Justin Richards facts for kids

Justin Richards (born 14 September 1961 – died 28 June 2026) was a talented British writer. He created many exciting stories in science fiction, fantasy, and adventure. He wrote novels set in old London, as well as modern adventure tales. Justin Richards was especially famous for his many books, reference guides, and audio plays based on the popular BBC TV show Doctor Who. He also worked as a Creative Consultant for the Doctor Who novels published by BBC Books until 2017.

Quick facts for kids Justin Richards
Richards in the garden of his house in Warwickshire
Born	(1961-09-14)14 September 1961 Epping, Essex, England
Died	28 June 2026(2026-06-28) (aged 64) Warwickshire, England
Occupation	Writer
Genre	Science fiction Fantasy Adventure novel
Children	2
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Discovering Justin Richards: A World of Stories

Early Life and Career Journey

Justin Richards was born in Epping, Essex, England, on 14 September 1961. He went to Dean Close School in Cheltenham. Later, he studied English and Theatre at the University of Warwick.

Besides writing, Richards had other interesting jobs. He worked as a technical writer, editor, and programmer at IBM. He even designed how people use computer programs. Before all that, he worked as an errand boy in a hotel.

Justin Richards was married and had two sons, Julian and Chris. He lived in Warwickshire until his passing on 28 June 2026, at the age of 64.

Crafting Adventures: Justin Richards' Writing Style

Justin Richards' first published books were based on Doctor Who. These appeared in series like Virgin New Adventures and Virgin Missing Adventures. He continued writing for BBC Books when they started publishing Doctor Who stories again. He created many novels, audiobooks, and reference books. He also helped guide the creation of Doctor Who novels as a Creative Consultant for BBC Books.

In 2003, Richards started a series of crime novels for children called The Invisible Detective. These stories had two plots happening at once. One was set in the 1930s, and the other in the present day. This showed his interest in time and how events can change the past or future. This idea also appeared in his Time Runners series, published between 2007 and 2008.

He also wrote action-packed books. These included the Agent Alfie series for younger readers. He also co-wrote adventure novels for young teenagers with Jack Higgins. Some of his other books included spooky elements. These were found in the Department of Unclassified Artefacts novels and The School of Night series.

Justin Richards received awards for his work. His novel The Chaos Code won the Hull Children's Book Award in 2008. Demon Storm, from The School of Night series, was a finalist for the Southampton's Favourite Book Award in 2011.

He also wrote audio plays for Big Finish Productions. These are like radio dramas where you listen to the story. He created original audiobooks and even wrote scripts for TV shows, like the soap opera Family Affairs. In 2011, he started his own digital publishing company, Braxiatek. His novel The Skeleton Clock was released online later that year.

Popular Book Series

Justin Richards wrote many books across different exciting series. Here are some of his most well-known works for young readers and fans of adventure:

Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space

Richards wrote a large number of books based on the famous Doctor Who TV show. These included stories for different Doctors and companions. He contributed to many series, such as the Past Doctor Adventures, Eighth Doctor Adventures, and New Series Adventures. He also created graphic novels, activity books, and reference guides about the Doctor's universe.

The Invisible Detective: Solving Mysteries

This series, set in 1930s London, follows four friends: Arthur (Art) Drake, Jonny Levin, Meg Wallace, and Flinch. They invent a detective named Brandon Lake and solve all his cases themselves! Each book also has a modern-day mystery. Art's grandson, also named Art, and his friend Sarah solve related puzzles in the 2000s.

• The Paranormal Puppet Show (2003)
• Shadow Beast (2003)
• Ghost Soldiers (2003)
• Killing Time (2003)
• Faces of Evil (2004)
• Web of Anubis (2004)
• Stage Fright (2005)
• Legion of the Dead (2005)

Chance Twins: Action-Packed Thrills

Working with author Jack Higgins, Justin Richards wrote this series about the Chance Twins, Rich and Jade. These books are full of action and adventure for young teenagers.

• Sure Fire (2006)
• Death Run (2007)
• Sharp Shot (2009)
• First Strike (2009)

Department of Unclassified Artefacts: Victorian Secrets

This series takes place in Victorian London in 1886. It follows the adventures of Eddie Hopkins, Liz Oldfield, and Sir William Protheroe. Sir William works for a secret part of the British Museum. His assistant, George Archer, also joins them. They investigate strange and hidden artifacts.

• The Death Collector (2006)
• The Parliament of Blood (2008)
• The Chamber of Shadows (2010)
• The Blood Red City (2016)

Time Runners: Controlling the Clock

This series tells the story of Jamie Grant, a schoolboy. He falls through a "time break" and becomes a "Runner." With a mysterious girl named Anna, he gains the power to control time. They must protect time from a dangerous villain called Darkling Midnight.

• Freeze-Framed (2007)
• Rewind Assassin (2007)
• Past Forward (2008)
• Wipe Out (2008)

Agent Alfie: Spy Missions for Young Readers

This series is for younger readers who love spy stories. It features Agent Alfie on exciting missions.

• Thunder Raker (2008)
• Sorted! (2009)
• Licence to Fish (2009)

The School of Night: Supernatural Tales

This series explores supernatural horror. It's perfect for readers who enjoy spooky stories but are not yet ready for very intense horror.

• Demon Storm (2010)
• Creeping Terror (2011)

Other Exciting Novels

Justin Richards also wrote other standalone novels that captured readers' imaginations.

• The Chaos Code (2007) – In this book, Matt Stribling discovers his father was looking for an ancient code. This code was rumored to have destroyed the legendary city of Atlantis. Now, a madman has the code and is using computers to unlock it. Matt and Robin must travel the world to stop the Chaos Code from being used again.
• Monster Island (2011) – This book was part of the Heroes series for young boys.
• The Skeleton Clock (2011) – Set in a future London that is flooded, this story involves the discovery of an immortal's buried head. It tries to bring together special chess pieces, a chess board, and a key mechanism (the Skeleton Clock) to get its body back.

Bringing Stories to Life: Audio Adventures

Justin Richards also wrote many audio plays. These are like radio dramas where you listen to the story. He created numerous audio adventures for Big Finish Productions. Many of these were for the Doctor Who universe and its spin-off series. He adapted some of his novels into audio plays and wrote many original stories. These included plays for The Sarah Jane Adventures, Gallifrey, Jago & Litefoot, and Bernice Summerfield.