John Gall

John Gall is a noted American author, most well-known for his mystery and thriller novels. Over the course of his lengthy writing career, he has published 25 novels, the first of which was the acclaimed Windwalker of 1981. He is lauded for his engaging, thoughtful books and his ability to tell riveting stories with deep characters and emotive settings.

John Gall was born in 1949 in McAllen, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in English Literature. Afterward, he opened an advertising firm and wrote extensively on the side. After seeing moderate success as a copywriter, Gall decided to pursue writing full-time. He made his debut in 1981 with Windwalker and garnered critical acclaim. The novel follows investigative reporter Georgia March as she investigates a mysterious disappearance in the small town of Echo, Texas. It was awarded the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière and is still considered one of the best murder mysteries of all time.

Gall followed Windwalker up with two other novels in the same vein - The MacKenzie File and Nightwatch. Those works further propelled the author to fame and validated his place at the forefront of the contemporary mystery genre. After the success of the first three novels - which all follow the same series of characters - Gall changed tack and moved away from murder mysteries to explore other areas of the world.

His next novel, Fire Mountain, was released in 1986, and it was a departure from his usual work. Fire Mountain is set in Alaska during the gold rush of the late 19th century and follows the adventures of Brady Rushmore, an intrepid prospector. The book was a success and spawned a trilogy of novels set in Alaska, titled The Alaskan Country Series.

Gall returned to the world of mystery and thriller writing with a four-novel series beginning in 1990 with The Trail of Worms. The series followed police officer Kcenia Moller as she investigated a series of inexplicable disappearances in the central Texas town of San Patricio. This series is considered by many fans to be a prime example of Gall's ability to draw readers in with his gripping plot and skillful character development.

John Gall has written dozens of other books since then, including both series and stand-alone works. His novels span a variety of genres, including historical fiction, horror, and even young adult literature. He was awarded the 1993 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile novel for True Blue, which tells the story of a young girl coming of age amid the Missouri River floods of 1993.

John Gall's books have been translated into over 20 languages and remain popular decades after their inception. His works have received critical acclaim and are widely considered to be some of the best books in the mystery and thriller genres. Whether it's his classic series characters Georgia March and Brady Rushmore, or his new takes on the classic police procedural, Gall's work is sure to be full of unexpected twists and surprises.