Justin Richards


Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day. He has written many spin-off novels, reference books and audio plays based on the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and he is Creative Consultant for the BBC Books range of Doctor Who novels.

Life

Richards was born in Epping, Essex, on 14 September 1961. After attending Dean Close School in Cheltenham he obtained a BA in English and Theatre at the University of Warwick.
As well as his literary career, Richards has worked as a technical writer, editor, programmer, and user interface designer at IBM, and as an errand boy in a hotel.
Richards is married with two sons, and lives in Warwickshire.

Work

Richards' first published novels were based on Doctor Who, published in the Virgin New Adventures, Virgin Missing Adventures and Virgin Decalog series. He continued to write for BBC Books after they resumed publishing Doctor Who stories, and as well as producing numerous novels, audio books, activity books and reference books he is Creative Director for the BBC Books range of Doctor Who novels.
In 2003, Richards began writing a series of crime novels for children, whose parallel plots show a fascination with time and temporal paradox that is also evident in the Time Runners series that came out in 2007-08. More action-oriented books include the Agent Alfie books for younger readers, and a series of action-adventure books for young teens co-written with Jack Higgins. Other books have a more supernatural plot element, including the Department of Unclassified Artefacts novels and the [|School of Night] books.
His book The Chaos Code won the Hull Children's Book Award 2008. Demon Storm has been shortlisted for the Southampton's Favourite Book award 2011.
Richards has also written audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions, original audiobooks, and has contributed to television including Five's soap opera Family Affairs. In 2011, Richards ventured into electronic publishing through his own publishing company, Braxiatek. His novel The Skeleton Clock was made available later that year in electronic formats only.

Books

Books based on the Doctor Who series

For Virgin Books

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Set in London in the 1930s, the series recounts the adventures of Arthur Drake, Jonny Levin, Meg Wallace and Flinch, who invented the "Invisible Detective" Brandon Lake and who investigate all his cases themselves. Each story has a parallel subplot set in the 2000s, where Art's grandson, also named Art, and his friend Sarah have related mysteries to solve.
  1. The Paranormal Puppet Show
  2. Shadow Beast
  3. Ghost Soldiers
  4. Killing Time
  5. Faces of Evil
  6. Web of Anubis
  7. Stage Fright
  8. Legion of the Dead

    Chance Twins (Rich and Jade)

A series of books set in Victorian London describing the adventures of Eddie Hopkins, Liz Oldfield, Sir William Protheroe of the British Museum's secret 'Department of Unclassified Artefacts' and his assistant George Archer.
A series of books which chronicle the adventures of schoolboy Jamie Grant who falls through a time break and becomes a Runner along with the mysterious Anna, with power to control time and a duty to protect it from malign interference by the sinister Darkling Midnight.
  1. Thunder Raker
  2. Sorted!
  3. Licence to Fish

    The School of Night

A supernatural horror series, described by the publisher as "perfect for readers not yet old enough for Darren Shan".

Adaptations