Horrible Histories Handbooks: Spies Award-winning author by Terry Deary (author) and Mike Phillips (illustrator)

Born in Sunderland in 1946, Terry Deary lives in County Durham with his family. Terry’s early life was spent in his father’s butcher’s shop and his career in the arts began in 1972 at Theatre Powys in Mid Wales. He has worked as an actor, theatre-director, drama teacher and television presenter. Terry still acts with roles in British films and has appeared in the Horrible Histories TV, stage-shows and feature film. As an actor, Terry began writing scripts. One of his most successful was The Custard Kid which became his first novel in 1977. Terry has enjoyed over 40 years as an author, including over 80 titles in Horrible Histories the world’s bestselling children’s history series. He is also an author of fiction and non-fiction for adults. Terry is an ambassador for his home city of Sunderland and was made a Doctor of Education at Sunderland University.