James Rice (26 September 1843 – 26 April 1882), English novelist, wrote a number of successful novels in collaboration with Walter Besant.He was born in Northampton, and was educated at Cambridge University. He studied law, becoming a lawyer of Lincoln's Inn in 1871. In 1868 he bought the publication Once a Week. It was loss-making, but made him acquainted with Besant. Together they had a successful collaboration, ended by Rice's death. He died in Redhill. Source: Wikipedia (en)