Writers Born Today - Michael Lister

It's the birthday of award winning novelist Michael Lister. More than just a crime writer, his work transcends the stereotypes usually associated with mysteries and thrillers. Publisher's Weekly said of  his prose "it ranks with the best of contemporary noir fiction", and best selling writer Michael Connelly added, "Lister takes a poet's view to the novel. His words skip on the waters of the imagination like well-polished stones."

Born and raised near the Apalachicola River in Florida's Panhandle, most of his stories are based in the region. He worked in the Florida Corrections system as a prison chaplain for many years, and this provided the fodder for his early work. His first novel in the successful John Jordan series, Power In The Blood, was well received and has led to nine more books in the series. His latest novel, Blood Cries, comes out today.

He also wrote a historical thriller series featuring Jimmy Riley, a PI from Panama City, including The Big Goodbye and The Big Beyond. Writers who have influenced his style include Ernest Hemmingway, Raymond Chandler, Walter Mosley, and Cormac McCarthy.

Lister won the Florida Book Award for his novel, Double Exposure, in 2009. Set in the Florida panhandle, it revolves around a photographer whose camera captures a murder scene and puts him in mortal danger when the killer returns.

To read my review of his chilling suspense novel Double Exposure, click here.

You can read an excellent interview with Michael Lister at Jen's Book Thoughts. And to learn more about this outstanding writer (and get a free book), visit his website.