John D. MacDonald

Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1916, John D. MacDonald became one of the most popular American writers of crime and suspense fiction. He studied at Syracuse University, served during World War II, and went on to build an astonishingly productive writing career, publishing dozens of novels and hundreds of short stories.

He is best remembered for the Travis McGee series, a run of 21 novels centered on a self-described "salvage consultant" living in Florida. Those books, along with many of his other novels, are closely tied to the atmosphere of the state he made his literary home, blending mystery, danger, social observation, and a vivid sense of coastal life.

MacDonald's work reached a huge audience, and his influence lasted well beyond his lifetime. He died in 1986, but his novels are still widely read for their clean, confident storytelling and their ability to be both entertaining and unexpectedly thoughtful.