Matt, awarded Pulp Detective's Best Newcomer of 2015, lives in Stockton, California, where he splits his time between being a father, husband, and author. Currently he's finishing his series, The Black Cape Case Files, which follows Dane Curse, a former villain turned PI, as he navigates the powered underbelly of Gold Coast City, and Northland Mysteries, which stars Detective Jake Carter and his partner Dr. Nafissa Rayan. mattabrahambooks.com

Jon is the author of ten novels including Corrosion, which has been translated into multiple languages and was nominated for the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere, France’s biggest crime fiction award. His latest novel, The Memory Ward, was optioned by a Fox development executive for a possible television series. He also wrote the screenplay for Bizarre Love Triangle, named semi-finalist at the New York Cinematography Awards and finalist at the Seattle Film Festival for best short film.  jonbassoff.com

Eric is the author of more than thirty novels, including the Carter McCoy series, which began with the ITW and Anthony-nominated The Last Few Miles of Road, the sequel Real Bad, Real Soon, and the conclusion of the trilogy, A Wound That Will Not Heal. He lives in Los Angeles and works as a ten-time Emmy-nominated TV editor/producer.  ericbeetner.com

Mike is the author of twenty-five books including Begotten, The Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes, The Holiday Adventures of Sure Luck Holmes, and A Mystery Yarn: Last Gasp Motel; Old Detectives Home; Paradise Court; Back Wing, Front Wing; Death of a Scam Artist; Mystery of the Dinner Playhouse; Unstuff Your Stuff; The Tesla Legacy; and the Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery series. He was twice a finalist for The Lefty Award for best humorous mystery and had two books published in 2026.  mikebefeler.com

Leif is a yacht designer, builder, sailor, and world traveler. He uses his lifetime of experiences at sea, and his travels to many countries, to write adventures inspired by some of the wild situations and interesting characters he has encountered along the way. His first novel, Voyage to Crusoe, has been widely praised by readers around the world. His next novel, Forbidden Bay, will be available in late 2026.  leifbeiley.com

Baron is the author of the Sheriff Ty Dawson series, Longmire Meets Yellowstone in the 1970s.  He is the recipient of the prestigious Will Rogers Medallion for Best Western Mystery; five-time winner of the Silver Falchion Award; winner of Killer Nashville Readers Choice Award; and winner of Best Book of the Year. Birtcher has also been nominated for the Lefty Award, the Nero, the Foreword Indie, the Claymore, the Xanadu, and the Pacific Northwest's Spotted Owl Awards.  www.facebook.com/BaronRBirtcher/

Matt is the author of the bestselling Rick Cahill crime series. His books have won the Anthony, Shamus, Lefty, Authors on the Air Book of the Year, and San Diego Book Awards. Matt was named the Mystery Writer of the Year by the San Diego Writers Festival for 2021 and received the Odin award from the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild in 2024. After ten Rick Cahill novels, Matt is currently writing something completely new.  mattcoylebooks.com

Darrell is a former newspaper journalist who spent years uncovering real-world truths, reporting on breaking news, and conducting investigations—now, he uses his storytelling prowess to weave tales of page-turning novels. Awarded honorable mention at the New York Book Fair, Of Light & Lies is his first novel. Darrell also has over thirty years' experience producing many of the world’s largest international trade shows. He and his wife Mika—a fine artist—live in Santa Ana, California.  darrelldenny.com

Kemper is the USA Today bestselling author of the ongoing Ghostwriter Mysteries series published by Kensington Books (The Busy Body, Loose Lips, Sweet Spot). He is also the author of The Decent Proposal, published by HarperCollins. As the host of the podcast All About Agatha, dedicated to the one and only Agatha Christie, he’s been featured in the LA Times and on PBS, and on the Agatha Christie estate’s official website.  kemperdonovan.com

Warren lives near Portland in Oregon, where he skis, fly fishes, and writes The Cal Claxton Mysteries. He was named the Northwest’s Up and Coming Author in 2017 by Willamette Writers, and the fifth book in the series, Blood for Wine, was short-listed for a Nero Wolfe Award. Book 8, No Witness, received the coveted Spotted Owl Award for the best mystery by a writer in the greater Pacific Northwest. His current book is The Killing Pill. warreneasley.com

Nicholas enjoyed a successful career in journalism and public relations before focusing on writing mysteries. He indulged in his passion for country walking and England in his first series, the Walk Through England mysteries, featuring retired police detective Rick “Chase” Chasen, debuting in 2022. His Adam Parrall mystery series, which launched this year, lets him focus on another passion—rock ‘n roll. Nicholas lives in Pasadena, California, with his husband.  nicholasgeorgeauthor.com

​Morgan taught for thirty years in the Los Angeles public schools, an experience that informs his fiction’s attention to class, power, and moral consequence. His debut novel, Gone to Ground, a literary thriller set in Los Angeles, was named Best First Novel of 2025 by IndieReader. He is now at work on a second Los Angeles thriller, continuing to explore hidden systems and uneasy loyalties. Morgan lives in Los Angeles with his wife. morganhatch.net

Paddy writes thrillers and mysteries, including the Lawless New York series, set in early 1800s New York. His latest novel is Primed, a transatlantic revenge thriller set in Belfast and Los Angeles. When he’s not writing about financially-motivated murders, Paddy works as a Murrow award–winning business journalist for Bloomberg and NPR. He’s a former Royal Marines officer, who served with the USMC’s 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in the first Gulf War.  paddyhirsch.com

Lee is the pen name of Rick Copp, a Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include The Golden Girls, The Brady Bunch Movie, Scooby-Doo, Teen Titans, Where the Bears Are, and Barbie—a résumé that defies explanation. He is the author of multiple cozy mystery series, including the Hayley Powell Mysteries (with his sister Holly Simason), along with the Maya & Sandra, Poppy Harmon, Father & Daughter, and Downeast Maine Mysteries. Learn more at leehollismysteries.com.

Frederick inherited an unfortunate addiction to writing from his mother, and became enthusiastic about mysteries after she introduced him to Agatha Christie and Lt. Columbo. For his 50th birthday, his wife surprised him with a remote writing retreat, where he completed his first Archie Cavendish mystery. The third, A Corpse Before Sunrise, hit shelves this summer. He and his wife live in Southern California.  frederickjamesmysteries.com

Leslie is the New York Times–bestselling editor of the Edgar-winning New Annotated Sherlock Holmes and Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s. He currently edits the Library of Congress Crime Classics series with twenty volumes to date, and, with Laurie R. King, has edited five anthologies of Sherlock Holmes–inspired short stories. Klinger is currently president of the Southern California chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. He lives in Malibu, California.  lesliesklinger.com

James uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning work. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Macavity, Silver Falchion, and Public Safety Writers Award. Illusion of Truth is his most recent novel. Look for When Darkness Falls late in 2026.  jamesletoile.com

Eriq is an actor/director/producer/author who is best known to worldwide television audiences for his award-winning portrayal of the commanding Dr. Peter Benton on the NBC critically acclaimed and history-making medical drama ER. Educated at Juilliard and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, La Salle has maintained a prolific acting career while at the same time working steadily as a director, taking the helm for HBO, Showtime, NBC, Fox, and CBS. He executive produced Chicago PD and On Call, in addition to directing episodes of Law & Order, and Law & Order Organized Crime. As a writer, La Salle is the author of several critically acclaimed thrillers published in 2022 and 2023—Laws of Depravity, Laws of Wrath, and Laws of Annihilation. His latest, Laws of Solomon, releases September 8, 2026. iameriqlasalle.com

Scott writes thrillers, westerns, YA novels, and comedies. He is a 2024 Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist and Western Fictioneers Peacemaker nominee. Targets West, a thriller about rancher Lucas Wheeler involved in an international plot, received raves in 2025. The sequel, Prosecution League, was released in 2026. He is working on a third Lucas Wheeler thriller. The author of more than forty-five books, you can find him on X at @ScottMcCreaWest and online at ScottMcCrea.net.

John's debut novel, The Good Detective, was called “pretty much perfect” by The New York Times. Like his debut, his follow-up, The Evil Men Do, was also a Times “Top Ten Crime Novel.” John’s new series began with Head Cases and continues with Inside Cases. Head Cases is about the FBI’s Patterns and Recognition unit: puzzle solvers sent on a chase for a serial killer, and is in development for TV by Warner Brothers. johnmcmahonbooks.com

Rob is the USA Today–bestselling author of The Harriet Morrow Investigates Series, including The Case of the Missing Maid (the 2026 Lefty Winner for Best Historical Novel and a Lambda Literary Award finalist) and The Case of the Murdered Muckraker. Both books received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly. For his other works, Rob has won the Anthony and the MWA Robert L. Fish Award and has been an Edgar Finalist. robosler.com

Ralph is a New York Times–bestselling author, award-winning playwright, and host of the popular podcast Heroes Behind Headlines. His books, published in twenty-plus languages, include Jawbreaker; Inside SEAL Team Six; Zero Footprint; Saigon, based on his childhood; The Great Chinese Art Heist: Imperialism, Organized Crime, and the Hidden Story of China's Stolen Artistic Treasures; Stolen Elections: The Plot to Destroy Democracy; and his latest, Deep Cover Shallow Graves. ralphpezzulloauthor.com

Joseph chased great white sharks as a marine biologist before becoming a patent lawyer who litigates multimillion-dollar cases for high-tech companies. He is also the son of a Navy helicopter pilot and author of the bestselling Seth Walker series. Takeoff, False Horizon, and Departure feature an air marshal-turned-investigator who solves crimes in and around aviation. Under the pen name Parker Adams, he also published the high-tech heist novel, The Lock Box. josephreidbooks.com ​​​

Frederick is the author of Black, White, and Gray All Over: A Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement, selected as the 2022 Independent Authors Network Book of the Year, and Saint Bloodbath, a true crime story about the murders of six people in 2008–2009. After a thirty-two-year career in law enforcement in Southern California, Frederick retired into writing. He currently resides in Riverside County with his wife, Carolyn, and children, Lauren and Desmond. frederickdreynolds.com

James is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sigma Force series; six individual adventure thrillers; the blockbuster movie novelization, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; the Tucker Wayne Series; the Order of the Sanguines Series; the Jake Ransom middle-grade series; and the Moonfall Saga series. The 8th Individual Adventure, Trust No One, was released February 24, 2026.​​ Before he would set heroes and villains on harrowing adventures, Rollins embarked on a career in veterinary medicine, graduating from the University of Missouri and establishing a successful veterinary practice. He continues to volunteer his time and veterinary skills in support of the local SPCA. His hands-on knowledge of medicine and science helps shape the research and scientific speculation that set James Rollins' books apart.  jamesrollins.com

Robert is the author of the legal dramas Corrupt Practices; Reckless Disregard; The Bomb Maker’s Son; We, The Jury, a USA Today bestseller; and with James Patterson, The Family Lawyer, the title story of the New York Times–bestselling short story collection. His most recent novel, A True Verdict, released this year and received a starred review from Kirkus and an Earphone Award from Audiophile.  robertrotstein.com

Adam is the award-winning author of the international spy thriller Landslide and his latest novel, The Underhanded, released in April 2024. Before taking up the pen, Adam spent twenty-five years in national security as a US Marine and then as a paramilitary officer with the CIA, having served in Central Asia, East Africa, and Europe. Adam now resides in Southern California and writes as much as he can.  adamsikes.com

Duane is the New York Times–bestselling and two-time Edgar-nominated author of eleven novels, including California Bear as well as the graphic novels Dead Flowers and Breakneck. Along with James Patterson, he co-wrote the bestselling thriller Billion-Dollar Ransom. His first short story collection, Lush & Other Tales of Boozy Mayhem, was recently published by Cimarron Street Books. A native Philadelphian, Duane lives in Pasadena, California. gleefulmayhem.com

Daniel’s Pacific Coast Highway Mystery series’ title, The Last Songbird, has been described by T. Jefferson Parker as “rock noir at its best—half Warren Zevon and half Raymond Chandler.” For his new book, Cinnamon Girl, NYT bestseller Reed Farrell Coleman notes: “Evocative, nostalgic, haunting, twisty, and true . . . everything there is to love about ‘a classic PI novel’ and more.” Daniel’s work has also appeared in the LA Times, UK Guardian, Jewish Journal, Billboard, and California Magazine. danielweizmann.com