Brave New World
Huxley’s best-known novel; a prophetic classic of speculative fiction that continues to resonate. More
The Woman in White
One of the earliest works of detective fiction, this story caused a sensation with readers at the time. More
The Sheltering Sky
Bowles’s landmark literary novel, a classic work of psychological terror. More
The Guns of Navarone
Classic World War II thriller from MacLean, acclaimed master of action and suspense. More
Jack Higgins
Why I write: Some years ago, although enjoying great success, I was accused by certain literary critics of repeating myself too much in my work. More
Soman Chainani
Whatever psychic wounds have turned me into a writer I am thankful for. More
Bleak House
Dickens’s tenth novel, often considered his finest; significantly influenced the development of mystery novels. More
1930: Collins establishes the Collins Crime Club…
Collins establishes the Collins Crime Club, which continues for six decades. Members receive quarterly newsletters that list the best new releases as selected by a panel of experts. More
1972: Avon launches the historical romance genre…
Avon launches the historical romance genre when it publishes Kathleen Woodiwiss’s The Flame and the Flower, a historical romance with a strong female lead and sexual situations that go a step beyond the tame romances of earlier eras. More
The Fellowship of the Ring
First volume in The Lord of the Rings series, which has sold more than 100 million copies. More
Garth Nix
Reading is to live More
Emma Donoghue
Like many teenagers, I spent more of my summer holidays than I probably should have immersed in the world of The Lord of the Rings. More
Cally Taylor
When I get an idea for a novel the fizz of excitement I feel is electrifying. More
1860: Harper & Brothers enters into the crime fiction genre
Harper & Brothers pay Wilkie Collins £750 for The Woman in White, which heralds the firm's entry into the crime fiction genre. More
Joe Hill
Our lives are increasingly crowded by the instruments of distraction. More
Lauren Oliver
I read so that I can learn and I write so that I can explore. More
The Birth of Perry Mason
Head of William Morrow and Company (later acquired by HarperCollins) since the death of its founder in 1931, Thayer Hobson searched widely for promising new authors, often traveling to Europe in pursuit of his next big title. More
Agatha Christie
The house of Collins acquired “Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie after she disagreed with her former publisher over the spelling of “coco”/”cocoa” in her first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. More
Inventing the Western
Zane Grey and A. B. Guthrie Jr. were considered two of the foremost writers on the American West. More
How Harlequin Became Romance
When Richard H.G. Bonnycastle, a former Arctic explorer with the Hudson Bay Company, launched Harlequin Books in Winnipeg in 1948, he had little interest in building a publishing empire around romance novels. More
Kimberly McCreight
I write because I want answers. More
Agatha Christie at her Devonshire home
Agatha Christie, known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime, is the best-selling novelist in history, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. More
James Rollins
I owe my mother everything. More
Kiera Cass
Reading has always been a safe place for me. More
The Dispossessed
The classic utopian science fiction; winner of the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awards. More
Fahrenheit 451
Though set in a dystopian world without books, Bradbury’s most famous work has never gone out of print. More
The Hunt for Red October
Clancy’s debut novel launched a spectacular career and introduced the world to a new hero, Jack Ryan. More