James Herbert

Aged six, Jimmy Herbert used to love wandering through the graveyard at night while his parents were in the pub. It was a fascination he never grew out of. In his teens he would spend hours in Highgate Cemetery 'imagining movement in the soil, the muffled beating of a heart from a body long since rotted'. No surprise, therefore, that Jimmy grew up to become a bestselling horror writer. His private life, however, has remained largely a mystery until now. Craig Cabell, one of Herbert's closest confidants, has published this authorised biography after many interviews with the man who is rarely seen in public and shuns the publicity that other writers crave. It seems that Cabell has got closer to Herbert's soul than most, even though he admits that Herbert disagrees with some of his conclusions. Herbert grew up in the East End of London, playing on bomb sites and hanging around the haunts of Jack the Ripper. His first bestseller, Rats, was based on his childhood experiences, and subsequent books also blended fact and fiction from his multi-layered life. He came to writing almost by accident after rising to an executive post with an advertising company, but once he found his niche he had no doubt that it was his destiny to remain there. Despite his semi-reclusiveness, he proves to have a zany sense of humour with family and friends, and there is a tale here about how he once suckered Andy Warhol into parting with a bottle of champagne. Cabell's book goes into great depth in analysing Herbert's novels and placing their themes in the context of the writer's life; those already familiar with Herbert's literary output will particularly appreciate these insights. Overall, a fascinating study in unmasking the man behind so much horror. (Kirkus UK)