Anthony Horowitz is a British novelist and screenwriter best known for his Alex Rider series of spy novels. He has also written extensively for television, including the popular series Foyle's War and Midsomer Murders. Horowitz is a prolific author, having written over 40 books and numerous television scripts. He is also the creator of the popular detective series, Sherlock Holmes and the House of Silk. Horowitz was born in London in 1955 and attended the University of York, where he studied English and Drama. After graduating, he worked as a scriptwriter for television and film, and wrote his first novel, The Sinister Secret of Frederick K Bower, in 1979. He has since written a number of successful books, including the Alex Rider series, which follows the adventures of a teenage spy. Horowitz has won numerous awards for his work, including the British Book Award for Children's Book of the Year for his novel Stormbreaker. He has also been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the Edgar Award. In addition to his writing, Horowitz is also a patron of the National Literacy Trust and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.