Peter James is a UK No. 1 bestselling author, best known for writing crime and thriller novels, and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. He has achieved global book sales of over 20 million copies to date and has been translated into 37 languages.

Synonymous with plot-twisting page-turners, Peter has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career - which also included stints writing for TV and producing films. He has won over 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award, Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger and a BAFTA nomination for The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons for which he was an Executive Producer.

Many of Peter's novels have been adapted for film, TV and stage. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace will be coming to TV screens in 2021 thanks to ITV!

Peter is an ambassador for The Reading Agency's Reading Ahead programme and the author of two Quick Reads, The Perfect Murder in 2014 and Wish You Were Dead in 2021. Find out more about Peter at readingahead.org.uk.

What do you love about reading?

"There's so much to love about reading, but I think my passion for books began when I was growing up essentially as an only child. There's a big age gap between my sister and I, so we didn't play together much and books were my constant companions. It was often only through books that I discovered that I wasn't the only person in the world to feel a certain way about a certain thing. Books have a unique ability to give you an insight into what it's like to be inside another person's mind. And you're always learning when you're reading - whether that's on purpose because you're reading non-fiction, or just a happy side-effect of being gripped by a great novel!"

Why have you chosen to be an ambassador for Reading Ahead?

"I've written a Quick Read before, and I'll never forget having a conversation with a lady who had read that story, which was called The Perfect Murder. She told me that she had always struggled with reading. Before participating in Reading Ahead, she had only been able to read children's books and was too embarrassed to read in public - for example on the bus or in a library. She was so thrilled to have reached a level where she could read books for adults.

So, I'm delighted to do anything I can to support people on their reading journey. A love of books is a joy everyone deserves, both for themselves but also so they can set a good example for their children and grandchildren. I was lucky in that my father was a voracious reader - he got through three or four books a week - so I know what a difference it can make to have a parent who reads."

Find Peter on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @peterjamesuk, and through his website.