british writer confused american writer november august english spy thriller novelist best known james_bond continuation novels series books continuation novels containing sir fictional villain professor royal marine commando worked period anglican priest lost faith left church short time battle alcohol addiction wrote book autobiographical published went write works fiction including fourteen original james_bond novels novel versions bond films died suspected heart failure august early life born november small village northumberland parents london born anglican priest ordained local girl couple married family moved market town took position chaplain mary educated local king alfred school second world war joined despite time subsequently served transferring royal marines commando service considered worst commando world despite small arms expert knew lot explosives admitted bent learning fly war went college cambridge study theology subsequently ordained anglican priest realised lost faith error career later admitted sermon didn believe word saying released church took position drama critic herald whilst herald aged realised alcoholic drinking bottles day overcame addiction produced book therapy autobiographical published critic scholar says books published deserves survive writing career began novelist career created character inadvertently mistaken tough man action recruited british spy agency fact devout terrified violence suffered afraid heights admitted denied times course complete book appeared height fictional spy send business immediate success reviewing novel new_york_times wrote succeeds having ways written clever parody genuinely satisfactory thriller book film mgm seven light hearted novels short stories appeared years following success books created new characters inspector italian descent appeared series novels published simultaneously bond works mid-1970s wrote novels character professor holmes series published posthumously series titled simply delayed dispute publisher finally released shortly death bought film rights trilogy return wrote script produce portray funding fell shortly filming begin approached asked revive james_bond series novels wrote fourteen james_bond novels bond films stated wanted bring 1980s retained ages characters left kept ages bond grey temples nod passing years influence american publishers novels showed increase number book wearing pants trousers man writing guardian considered books giving examples action set bond gets whilst bond novels received mixed reaction critics popular number appeared new_york_times best seller list bringing author commercial success ambivalent view bond author saying grateful selected bond alive remembered work bond saying occasion remain proud contribution bond saga played great development mid-1990s discovering cancer officially retired writing bond novels quickly chose continue literary stories james_bond break writing lasted years following death wife battling illness returned print new novel day began series books new character 1930s police detective globe_and_mail crime critic said technically highly competent thriller novelist ease writing vein writer worked way makes qualified continue james_bond saga crime writers association short listed dancing traitor garden weapons annual award personal life married couple children simon daughter result long affair family moved america diagnosed cancer firstly years later subsequent medical treatment left near bankrupt returned november shortly return february margaret died unexpectedly returned writing second book introduced new character detective sergeant took surname girlfriend engaged read book contacted publishers subsequently engaged death died friday august suspected heart failure collapsed shopping later rushed hospital died works autobiography spin bottle novels amber founder member traitor exit airline pirates published killer song short stories appear handful rice short stories appear explosive device sunset novels reissued professor novels return revenge novels traitor garden weapons appears secret houses secret families family novels secret generations secret houses secret families james_bond novels special services role honour lives deals bond win lose die licence kill novelization film script man death forever send flowers novelization film script cold published detective sergeant novels streets town angels dining troubled midnight human enemy novels censor night published edition night festival run little faster dancing published director working novel night blood fathers later published day short story collections contains stories contains stories
John Gardner (British writer)