T. Jefferson Parker

T. Jefferson Parker is a native of the Southern California suburbs that are the backdrops to his bestselling crime dramas. He is an alumnus of the University of California, Irvine, which honored him in 1992 as a Distinguished Alumnus. His writing career began in 1978 as a cub reporter on the weekly newspaper, The Newport Ensign. After covering police, city hall and cultural stories for the Ensign, Parker moved on to the Daily Pilot newspaper, where he won three Orange County Press Club awards for his articles. While working by day as a technical writer for an Orange County aerospace company, he worked on drafts of a novel at night and on weekends. The police beat and Orange County landscape that he had covered as a reporter served as backdrop and inspiration for the work that launched his second career as a novelist. (continued)

His day job officially changed to best-selling author when LAGUNA HEAT was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985. In addition to receiving rave reviews, it was made into an HBO movie starring Harry Hamlin, Jason Robards and Rip Torn. The paperback made The New York Times Bestseller list in 1986.

Parker's novels unravel crimes set in Southern California locales including Newport Beach, Little Saigon, Lagna Beach, and San Diego, among others. His titles have received recognition in rave reviews and on many bestseller lists. The Los Angeles Times calls his writing "potent and irresistible" and Kirkus cals it "resonant, literate and powerful." The New York Times wrote that "T. Jefferson Parker is a powerhouse writer." Carolyn See called THE TRIGGERMAN'S DANCE "a masterpiece" (Washington Post). WHERE SERPENTS LIE and THE BLUE HOUR appeared for five weeks on the L.A. Times bestseller list. RED LIGHT and SILENT JOE made number one on that list in May of 2000 and 2001, respectively and SILENT JOE went on to win the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for Best Novel and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller. COLD PURSUIT was named Novel of the Year by the Southern California Booksellers Association. CALIFORNIA GIRL won Jeff his second Best Novel Edgar. (continued)

When not working on his books, Parker spends his time with his family, hiking, hunting and fishing, and haunting the public tennis courts. He enjoys diving, snorkeling, and travel. He escapes to a trailer in the desert in the spring and fall, to hike the country and not answer telephones.