Dan Brown

Dan Brown wrote the The Da Vinci Code, a runaway bestseller and one of the most-talked-about novels of 2003. The book follows the dashing Harvard "symbologist" Robert Langdon as he investigates a murder at the Louvre Museum in Paris and delves into a confounding world of religious secrets and ancient mysteries; the title alludes to hidden messages allegedly concealed in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Brown grew up in Exeter, New Hampshire and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1982. After graduating from Amherst College, Brown tried his hand at songwriting before becoming an English teacher at Phillips Exeter. In 1996 he turned to writing fiction full-time, and in 1998 his first novel, Digital Fortress was published. The book became a bestseller and was followed by Angels and Demons (2000, with the first appearance of the Langdon character), Deception Point (2001) and The Da Vinci Code. Most of his books share Brown's signature mix of secret societies, international intrigue, scholarly puzzles and fast-paced action. A feature film version of The Da Vinci Code was released in 2006, directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. A film of Angels and Demons followed in 2009, with Howard and Hanks reprising their roles, and a third Landgon book, The Lost Symbol was released later that year.

Extra credit: Brown wrote the funny 1995 advice book 187 Men to Avoid: A Survival Guide for the Romantically Frustrated Woman under the pseudonym of Danielle Brown.