James Herbert, born in London in 1943, became a highly successful English horror writer whose books sold millions worldwide and were translated into numerous languages. He left school at 15 to study art and began a career in advertising, eventually becoming an art director and group head before transitioning to full-time writing. Herbert was also known for designing his own book covers and publicity materials.

His career spanned several decades, with a prolific output of novels that explored various facets of horror, from science fiction-based disasters to supernatural encounters and thrillers. Herbert received significant recognition later in his career, including the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award and an OBE. He passed away suddenly in 2013 at the age of 69. His estate was valued at £8.3 million, and he was survived by his wife and three daughters.

Herbert's early works, such as "The Rats" and "The Fog," were characterized as disaster novels, with "The Rats" featuring man-eating rodents and "The Fog" involving an accidental chemical weapon release. He later shifted to supernatural horror, exploring themes of ghosts and sinister miracles, as seen in "The Survivor" and "Shrine." Some novels, like "Haunted," originated as screenplays. Herbert also incorporated thriller elements, espionage, and detective story aspects into works such as "Moon" and "Sepulchre." His writing often blended genres, including alternative history in "'48," which depicted a post-WWII world with a devastating plague, and fantasy in "Fluke," a story about a reincarnated dog. He also touched upon themes of life after death and reincarnation in novels like "Nobody True."

Among Herbert's most recognized books are "The Rats," which achieved a rapid sell-out of its initial print run, and "The Fog." He penned three sequels to "The Rats": "Lair," "Domain," and the graphic novel "The City." Other notable titles include "The Survivor," "Shrine," "Haunted," "Moon," "The Spear," and "'48." Herbert's work was adapted into films, television serials, and computer games. Critics like Stephen King described Herbert's writing as having "raw urgency" and "crude power," noting that his bestsellers were difficult for readers to put down due to their horrifying nature. Andrew Postman of The New York Times Book Review highlighted the vividness of Herbert's prose in "Moon."

Herbert was a full-time author who maintained a consistent writing schedule, releasing new novels annually for a significant period. He was known for his distinctive book cover designs and publicity efforts. In recognition of his contributions to horror literature, he received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award in 2010, presented by Stephen King. Later that year, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours. Herbert's career was also documented in a 1995 episode of the television programme "This Is Your Life."

“Herbert was by no means literary, but his work had a raw urgency. His best novels, The Rats and The Fog, had the effect of Mike Tyson in his championship days: no finesse, all crude power. Those books were best sellers because many readers (including me) were too horrified to put them down.”

“There are few things I would like to do less than lie under a cloudy night sky while someone read aloud the more vivid passages of Moon. In the thriller genre, do recommendations come any higher?”

“I am very insecure about being a writer. I don't understand why I am so successful. And the longer I stay that way, the better it's going to be, because that's what keeps me on the edge, striving if you like.”