Barbara Allan

Barbara Allan is a pen name used by Leslie Charteris, a British author born in Singapore in 1907. He is best known for creating the character Simon Templar, also known as The Saint, a Robin Hood-esque figure who fights crime and injustice. Charteris wrote over 50 novels and numerous short stories featuring The Saint, which became a popular radio, television, and film series. The Saint books have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been translated into over 30 languages. Charteris received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger Award in 1956 for his novel "The Saint on the Spanish Main". He was also awarded the Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America in 1983. Leslie Charteris died in 1993, but The Saint character remains popular and continues to be enjoyed by fans around the world.