Leslie Charteris

Leslie Charteris, born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin on May 12, 1907, in Singapore, was a renowned British author of crime thriller and adventure novels. He was of a unique heritage, with a Chinese father and a British mother. Charteris was raised in Singapore before moving to England in 1919, where he attended Rossall School in Lancashire.

Charteris is best known for his creation of The Saint series, which features the character Simon Templar. The series includes over 100 novels, novellas, and short stories, and has been adapted into 16 films and three separate television series. His writing career began to take shape during his school days, where he created his own magazine filled with short stories, poems, articles, and editorials. His passion for writing led him to leave his studies at King's College, Cambridge, to pursue a full-time career.

Charteris was not only a prolific writer but also of a diverse background. His father was a Chinese citizen, while his mother was English. It is believed that his father's lineage could be traced back to the emperors of the Shang Dynasty. This diverse background influenced his writing, particularly in the creation of the Simon Templar character, who is of a similar mixed heritage.

Charteris's work has been widely recognized and appreciated. His books have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold over 40 million copies worldwide. They have inspired 15 feature films, three TV series, ten radio series, and a comic strip written by Charteris and syndicated around the world for over a decade. In 1992, Charteris was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger by the Crime Writers’ Association in recognition of a lifetime of achievement. He died the following year.