Karin Slaughter is an American crime writer. The author of eighteen novels, Slaughter has sold more than 35 million copies of her books, which have been published in 37 languages.
LOCATION – GEORGIA (MAINLY ATLANTA)
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James Grippando
Location – Miami
James Grippando is a New York Times bestselling author with more than thirty books to his credit, including those in his acclaimed series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck, and the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction. He is also a trial lawyer and teaches law and literature at the University of Miami School of Law. He lives in South Florida with his wife, two cats, and a golden retriever named Atlas, who has no idea he’s a dog.
Nearly three years since starring in his last book, On January 9th, 2024, Jack Swyteck returns to bookstores in Goodbye Girl, the brand new thriller from New York Times bestselling author James Grippando.
Jack Swyteck, a Miami criminal defense lawyer, first appeared in Grippando’s 1994 debut, The Pardon. Since then, he’s gone on to anchor seventeen books to date, including Grippando’s 2021 thriller, Twenty. That book, heartbreakingly timely, featured a tragic plot about a school shooting in Florida that claimed the lives of twenty innocent people. Swyteck ended up in the middle of things after his wife and daughter were present when the carnage started, and then later, after the lead suspect enlists his help in an effort to calm anti-Muslim fervor and clear his name. Now, several years later, Jack Swyteck is finally set to return.
Goodbye Girl, the eighteenth book in Grippando’s series, is said to feature a nail-biting new plot that follows a mega-star artist who takes to social media and encourages her fans to illegally download her music for reasons that reach back decades and promises to have more than a few twists and turns. The Real Book Spy
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Michael Connelly
LOCATION – LOS ANGELES
Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is a titan of modern crime fiction, renowned for crafting intricate, gritty thrillers centered on iconic characters like LAPD Detective Harry Bosch and defense attorney Mickey Haller, evolving from a journalist’s keen eye for detail into a global bestselling author with over 90 million books sold, earning Edgar Awards, and successfully translating his complex legal and police procedurals into hit TV series like Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer, solidifying his place as a master storyteller of Los Angeles’ underbelly and justice system.
Born in Philadelphia in 1956, Michael Connelly’s path to literary stardom began not in fiction, but in the trenches of journalism, particularly covering crime for newspapers in Florida and then the Los Angeles Times. This front-line experience, interviewing cops and victims, observing the gritty realities of law enforcement, became the bedrock of his storytelling, lending unparalleled authenticity to his future novels. His breakthrough came in 1992 with The Black Echo, the debut novel featuring Harry Bosch, which immediately earned the prestigious Edgar Award for Best First Novel, signaling the arrival of a major new voice in mystery.
Connelly’s success transcends the printed page. He has become a prolific producer for television, overseeing the highly acclaimed Bosch series (Amazon Prime/Freevee) and The Lincoln Lawyer (Netflix), which brought his beloved characters to vibrant life for a global audience. He also produced the television adaptation of his Renée Ballard novel, The Law of Innocence, and previously saw his novel Blood Work adapted into a film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.
With over forty novels, numerous awards (including the Grand Master title from the MWA), and a global readership, Michael Connelly remains a leading figure in crime fiction, continually reinventing his universe while staying true to the core themes of justice, redemption, and the relentless search for truth in a world that often hides it. His work offers readers thrilling plots, complex characters, and a deep dive into the heart of criminal investigation.
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K.J. Howe
K.J. Howe
Born in Toronto, Canada, KJ enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle during her early years, living in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean, which gave her an insider’s view into many different cultures. While abroad, she read every book she could find, which triggered in her a desire to create her own stories.
She attended Salzburg International Preparatory School, Neuchâtel Junior College, and Albert College before earning a Specialists Degree in Business from the University of Toronto. KJ found success in the corporate world, but her passion for travel, adventure, and stories drew her back to school where she earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She is a Thriller and Barry Award nominee, and she has won several writing awards, including three Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellent in Mystery and Suspense.
While honing her fiction skills, KJ worked as a medical, health, and fitness writer. She then became involved with the International Thriller Writers as the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the organization’s annual conference held every July in New York City.
