American author of suspense and thriller novels, as well as children's adventure books. He is best known for his Peter and the Starcatchers series, as well as for works such as The Risk Agent and Killer Summer.
He studied at both the University of Kansas and Brown University. He published his first novel, Never Look Back, in 1985.
He became the first American to receive the Raymond Chandler-Fulbright Fellowship.
He and his wife, Marcelle, settled in St. Louis, Missouri with their daughters, Storey and Paige.
He and his longtime friend, Dave Barry, were co-authors of the Peter and the Starcatchers and Never Land series.
