Derek Landy (born October 23, 1974) is an Irish author and screenwriter, best known for the Skulduggery Pleasant series of children’s books. Landy was born in 1974 in Dublin, Ireland. Landy attended Drogheda Grammar School during his childhood years and briefly studied animation at Ballyfermot College. Landy has a black belt in kenpo karate. Prior to his contract with HarperCollins, he worked on his parents’ vegetable farm.
Skulduggery Pleasant is the debut novel of Irish playwright Derek Landy, published in 2007. It is the first of the Skulduggery Pleasant novels. The novel crosses the horror, comedy, mystery, and fantasy genres.
The story follows the character Skulduggery Pleasant, an undead sorcerer and detective, with his partner Stephanie Edgley whose chosen name is Valkyrie Cain, and numerous magic-wielding allies as they try to prevent Nefarian Serpine from unleashing a weapon of terrible power on the world. The book was retitled Scepter Of The Ancients for the 2009 paperback release in the US and Canada. HarperCollins Audio also publishes the unabridged CD sets of the books read by Rupert Degas.

It won the coveted Red House Children’s Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award in 2007,

********************