SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Nicholas Evans, author of ‘The Horse Whisperer,’ dead at 72

Nicholas Evans, author of the beloved novel "The Horse Whisperer," passed away suddenly last week, his agent said.

Nicholas Evans, the British author of the novel “The Horse Whisperer,” has died at 72, his literary agent announced on Monday.

Evans died suddenly on Aug. 9 following a heart attack, United Agents said in a statement.

His 1995 debut novel “The Horse Whisperer” sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, was translated into 40 languages, and was a number one bestseller in 20 countries.

It tells the story of a trainer hired to restore an injured teenager and her horse back to health.

The book was adapted into a Hollywood movie starring Robert Redford as the title character and Scarlett Johansson playing young rider Grace MacLean. Kristin Scott Thomas played her mother, and Sam Neill the father.

Evans was born in 1950 in Worcestershire, England, and studied law at Oxford University. He worked as a journalist in the 1970s and went on to become a screenwriter and TV producer before writing his debut novel.

His other literary works include “The Loop” (1998), “The Smoke Jumper” (2001), “The Divide” (2005) and “The Brave” (2010).

Evans leaves behind his wife Charlotte Gordon Cummings and his children.