Lee Child was born in Coventry, England in 1954. He attended law school at Sheffield University, worked in the theater, and finally worked as a presentation director for Granada Television. After being laid off in 1995 as a result of corporate restructuring, he decided to write a book. The Killing Floor won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel and became the first book in the Jack Reacher series.
John D. MacDonald was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania in 1916. He attended Syracuse University for his B. S degree, then went on to Harvard University for his M. B. A. After serving during World War II, MacDonald published "Brass Cupcake," his first novel. By the time he had written over 40 novels, MacDonald had received the Ben Franklin Award, the Mystery Writers of America's Grandmaster Award, and the American Book Award. John D. MacDonald died in 1986.