Henry Patterson dies at the age of 92: the author of “The Eagle Has Landed” has sold 250 million books under the pseudonym of Jack Higgins

Henry Patterson, best-selling author the eagle landedHe died at the age of 92, his publisher said.

Patterson, who published with Jack Higgins, wrote 85 novels between 1959 and 2017, selling over 250 million books over the course of his career.

This phenomenal success included the sale of 50 million copies of his thriller. the eagle landedReleased in 1975. The story of the Nazi conspiracy to kidnap Winston Churchill during World War II was made into a film that same year, directed by John Sturgess and starring Robert Duvall, Donald Sutherland and Michael Caine.

Patterson was born in Newcastle and raised in Belfast before moving to Leeds. He initially worked as a teacher before writing novels in his spare time. It was his first published novel. sad sea wind In 1959 and his last book was 2017 midnight call. Other works included A dark stranger is coming, hell is too full Y to capture the king.

His publisher announced that Patterson had died at his Jersey Island home. Four children survive from his first marriage: Sarah, Ruth, Shawn and Hannah, as well as his wife Denise.