Dennis Collins

Dennis Collins writes mystery and thriller fiction shaped by a long career outside the literary world. In author bios published with his work, he says his professional life was spent in automotive engineering over forty years, while his off-hours were filled with flying, skydiving, scuba diving, motorcycle racing, and decades of hydroplane racing.

His path into publishing began unexpectedly when an article he wrote for a powerboat racing club newsletter was picked up for Propeller Magazine. He later said that his first novel, The Unreal McCoy, was self-published and did surprisingly well, followed by Turn Left at September with Behler Publications. He has also described himself as a co-founder of the Huron Area Writer’s Group in Michigan and a reviewer of mysteries for MyShelf.

Collins has written across several mystery series and stand-alone novels. His more recent books include the Cotton Cunningham academic mysteries, beginning with A Semester of Death in 2020, followed by Death Calls the Dean and A Diversity of Death. Those books mix campus intrigue, murder, and social unrest, showing his interest in suspense that grows out of vivid settings and lived experience.