Sad News, Berkshire County. Popular Author Jack Higgins Has Died

If you're a reader like myself, especially a reader of books in the adventure/espionage genre, you'll be saddened to know that a "master" of the high adventure/spy novel has recently passed away at 92 years old. I'm talking about Jack Higgins.

My mom loved to read espionage novels from certain authors such as Robert Ludlum(the Jason Bourne series), Ken Follet, Tom Clancy, Frederick Forsythe, and Jack Higgins. And I(her loving son) would usually voraciously devour the books when Mom was through reading them(and it didn't take her long--even today she goes through novels like nobody's business!).

Anyway, back to the point, I clearly remember reading a book called, The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins. I remember reading it to this day(and we're talking mid-1970s). That's how much of an impact it had on me. Absolutely loved that book. Just like my Mom did. We even watched the movie together.

Great movie, too, although not as good as the book(they never are, are they?) with a terrific cast: Donald Sutherland, Treat Williams, Michael Caine, Judy Geeson, Jenny Agutter, Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, and the list goes on.

Of course, there was a time after reading that book(before life got in the way as it sometimes does) that I read anything else by Jack Higgins I could lay my hands on. Novels such as Solo, Touch the Devil, Drink with the Devil, Storm Warning, The Graveyard Shift, The Valhalla Exchange, Luciano's Luck...

Sorry, kind of got sidetracked there. It wasn't until much later that I found out that Jack Higgins was not even the man's real name! I know, I know, it's a common practice for authors to use pseudonyms, but back before social media, the internet, and the iPhone, you couldn't find this type of information out so easily.

The gentlemen's real name was Henry Patterson and it turns out that he also wrote under other pseudonyms such as Martin Fallon, James Graham, and Hugh Marlowe. He was quite prolific and his novels have sold over 250 million copies around the world.

The British division of his publishing company HarperCollins made the announcement of his death on Twitter. Higgins passed away at his home on Saturday at 92. The cause for his death has not been given at this time.

He was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing and he is survived by his wife and three daughters and one son from his first marriage. Speaking for my Mom and me, thanks for all the high adventure and edge-of-your-seat thrills, Jack. You'll be missed.