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P.J. Parrish Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Author Biography  | Interview  | Books by this Author  | Read-Alikes

P.J. Parrish

P.J. Parrish

P.J. Parrish Biography

P.J. Parrish is the New York Times bestselling author of ten Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye thrillers. The author is actually two sisters, Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols. The series has garnered 11 major crime-fiction awards, and an Edgar® nomination. Parrish has won two Shamus awards, one Anthony and one International Thriller competition. Her books have been published throughout Europe and Asia.

Parrish's short stories have also appeared in many anthologies, including two published by Mystery Writers of America. Their stories have also appeared in Detroit Noir and Ellery Queen Magazine. Most recently, they contributed an essay to a special edition of Edgar Allan Poe's works edited by Michael Connelly. They are now at work on their first stand-alone thriller, set in Miami and Paris.

From the author's website

P.J. Parrish's website

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Interview

PJ Parrish discloses the secret behind the pseudonym and a tidbit about the third Louis book.

Why the pseudonym? Reading "About the Author" -- which so artfully avoided any gender references -- had me thinking "P.J." is a female who feels (or for whom research proved) that male authors sell better. -- Peg Snyder.
I am, indeed, a woman. Or to be more precise, two women (we are sisters who collaborate) and it was pretty much an editorial decision: not enough room on a cover for two names and a title. So we decided to use a nom de plume. As for it being "neuter," that, too, was calculated. Male authors do not sell "better" but unfortunately, there is lingering bias among some, shall we say, less enlightened readers. Indeed, I have had people at signings tell me "I don't read women." It's extremely difficult to break into the competitive mystery genre and our editors also felt that given the gritty, realistic tone of our stories, our books might find a broader audience if readers did not have any preconceived notions of "male" versus "female" books. As an avid mystery reader, you undoubtedly know there are countless wonderful women crime novelists, most of whom have equal male-female audiences. (My own current fave is Minette Walters). Quite a ...

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Books by this Author

Books by P.J. Parrish at BookBrowse
An Unquiet Grave jacket Dead of Winter jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for P.J. Parrish but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
How we choose read-alikes

  • Russell Andrews

    Russell Andrews

    Russell Andrews is a pseudonym for Peter Gethers. Under the Andrews name, he has written five bestselling thrillers, Gideon, Icarus, Aphrodite, Midas and Hades.

    In real life, he is a screenwriter, novelist, publisher, and ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Dead of Winter

    Try:
    Aphrodite
    by Russell Andrews

  • Steve Hamilton

    Steve Hamilton

    Steve Hamilton is the New York Times–bestselling author of twelve novels, most recently The Second Life of Nick Mason and Die a Stranger.  His debut, A Cold Day in Paradise,won both an ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Dead of Winter

    Try:
    Blood Is The Sky
    by Steve Hamilton

We recommend 5 similar authors

View all 5 Read-Alikes

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