The Horse Whisperer author Nicholas Evans dies at 72

Author died of a heart attack, his agent has confirmed

Nicholas Evans, the author of The Horse Whisperer, has died at the age of 72.

According to his long-time agent Caradoc King at United Agents, Evans died of a heart attack on Tuesday 9 August.

Evans released his debut novel The Horse Whisperer in 1995, to much critical and commercial acclaim.

The book about a family whose wild horse is only tamed by a mysterious Montana ranch worker, was one of the most successful of that year, selling over 15 million copies in the US.

The Horse Whisperer was adapted into a film of the same name in 1998, starring Robert Redford, Scarlett Johansson and Kristin Scott Thomas.

In a statement to The Bookseller, Charlie King, managing director of Little, Brown Book Group, said: “Nicholas Evans was a masterful storyteller and one of the most successful, best-loved novelists of his generation.

“His era-defining bestseller The Horse Whisperer and his four subsequent novels, The Loop, The Smoke Jumper, The Divide and the Brave, have been enjoyed by millions of readers around the world.

“Little, Brown is extremely proud to be Nick’s publisher – he will be greatly missed, but his words will live on for years to come.”

He is survived by his wife Charlotte and their four children, Finlay, Lauren, Max and Harry.