Arturo Peréz-Reverte was born in Cartagena in 1951. Since the publication of i>The Fencing Master/i>, his first novel, Pérez-Reverte has become one of Europe's bestselling authors. i>The Flanders Panel/i> was awarded the Grand Prix Annuel de Litterature Policiere in France. His novel i>The Dumas Club/i> has been made into the film i>The Ninth Gate/i> by Roman Polanski, starring Johnny Depp.