Photo: Chris Harding/Getty Images (2005)
Sample of authors
Herbert, James
James Herbert from England was one of the best-selling and most praised authors of horror fiction in the late 20th century. Several of his novels have been described as classics, even though reviewers – and others, including Stephen King – have pointed out that they are not particularly remarkable from a literary point of view. Herbert was, however, uncommonly skilful when it came to creating hor...
Literary figures
Gideon Fell
Gender: Male
The enormous Dr Fell, whose physical traits are modelled on G.K. Chesterton, is one of crime fiction’s foremost problem-solvers when it comes to ‘locked-room’ mysteries and other ‘impossible’ crimes. He also works on an ever-growing doctoral thesis about English drinking habits from bygone days, he likes his beer and is married – although his wife is only mentioned in a few of John Dickson Carr’s...