Riders of the Purple Sage
Often called “the most popular Western novel of all time,” this classic helped shape the Western genre. 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
Brave New World
Huxley’s best-known novel; a prophetic classic of speculative fiction that continues to resonate. More
Soman Chainani
Whatever psychic wounds have turned me into a writer I am thankful for. More
The Exorcist
The first horror story to reach number one on the New York Times bestseller list. More
Original cover design for a Collins Crime Club title
Here you can see the progression of the cover art for the Collins Crime Club title Nothing is the Number When You Die by Joan Fleming (circa 1940s). 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
The Woman in White
One of the earliest works of detective fiction, this story caused a sensation with readers at the time. More
At the Mountains of Madness
Lovecraft’s work has influenced the whole spectrum of those working in the horror genre. More
Lis Wiehl
I have a confession to make: I am a mindless reader. More
Veronica Roth
I read because reading changes you. More
The Sheltering Sky
Bowles’s landmark literary novel, a classic work of psychological terror. More
Bleak House
Dickens’s tenth novel, often considered his finest; significantly influenced the development of mystery novels. 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
Stuart MacBride
I write because I love to read. More
Letter from Agatha Christie
This letter from Agatha Christie (here signing with her second married name, Mallowan) shows the close relationship she had with Collins publisher Billy Collins. More
Cathy Glass
I have always been a writer. More
Ursula K. Le Guin
Dear HarperCollins: You ask me, “Why do you read? Why do you write?” Well, I mean, duh. More
Neil Gaiman
I read to travel, and to learn. More
The Hospital in Buwambo
First Mills & Boon romance novel published by Harlequin; established the iconic relationship between the two companies. More
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen
Garner’s celebrated children’s fantasy novel has become a cult classic of children’s literature. 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
1924: “Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie joins the house of Collins…
“Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie joins the house of Collins, and two years later publishes her seminal Hercule Poirot novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. More
Publishing Firsts: The Historical Romance Genre
At the time of its publication in 1972, nothing like Kathleen Woodiwiss’s The Flame and the Flower had ever been published. More
Mary Kubica
I read to transport myself. More
American Gods
An instant classic and winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. 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