Chris Grabenstein did improvisational comedy in New York City with Bruce Willis before James Patterson hired him to write advertising copy.

He is the Anthony and Agatha award winning author of the John Ceepak/Jersey Shore mysteries TILT A WHIRL, MAD MOUSE, WHACK A MOLE, HELL HOLE, and MIND SCRAMBLER; the thrillers SLAY RIDE and HELL FOR THE HOLIDAYS; and the Middle Grades chillers THE CROSSROADS and THE HANGING HILL. His dog Fred has even better credits: Fred starred on Broadway in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.