James Patterson is arguably one of the most successful writers in the contemporary world. He has sold over 300 million copies of his novels, and has been featured on the New York Times bestseller list more times than any other author, past or present. He is a prolific novelist whose life and work has been celebrated through literary awards and references in popular culture alike.Most famous for his crime series’ – such as the hugely popular novels featuring psychologist Alex Cross, as well as the justice-seeking Women’s Murder Club – Patterson also writes non-fiction, romance, and children’s books. The latter of these were inspired by his desire to encourage young readers (including his own son), which is also exemplified by his philanthropic involvement with Booktrust’s Children’s Reading Fund.