Famed mystery writer Anthony Horowitz, the creator of teen spy Alex Rider, has been announced as the Malta Book Festival’s special guest, the Book Council announced on Tuesday. 

Horowitz, who rose to prominence among young readers with his Alex Ryder books, has more recently taken to penning mystery and espionage stories for beloved characters James Bond and Sherlock Holmes.  

The theme #bindingworlds has been chosen for the 2024 edition of the festival, with the aim being to highlight the power that literature has to bring together people from all walks of life. 

Artwork by illustrator Ed Dingli has also been incorporated to highlight this theme, having created four different worlds of literary endeavour. 

Born in 1955, Anthony Horowitz is a prolific British author whose work spans a variety of genres. Known among younger readers for his Alex Rider series of teen espionage novels, Horowitz was also notably licensed to produce fresh Sherlock Holmes and James Bond stories as blessed by the Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming estates, securing his position as an ever-dependable writer of high-quality and hi-octane entertainment with a global reach.

More recently, his Hawthorne and Horowitz series — whose fifth book, Close to Death, was released last April — takes a playfully meta-fictional stab at the murder mystery genre, with Horowitz writing himself into the stories as a John Watson-like presence to the titular Detective Hawthorne. 

Horowitz is also no stranger to the world of audiovisual entertainment, both through adaptations of his literary work and his own screenwriting efforts. 

The Alex Rider books have enjoyed both film and TV adaptations, while his 2016 novel, Magpie Murders, was made into an acclaimed BBC series starring Leslie Manville, whose six episodes were broadcast in 2023. 

As a screenwriter, Horowitz was behind notable successes such as Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning series Foyle’s War.  

Horowitz’s participation at the MBF 24 builds on a growing history of illustrious authors to grace the festival, with names like Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh, John Boyne, Naomi Klein, Joe Sacco and many others having participated at the event since its revamp from a fair to a festival in 2013. 

“Needless to say, the National Book Council is excited to have an author like Anthony Horowitz headlining this year’s edition of the MBF,” National Book Council chairman Mark Camillieri said. 

“While the Festival remains an integral part of the country’s cultural calendar and a proud reference point for the National Book Council’s work, we would be remiss if we rested on our laurels without striving to provide genuine added value for all of our visitors.”

During the festival, Horowitz is expected to participate in several events, including a writing masterclass, a show for children and an interview with an academic. 

The full programme of events for the 2024 Malta Book Festival (6–10 November) will be published in the coming weeks.

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