Eric has been hailed as “the new maestro of noir” by Ken Bruen, and “The 21st century’s answer to Jim Thompson” by LitReactor. He has written more than thirty novels including The Last Few Miles of Road, Rumrunners, There and Back, and The Devil Doesn’t Want Me. His 100+ short stories have been featured in over thirty anthologies, and he has been nominated for a International Thriller Writers’ award, a Shamus, a Derringer, and three Anthony awards. ericbeetner.com

Mike is the author of twenty books including 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; The Best Chicken Thief in All of Europe; 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 2024. mikebefeler.com

Leif is best known as a yacht designer and builder of fast and beautiful sailboats that have won a slew of major regattas and prestigious awards. He has spent years racing and cruising, logging thousands of miles at sea and visiting many countries. His novel, Voyage to Crusoe, was inspired by some of the wild situations and interesting characters he encountered in his travels. Follow him on his blog: www.cruisingboatdesigns.blogspot.com and his website: www.leifbeiley.com

John, a native West Virginian, lives in Portola Valley, California. He holds an engineering PhD from Stanford and is the author of the “funny, sometimes touching” Owen Allison mysteries set in Appalachia. A second series features Lloyd Keaton, a Midwest sportswriter with a gambling habit. He won an Edgar award for his non-fiction book Hitchcock and the Censors, which documents Alfred Hitchcock’s battles with bluenoses. www.johnbillheimer.com

Baron is the winner of the Silver Falchion Award (Hard Latitudes); Killer Nashville Readers’ Choice Award (South California Purples); and Best Book of the Year (Fistful of Rain). He’s been nominated for the Nero Award, the Lefty, the Foreword Indie, the Claymore, and the Pacific Northwest’s Spotted Owl Awards. Baron’s writing has been hailed as “The real deal” by Publishers Weekly; “Fast Paced and Engaging” by Booklist; and “Solid, fluent and thrilling” by Kirkus. partnersincrimetours.com

James Byrne is the pen name of novelist and newspaper journalist Dana Haynes. He lives in the coolest city on Earth—Portland, Oregon—with his wife, Katy King, and their cat, Violet. He has published 13 novels in the realm of thrillers and mysteries, including 2025’s Chain Reaction, and the fourth in the Dez Limerick series, Storm Warning, to be released in May 2026. Find out more about James and his protagonist, Dez Limerick, at jamesbyrnethriller.com.

Miles's first novel, Kind of Blue, was named one of Booklist ’s Top Ten First Crime Novels. His next book, Midnight Alley, received a starred review on Booklist. Before turning to fiction, Corwin wrote two nonfiction crime books: in The Killing Season, he shadowed two LAPD homicide detectives in South Los Angeles; Homicide Special documents a year Corwin spent with an elite LAPD unit that focuses on serial killings, organized crime murders, and other difficult to solve cases. milescorwin.com

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

Ryburn taught biological anthropology and forensic anthropology at several colleges throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and spent ten years as a forensic anthropologist, working dozens of death investigations. In addition to his anthropological pursuits, Ryburn also worked as an investigative analyst specializing in homicides and unsolved cases. His work as a forensic anthropologist inspired him to write The Sebastien Grey Novels: The Comfort of Distance, The Boxwood Torso, and Where the Blood Is Made. ryburndobbs.com

Kemper is the USA Today bestselling author of the ongoing Ghostwriter Mysteries series published by Kensington Books, which includes the titles The Busy Body and Loose Lips. 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 L.A. Times, on PBS, BBC TV, and Radio New Zealand, and written for agathachristie.com, 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 written by a writer in the greater Pacific Northwest. His current book is Deadly Redemption. warreneasley.com 

Nicholas completed a successful career in journalism and public relations, and then decided to focus on three of his lifelong passions: writing crime fiction, walking, and England. The first book in his Walk Through England mystery series, A Deadly Walk In Devon, was published in 2024 by Kensington, and the second, A Lethal Walk In Lakeland, was released in February, 2025. The series features Rick "Chase" Chasen, a former police detective in San Diego. Nicholas lives in Pasadena, California, with his husband. nicholasgeorgeauthor.com.

Paddy writes thrillers and mysteries, including the Lawless New York series, set in early 1800s New York. His latest novel is Stone Dead, a contemporary thriller set in Belfast and Santa Monica. 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

Rick had a thirty-four-year career with the Los Angeles Police Department before retiring in 2013. He is a known homicide expert and has enjoyed extensive success in the field of cold case murders. Rick has been a consultant and technical advisor for No. 1 New York Times bestselling crime fiction author Michael Connelly. This twenty-year relationship has included the majority of Connelly's novels, the Bosch television series, as well as podcasts, documentaries, and television projects. blacktunnelwhitemagic.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, will hit shelves for the holidays. He and his wife, proud parents of a one-eyed cat who thinks he is a dog, live in Southern California.

 frederickjamesmysteries.com

Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire mystery novels, which are the basis for Longmire, the hit Netflix original drama. Craig recently attended Bouchercon 2025 as a Guest of Honor and received the prodigious Lifetime Achievement Award. His books have won numerous awards: Le Prix du Polar Nouvel Observateur/Bibliobs, the Wyoming Historical Association’s Book of the Year, Le Prix 813, the Western Writers of America’s Owen Wister Award and multiple Spur Awards, the Mountains & Plains Book of the Year, the SNCF Prix de Polar, Publishers Weekly’s Best Book of the Year, Library Journal's Best Mystery of the Year, and multiple Will Rogers Medallion Awards. Spirit of Steamboat was selected by the Wyoming State Library as the inaugural One Book Wyoming. Johnson lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population twenty-six. craigallenjohnson.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 novels, short stories, and screenplays. 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, Silver Falchion, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies is his most recent novel. Look for Sins of the Father and Illusion of Truth coming soon. You can find out more at jamesletoile.com

Jon is a 4-time Emmy®-nominated actor, bestselling author, and award-winning filmmaker. He lives mainly in Los Angeles, which is what he mostly writes about: The good people, the bad people, the business of show and the experience of living in sunny, glittery, seductive, corrupt LA. He is currently making mischief as casino owner/gangster, “Joey Armstrong,” on the CBS/Paramount+ hit, Beyond the Gates. Hollywood Hustle available now. Hollywood Payback 04/07/26. jonlindstrom.com

John David is the coauthor of nine New York Times and national bestsellers. His debut thriller, Steel Fear (with former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb), was nominated for a Barry Award and praised by Lee Child as “an instant classic, maybe an instant legend.” The third thriller in the series, Blind Fear, was released in the summer of 2023. Mann also leads a coaching program for writers, Writing Mastery Mentorship. johndavidmann.com

Scott is a 2024 Western Writers of America Spur Award Finalist. He has written novels, short stories, magazine articles, television documentaries, nonfiction books, cookbooks, and even trading cards. He is the author 25 westerns, with his latest, Targets West, released this year. Under the name Bob Madison, he has also written two comedies, Cash and Carrey and the YA novel SPIKED!, as well as the pulp thriller, The Lucifer Stone. You can find him on X at @ScottMcCreaWest and online at ScottMcCrea.net

Matthew is an investigative journalist, a lawyer, and the author of three books: Black Tunnel White Magic (co-written with Rick Jackson), The Lazarus Files, and Bat Boy, which inspired the CBS series Clubhouse. He has written for The Atlantic and is the recipient of two Southern California Journalism Awards from the Los Angeles Press Club. McGough has also written for television and served as a writer and legal consultant for NBC’s Law & Order. matthewmcgough.com

Walter Mosley is one of America’s most celebrated writers. He was given the 2020 National Book Award’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, named a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America, and honored with the Anisfield-Wolf Award, a Grammy, a PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Robert Kirsch Award, numerous Edgars, and several NAACP Image Awards. His work is translated into 25 languages. He has published fiction and nonfiction in The New Yorker, Playboy, and The Nation. As an executive producer, he adapted his novel, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, for AppleTV+ and serves as a writer and executive producer for FX’s “Snowfall.”  Walter has written more than sixty books, often publishing two books a year. His Easy Rawkins novels total 18, with the most current being Gray Dawn (2025) and Farewell, Amethystine (2024); as well as his latest King Oliver series book: Been Wrong So Long It Feel Like Right (2025.) Born and raised in Los Angeles, he lives in Brooklyn and Santa Monica.  waltermosley.com

Rob is the USA Today Bestselling Author of The Case of the Missing Maid, which earned a Publishers Weekly starred review, is a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice, and was profiled in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Rob’s other work, Cirque du Slay, won Best Humorous Novel (2025 Left Coast Crime) and the 2022 MWA Robert L. Fish Award and was a finalist for the Edgar and Anthony Awards. 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 20+ languages, include Jawbreaker; Inside SEAL Team Six; Plunging into Haiti (winner of the Douglas Dillon Prize for American Diplomacy); Zero Footprint; Left of Boom; Ghost; Saigon, based on his childhood; and his latest: The Great Chinese Art Heist: Imperialism, Organized Crime, and the Hidden Story of China's Stolen Artistic Treasures; and Stolen Elections: The Plot to Destroy Democracy. ralphpezzulloauthor.com

Dave is a best-selling author. During his career in law enforcement, he worked in narcotics, violent crimes, criminal intelligence, hostage rescue, SWAT, and internal affairs. He is the recipient of many awards and commendations for heroism. The Diabolical is the eleventh novel in the acclaimed and best-selling Bruno Johnson Crime Series, which includes The Ruthless and The Sinister. Putnam lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Mary. davidputnambooks.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

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

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