Here at LoveReading, we love celebrating versatile authors. Authors who defy categorisation. Authors who stretch their storytelling muscles and have an uncanny ability to captivate readers of all ages. Children and adults alike are bewitched by their prowess with a pen. Here we have curated a list of authors you can take with you on your reading journey into adulthood. Or here you might find some of your favourite authors who might also satisfy your child’s bookish needs. Everyone on this list writes brilliantly for kids and adults - and we wholeheartedly recommend them.

Adam Kay

The memoir of a sharp-witted storyteller This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay brought medical memoirs to the mainstream in his secret diaries of a junior doctor. With aplomb. His pivot to children's non-fiction with Kay's Anatomy and Kay's Marvellous Medicine was an absolute triumph and introduced younger readers to the weird and wonderful world of medicine in his own hilarious way. This August, he makes his adult fiction debut with A Particularly Nasty Case, a highly anticipated thriller that promises to deliver both laughs and gasps. We can’t wait!

Michelle Paver

Michelle Paver is a master of immersive storytelling, beloved across the nation for the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series which starts with Wolf Brother. The series of nine books whisk young readers into a prehistoric, richly imagined world following the story of the unwilling hero Torak and his wolf cub. Paver’s adult novels, like the gothic thriller Wakenhyrst, a gloriously dark, deeply emotional and gothic feast of a read, and her upcoming Rainforest showcase her talent for rich atmosphere and spine-tingling suspense.

Kate Mosse

We adore bestselling writer, feminist activist, theatre performer and co-founder of the Women’s Prizes, Kate Mosse CBE. If you haven’t read The Joubert Family Chronicles yet, do. Please do. 

She publishes Feminist History for Every Day of the Year on 18th Sept, her first book aimed at a young adult readership, but which can be read by anyone. And we can’t wait to get our grubby little hands on it.

M.W. Craven

Award-winning crime writer M.W. Craven is a LoveReading fave. He has wowed adult readers with his Washington Poe series, earning accolades like the CWA Gold Dagger and the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. With books now translated into 29 languages, Craven is expanding his reach further as he’s currently writing the next Young Bond novel, bringing his gripping style to a younger generation. Hurrah for this.

Louis Sachar

Famed for Holes, the modern classic that straddles absurd humour and deep emotional truth, Louis Sachar has long enchanted children. Now, in an exciting shift, his debut adult novel The Magician of Tiger Castle landed this August. Expect the same brilliance in plot and character, now directed at grown-up readers. Our Editorial Expert Joanne Owen warns: “this fantastical story of forbidden love, loss and an agonising conundrum casts a whimsically magical spell."

Sally Gardner

From the whimsical (Fairy Shopping, Pernickety Boo) to the world-changing (Maggot Moon), Sally Gardner's books have long been favourites among children and teens. Her debut novel, I, Coriander won the Nestle Gold Award and she is also a Costa and Carnegie prize-winner. Her 2023 novel The Weather Woman is an electrifying storm of a story, propelled by courage, passion, and the love of a lifetime. Our Liz Robinson highly recommends her recent adult novel The Bride Stone: “a bought bride, an estate on the line, and multiple races against time — this rich feat of historic fiction tingles with sheer storytelling magic." These books cement her status as a literary powerhouse across genres and ages. 

Holly Jackson

With her debut A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson turned YA crime into a global phenomenon. While still thrilling teen readers, Jackson is now making waves with Not Quite Dead Yet, her first novel for adults. “A heart-wrenching, high-stakes thriller with a ticking-clock twist and a core of raw, aching humanity,” LoveReading’s MD Deborah Maclaren gave it all the stars. 

Philip Pullman

It doesn’t get much bigger and better than Philip Pullman. A titan of literature, Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is essential reading for young readers and adults alike. Pullman’s adult fiction includes The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, Pullman’s re-telling of the life of Christ. Controversial before it was even published, Pullman’s book gives his view on the life of Jesus. He is not trying to shock or provoke but simply giving a different viewpoint on the life of an historical figure. Whether you agree with him or not it is an interesting and thought provoking read.

Liz Hyder

Courage, rebellion and revolution run rampant in Hyder’s boldly accomplished debut set in a brutally exploitative Bearmouth mine. It was a widely acclaimed read for 13+ readers, a dark debut dazzling with originality. She transitioned seamlessly into adult historical fiction with The Gifts and The Illusions, both richly imagined novels filled with atmosphere, magic, and feminist themes. The Gifts was awarded a LoveReading Star Book and deemed an otherworldly utterly fantastical feminist tale of female empowerment.

Anthony Horowitz

The creator of TV hits like Foyle’s War and Midsomer Murders, Horowitz is a terrific talent who writes for everyone. He is the author of the teen spy series, Alex Rider, which has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide. He has been widely praised for his murder mysteries which began with two highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes novels and continued with the bestselling Hawthorne series in which he appears as the former detective's hapless sidekick. 

Jacqueline Wilson

A literary household name, Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker series shaped the childhoods of millions of us. More recently, she’s turned her sharp eye for emotional complexity to adult readers with novels like Think Again and Picture Imperfect, exploring relationships, family, and personal growth in a more mature light.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave 

A critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning British author who writes beautifully across children’s, young adult (YA), and adult fiction, Millwood Hargrave’s work is known for its lyrical prose, strong female characters, and themes of resilience, identity, and the natural world. Her literary debut came in 2016 with The Girl of Ink and Stars which won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year. Her adult debut The Mercies is a beautifully written, thoughtful and emotional historical tale inspired by the true events that befell a remote Norwegian community.

David Almond

Best known for the unforgettable Skellig, David Almond blends magic and reality in a lyrical, profound way. His adult novel The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean is written in phonetic prose and shows his fearless experimentation with form and voice, always keeping the soul of the story at the heart.

Matt Haig

A voice of compassion and imagination, Matt Haig writes across genres and audiences with emotional intelligence and clarity. Adults have been moved by The Midnight Library and Reasons to Stay Alive, while children delight in the festive magic of A Boy Called Christmas and its sequels. His work is hopeful, inclusive, and deeply human.

Janice Hallett 

Often dubbed the Queen of Cosy Crime since her debut The Appeal was awarded The Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year and the John Creasey New Blood Dagger in 2022, Hallett is a queen of modern mystery whose layered narratives are attracting fans of all ages. Her first book for children A Box Full of Murders arrived this June for 9+ readers. 

Sophie McKenzie 

McKenzie’s debut novel Girl, Missing, which has since sold over one million copies, was just the beginning of a multi-award-winning and internationally successful career. Her first foray into writing for adult readers was the hit Close My Eyes and has since delivered a tranche of psychological thrillers including Burn This - another twisty, fast-paced and propulsive story - which hits the shelves this July. In addition to her work for teens and adults, Sophie has also written several short stories and books for younger children.  

Ross Montgomery

Ross Montgomery, known for his vivid children’s books which include The Midnight Guardians, releases The Murder at World’s End this October, a chilling foray into adult mystery fiction we can't wait to get our hands on.

Bridget Collins

She burst into LoveReading attention with The Binding but prior this this Bridget Collins had written seven acclaimed books for Young Adults as B R Collins and has had two plays produced, one at the Edinburgh Fringe. Following on from her spellbinding debut adult novel, Collins has released The Betrayals and The Silence Factory. Her latest book, The Naked Light is out in September

These authors prove that brilliant storytelling isn’t bound by age category. Whether it’s a bedtime story or a late-night thriller, their words connect with readers of all kinds.