British horror author James Herbert dies at 69

The Associated Press, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 10:38am (PDT)

LONDON (AP) — British horror writer James Herbert, whose best-selling spine-tinglers included "The Rats" and "The Fog," has died at the age of 69.

Herbert's publisher, Pan Macmillan, said he died Wednesday at his home in Sussex, southern England. It did not disclose the cause.

His first novel, "The Rats" — which depicted a London overrun by mutant flesh-eating rodents — was published in 1974 and sold 100,000 copies in two weeks.

He went on to write 23 novels, selling 54 million copies around the world.

Herbert was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 — the same year he was made Grand Master of Horror by the World of Horror Convention.

He is survived by his wife Eileen and three daughters.