Jack Higgins

Jack Higgins was a bestselling English author, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England as Henry Patterson. He went on to use various pseudonyms, including Jack Higgins, Martin Fallon, Hugh Marlowe, and James Graham, in his writing career. Primarily known for his thriller novels, Higgins has written over sixty books, with several adapted into films such as "The Eagle Has Landed," "A Prayer for the Dying," and "Windsor Protocol."

Higgins' upbringing in Belfast, Northern Ireland, exposed him to political and religious violence, which later became a significant influence in his writing. At seven years old, he survived being caught in gunfire while riding a tram and was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. These early experiences shaped his perspective and often feature in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Higgins joined the British Army, serving in the Household Cavalry and becoming an expert sharpshooter.

After his military service, Higgins earned a sociology degree from the London School of Economics and began teaching at two English colleges. In 1959, he started writing novels under the alias James Graham, eventually leaving teaching to write full-time. His breakthrough novel, "The Eagle Has Landed," became an international bestseller and established Higgins as a regular on bestseller lists. His works often draw from history, featuring prominent figures and significant events from conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Higgins lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.

In summary, Jack Higgins, born as Henry Patterson, was a prolific English author who wrote over sixty novels under various pseudonyms. Best known for his Sean Dillon novels and thrillers, several of his works have been adapted into films. Having served in the British Army, his writing was influenced by his experiences in Northern Ireland and his military service. After pursuing a career in teaching, Higgins turned to writing full-time, achieving international success with "The Eagle Has Landed." His novels continue to be popular, with over 250 million copies sold and translations into fifty-five languages.
Martin Fallon Books
# Title Year
1 Cry of the Hunter 1960
2 A Prayer for the Dying 1973
Paul Chavasse Books (as Martin Fallon)
# Title Year
1 The Bormann Testament / The Testament of Caspar Schultz 1962
2 Year of the Tiger 1963
3 The Keys of Hell 1965
4 Midnight Never Comes 1966
5 Dark Side of the Street 1967
6 A Fine Night for Dying 1979
Nick Miller Books (as Harry Patterson)
# Title Year
1 The Graveyard Shift 1965
2 Brought in Dead 1967
3 Hell is Always Today 1968
Simon Vaughn Books (as Martin Fallon)
# Title Year
1 Dark Side of the Street 1967
2 The Savage Day 1972
3 Day of Judgment 1979
Liam Devlin Books
# Title Year
1 The Eagle Has Landed 1975
2 Touch the Devil 1982
3 Confessional 1985
4 The Eagle Has Flown 1991
Dougal Munro and Jack Carter Books
# Title Year
1 Night of the Fox 1986
2 Cold Harbour 1990
3 Flight of Eagles 1998
Sean Dillon Books
# Title Year
1 Eye of the Storm / Midnight Man 1992
2 Thunder Point 1993
3 On Dangerous Ground 1994
4 Angel of Death 1995
5 Drink with the Devil 1996
6 The President's Daughter 1997
7 The White House Connection 1998
8 Day of Reckoning 2000
9 Edge of Danger 2001
10 Midnight Runner 2002
11 Bad Company 2003
12 Dark Justice 2004
13 Without Mercy 2005
14 The Killing Ground 2008
15 Rough Justice 2008
16 A Darker Place 2009
17 The Wolf at the Door 2009
18 The Judas Gate 2010
19 A Devil is Waiting 2012
20 The Death Trade 2013
21 Rain on the Dead 2014
22 The Midnight Bell 2016
Chance Twins/Rich and Jade Books (with Justin Richards)
# Title Year
1 Sure Fire 2007
2 Death Run 2007
3 Sharp Shot 2009
4 First Strike 2009
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 Sad Wind from the Sea 1959
2 The Thousand Faces of Night 1961
3 Hell Is Too Crowded 1962
4 Comes the Dark Stranger 1962
5 Seven Pillars to Hell / Sheba 1963
6 Pay the Devil 1963
7 The Dark Side of the Island 1963
8 A Phoenix in the Blood 1964
9 Wrath of the Lion 1964
10 Passage by Night 1964
11 Thunder at Noon / Dillinger 1964
12 The Iron Tiger 1966
13 A Candle for the Dead / The Violent Enemy 1966
14 East of Desolation 1968
15 In the Hour Before Midnight / The Sicilian Heritage 1969
16 A Game for Heroes 1970
17 Night Judgement at Sinos 1970
18 The Wrath of God 1971
19 The Last Place God Made 1971
20 Toll for the Brave 1971
21 The Khufra Run 1972
22 The Run to Morning / Bloody Passage 1974
23 Storm Warning 1976
24 The Valhalla Exchange 1976
25 To Catch a King 1979
26 Solo / The Cretan Lover 1980
27 Luciano's Luck 1981
28 Exocet 1983
29 A Season in Hell 1988
30 Memoirs of a Dance-Hall Romeo 1989
Jack Higgins Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Great Irish Tales of Horror 1995