015), and eBook (2015)
2016First ResponseHodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473604605 Hardcover (2016), and eBook (2016)
2016TakedownLex Harper #1Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473605596 Hardcover (2017), and eBook (2017)
2016Dark ForcesDan 'Spider' Shepherd #13Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473604063 Hardcover (2016), and eBook (2016)
2016The SandpitDan 'Spider' Shepherd: SAS #1 CreateSpace ISBN   978-1532959394 Novella
2017Light TouchDan 'Spider' Shepherd #14Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473604131
2018The ShoutHodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473671782
2018Last Man StandingHodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473671867
2018Tall OrderDan 'Spider' Shepherd #15Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473604179
2018Moving TargetsDan 'Spider' Shepherd: SAS #2CreateSpace ISBN   978-1985232051
2018Tennessee NightJack Nightingale #8 Independently published ISBN   978-1717751133 Paperback (2018), and eBook (2018)
2019The Bag CarrierIndependently published ISBN   978-1794095274
2019Rogue Warrior ASIN   B07XQ3M13B Novella
2019Plausible DeniabilityLex Harper #2Independently published ISBN   978-1075865565 Novella
2019Short RangeDan 'Spider' Shepherd #16Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473671928
2020The RunnerHodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1529345155
2020Slow BurnDan 'Spider' Shepherd #17Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473671973
2021Fast TrackDan 'Spider' Shepherd #18Hodder & Stoughton ISBN   978-1473672031 Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook

Short stories

Publication yearTitleSeriesCollectionNotes
2011"Cursed"Jack Nightingale #1.5Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2011"Inspector Zhang Gets His Wish"Inspector Zhang #1The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2011"Inspector Zhang and the Falling Woman"Inspector Zhang #2The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2011"Inspector Zhang and the Dead Thai Gangster"Inspector Zhang #3The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2011"Inspector Zhang and the Disappearing Drugs"Inspector Zhang #4The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2012"Friendly Fire"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpider Shepherd Short Stories (2013),
Spider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2012"Dead Drop"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpider Shepherd Short Stories (2013),
Spider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2012"Still Bleeding"Jack Nightingale #4.4Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2012"Inspector Zhang and the Perfect Alibi"Inspector Zhang #5The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2012"Breaking"Inspector Zhang #6.1Short Fuses (2012)
2012"Strangers on a Train"Inspector Zhang #6.2Short Fuses (2012)
2012"Inspector Zhang and the Hotel Guest"Inspector Zhang #6.3Short Fuses (2012),
The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)
2012"Cat's Eyes"Inspector Zhang #6.4Short Fuses (2012)
2012"Inspector Zhang Goes To Harrogate"Inspector Zhang #7The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2013"Hard Evidence"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpiders Web (2013)
2013"Hiatus"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpiders Web (2013)
2013"Hard Targets"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpiders Web (2013),
Spider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2013"Kill Zone"Dan 'Spider' ShepherdSpider Shepherd Short Stories (2013),
Spider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2013"Natural Selection"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2013"Warning Order"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2013"Hostile Territory"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2013"Rough Diamonds"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2013"Inspector Zhang and the Island of the Dead"Inspector Zhang #8The Eight Curious Cases of Inspector Zhang (2014)Novella
2014"Narrow Escape"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1 (2014)
2014"Personal Protection"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2014"The Rope"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2014"Planning Pack"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd: SASSpider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 2 (2014)
2014"Remote Control"Dan 'Spider' Shepherd
2014"My Name Is Lydia"Jack Nightingale #2.5Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2014"Blood Bath"Jack Nightingale #4.5Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2014"Tracks"Jack Nightingale #5.5Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2015"I Know Who Did It"Jack Nightingale #4.6Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2015"The Whisper Man"Jack NightingaleNovella
2016"Children of the Dark"Jack Nightingale #5.6Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2017"The Cards"Jack Nightingale #3.5Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2017"The Creeper"Jack Nightingale #5.7Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2017"The Asylum"Jack Nightingale #5.8Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2017"The Undead"Jack Nightingale #5.9Nightingale - A Short Story Collection (2017)
2017"The Doll"Jack Nightingale #5.10Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2017"The Mansion"Jack Nightingale #5.11Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2017"Possession"Jack Nightingale #5.12Nightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2017"Devilzone - A Jack Nightingale Screenplay"Jack Nightingale
2017"Wrong Turn"Jack NightingaleNightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2018"The House on Gable Street"Jack Nightingale
2018"Knock Knock"Jack NightingaleNightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2018"Watery Grave"Jack NightingaleNightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)
2018"Claws"Jack NightingaleNightingale 2 - A Short Story Collection (2018)

Screenplays

DateShow titleNotes
2001–2003 Murder in Mind Wrote two of the first series episode (2001) and two episodes of the second series (2002). Also wrote an episode for the 2003 series. [16]
2000The BombmakerMade for TV movie based on the book written by Leather
2000 The Knock (Series 5)Episode 2. 90-minute special
2000The StretchMade for TV movie based on the book written by Leather. Movie created, written, and produced by Leather
1999 London's Burning Episode 9 & 10. Screened March 2000
1998 The Knock (Series 4)Episode 4, 5, and 6. Screened in 1999

Adaptations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Rankin</span> Scottish writer

Sir Ian James Rankin is a Scottish crime writer and philanthropist, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.

The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors' organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its "Dagger" awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. The Association also promotes crime writing of fiction and non-fiction by holding annual competitions, publicising literary festivals and establishing links with libraries, booksellers and other writer organisations, both in the UK such as the Society of Authors, and overseas. The CWA enables members to network at its annual conference and through its regional chapters as well as through dedicated social media channels and private website. Members' events and general news items are published on the CWA website, which also features Find An Author, where CWA members are listed and information provided about themselves, their books and their awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kia Abdullah</span> British novelist and travel writer

Kia Abdullah is a British novelist and travel writer. She is the best-selling author of courtroom dramas Take It Back, Truth Be Told, Next of Kin and Those People Next Door. She has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times,The Financial Times, The Telegraph and the BBC, among other publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. J. Ellory</span> English thriller writer

Roger Jon Ellory is an English thriller writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Russell (British author)</span> Scottish novelist, short story writer and author

Craig Russell, also known as Christopher Galt, is a Scottish novelist, short story writer and author of The Devil Aspect. His Hamburg-set thriller series featuring detective Jan Fabel has been translated into 23 languages. Russell speaks fluent German and has a special interest in post-war German history. His books, particularly The Devil Aspect and the Fabel series, tend to include historical or mythological themes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart MacBride</span> Scottish writer (born 1969)

Stuart MacBride is a Scottish writer, whose crime thrillers are set in the "Granite City" of Aberdeen, with Detective Sergeant Logan McRae as protagonist.

Kenneth Martin Edwards is a British crime novelist, whose work has won multiple awards including lifetime achievement awards for his fiction, non-fiction, short fiction, and scholarship in the UK and the United States. As a crime fiction critic and historian, and also in his career as a solicitor, he has written non-fiction books and many articles. He is the current President of the Detection Club and in 2020 was awarded the Crime Writers' Association's Diamond Dagger, the highest honour in British crime writing, in recognition of the "sustained excellence" of his work in the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian McKinty</span> Irish crime novelist and critic

Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of crime and mystery novels and young adult fiction, best known for his 2020 award-winning thriller, The Chain, and the Sean Duffy novels set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. He is a winner of the Edgar Award, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, the Macavity Award, the Ned Kelly Award, the Barry Award, the Audie Award, the Anthony Award and the International Thriller Writers Award. He has been shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Robotham</span> Australian writer (born 1960)

Michael Robotham is an Australian crime fiction writer who has twice won the CWA Gold Dagger award for best novel and twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for best novel. His eldest child is Alexandra Hope Robotham, professionally known as Alex Hope, an Australian producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime Thriller Awards</span> British media awards

The Crime Thriller Awards is a British awards ceremony dedicated to crime thriller fiction. The inaugural event was held on 3 October 2008 at the Grosvenor Hotel, hosted by comedian and Jonathan Creek actor Alan Davies. It was televised on ITV3 on 6 October, produced by Cactus TV. The ceremony was preceded by seven weeks of crime-thriller-related programming on ITV3.

Jeremy Duns is a British author of spy fiction and the history of espionage

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shehan Karunatilaka</span> Sri Lankan writer (born 1975)

Shehan Karunatilaka is a Sri Lankan writer. He grew up in Colombo, studied in New Zealand and has lived and worked in London, Amsterdam and Singapore. His 2010 debut novel Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew won the Commonwealth Book Prize, the DSC Prize, the Gratiaen Prize and was adjudged the second greatest cricket book of all time by Wisden. His third novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida was announced as the winner of the 2022 Booker Prize on 17 October 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Herron</span> British novelist

Mick Herron is a British mystery and thriller novelist. He is the author of the Slough House series, early novels of which have been adapted for the Slow Horses television series. He won the Crime Writers' Association 2013 Gold Dagger award for Dead Lions.

Kerry Wilkinson is a British author and sports journalist born in Bath, Somerset. In 2018, his book Ten Birthdays won the Romantic Novelists' Association award for Young Adult Novel of the Year. Along with Marius Gabriel, he was the first man to win a RoNA Award in the organisation's 58-year history. He is also an International Thriller Writers Awards winner, with Close To You, for best ebook original.

<i>Hard Landing</i> (novel) 2004 novel by Stephen Leather

Hard Landing is a 2004 thriller novel by British author Stephen Leather. Published in 2004 by Hodder & Stoughton, it is the first book in the Dan ‘Spider’ Shepherd series. Hard Landing is an international bestseller and is available in ebook and paperback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Abbott</span> British author

Rachel Abbott is an English author of psychological thrillers. A self-publisher, her first seven novels have combined to sell over three million copies, and have all been bestsellers on Amazon's Kindle store. In 2015, she was named the 14th bestselling author over the last five years on Amazon's Kindle in the UK.

David John Young is an English novelist whose crime thriller series featuring a fictional Volkspolizei detective, Karin Müller, is set in 1970s East Germany. Young's debut novel Stasi Child won the 2016 CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger for the best historical crime novel of the year. Both it and the follow-up, Stasi Wolf, were longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In 2017, Bonnier Zaffre, the UK adult fiction division of the Bonnier Group, announced Young had signed a six-figure deal for three further novels in the series, making five in all, with the third, A Darker State, being published in February 2018. Young says the inspiration for the series came after his indie pop band The Candy Twins toured Germany in 2007 and he read Anna Funder's non-fiction book Stasiland between gigs. He secured the tour thanks to favourable comments made by Edwyn Collins about a tribute song Young wrote about him. Before becoming a full-time novelist, Young was a news producer and editor for more than 25 years with BBC World Service radio and BBC World TV.

Howard Linskey is a British novelist and former journalist. He is best known for the David Blake crime fiction series. This series and his subsequent crime novels are set in the north east of England. Linskey is also the author of two historical thrillers set during the Second World War.

Imran Mahmood is a British novelist and barrister. His first novel You Don't Know Me (2017), which was shortlisted for the Glass Bell Award in 2018, was dramatised by the BBC in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Whitaker (author)</span> British author

Chris Whitaker is a British author known for his books Tall Oaks, All the Wicked Girls, We Begin at the End, and The Forevers.

References

  1. "Stephen Leather features on Thailand Tatler". University of Bath. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Stephen Leather". Thailand Tattler. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Murder in Mind – Drama". DigiGuide. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  4. "Stephen Leather" . The Bookseller. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  5. Allen, Katie. "Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author". The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "Kindle gives thriller writer a plot for success – at 71p a shot". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  7. Unsworth, Emma (25 January 2007). "Hot on the trail of terror". Manchester Evening News . Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Ingham, Tim. "Stephen Leather". Metro. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Leather, Stephen. "The Author" . Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  10. Spelman, Judith (August 2008). "Judith Spelman Talks to a Best Selling Author Who Produces A Thriller A Year". Writing Magazine: 8–9.
  11. "The Chinaman". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Bookseller 100". The Bookseller. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  13. Busch, Anita; Fleming Jr, Mike (5 June 2015). "Jackie Chan To Star in 'The Foreigner' for STX Entertainment". deadline.com. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  14. "Success Story 11 – Stephen Leather". Writers Services. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  15. "Nightshade". Hodder & Stoughton. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  16. 1 2 "Joe Andoe". Star Trader. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  17. "Stephen Leather". TV.com. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  18. "The Stretch – Drama". DigiGuide. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  19. Skidelsky, William (27 February 2011). "Kindle gives thriller writer a plot for success – at 71p a shot". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  20. Jones, Phillip. "'Confessions' is e-book of the year". The Bookseller. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  21. "Lee Child most successful UK Kindle author". The Bookseller. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  22. "The top 50 e-book bestsellers of the year". Future Book. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  23. "Tango One". Isis Publishing. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  24. "The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2002". Crime Writer's Association. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  25. "THE CWA's 2004 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award". Crime Writer's Association. Archived from the original on 25 December 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  26. "ITW Thriller Award nominees and winners". Thriller Writers. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  27. 1 2 Cohen, Nick (5 August 2012). "Welcome to Britain, a home fit for shysters". The Observer. London. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  28. "The e-book debate - threat or opportunity?". Front Row. BBC Radio 4. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013. (Quote, in response to audience question, at around 26.53)
  29. Kerridge, Jake (6 August 2012). "A crime author, at the festival, with a kindle". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  30. Kerridge, Jake (4 September 2012). "Are RJ Ellory's faked reviews the tip of the iceberg?". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  31. Miller, Laura (10 August 2012). "Social media scamsters". Salon.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  32. Flood, Alison (3 September 2012). "Sock puppetry and fake reviews: publish and be damned". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  33. Miller, Laura (1 January 2013). "Talking with Daniel Mendelsohn about the year in literary criticism". Salon.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  34. Hough, Andrew (3 September 2012). "RJ Ellory: fake book reviews are rife on internet, authors warn". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  35. Hayes, Steve (4 September 2012). "Leading writers condemn fake online reviews". Digital Journal. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  36. Page, Benedicte (3 September 2012). "Condemnation grows for sock puppet reviews". The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  37. "A thriller writer has been accused of running an online smear campaign" . independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  38. Flood, Alison. "Stephen Leather accused of cyberbullying by fellow thriller writers". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2016.