Raymond Khoury is a Lebanese-American novelist and screenwriter, best known for his religious-themed thrillers similar to those of Dan Brown. Born in Lebanon, Khoury's life was marked by travel at an early age. As the Lebanese Civil War began, Khoury's family left Lebanon for Westchester County, New York when he was 14 years old. Khoury's career began in screenwriting, where he worked on productions such as the BAFTA award-winning BBC series "SPOOKS" (known as "MI:5" in the US) and "Waking The Dead."
Khoury's debut novel, "The Last Templar," was the first of five consecutive New York Times and international bestsellers. His books have been translated into 38 languages and have sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Khoury's novels are often described as cinematic and visual, a testament to his background in screenwriting. His writing style is characterized by expertly chosen verbs that bring scenes to life, causing readers to feel the impact of blows and bullets as they read. Khoury's thrillers explore big themes that interest him, such as international politics, conspiracies, and the intersection of fact and faith.
In addition to his fiction writing, Khoury has also worked on several screenplays. His screenplay for "The Last Templar" was originally written for film in 1996 but was later adapted into a novel at the suggestion of a book agent. Despite a major publisher offering Khoury a significant advance for the novel, with the condition that he remove the religious themes, Khoury declined the offer. Years later, his novel became a global bestseller, hitting number one in multiple countries and being adapted into an NBC miniseries.
Khoury's novels often feature dual timelines, with the bulk of the story set in the present day and interspersed with chapters that take place in the distant past. This narrative structure is evident in novels such as "The Last Templar," "The Sanctuary," "The Templar Salvation," and "Rasputin's Shadow." Khoury's writing engages readers' minds and moves at a breakneck pace, making his thrillers a favorite among readers who enjoy intellectual components in their novels. Khoury's latest novel, "The End Game," was released by Orion in hardback and ebook in March 2016.