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T. Jefferson Parker

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T. Jefferson Parker
Born1953 (age 70–71)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationNovelist
Alma materUniversity of California, Irvine
GenrePolice procedural
Notable awardsEdgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel (2002, 2005)
Website
www.tjeffersonparker.com

T. Jefferson Parker (born 1953) is an American novelist. Parker's books are police procedurals set in Southern California.

Early life and education

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Parker was born in 1953 in Los Angeles, California, and he has lived his entire life in Southern California. He was named T. Jefferson Parker. The "T" doesn't stand for anything. His mother said she thought it would look good on the presidential letterhead.[1] He was educated in public schools and received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine in English.

Career

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Parker began his writing career as a journalist for The Newport Ensign. Parker later switched jobs to the Daily Pilot, winning three Orange County Press Club Awards. It was at this time that he began writing his first novel, Laguna Heat.[2] He received the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 2002 for Silent Joe and again in 2005 for California Girl. In 2008, his short story "Skinhead Central" won Parker another Edgar award, making him one of the elite few writers to have won the Edgar three times.[3]

Writing style

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Parker's stories usually have one protagonist, and occasionally part of the story will be shown from the antagonist's point of view. His stories usually build suspense as the protagonist tries to prevent further crimes. The crimes depicted in the story are usually gruesome acts, which cause much unrest in the town where the story is set. Parker is renowned for using California settings and depicting the effects of crime on a community.

He draws on his experience as a lifelong California resident. Although most of his work is set in Orange County and Los Angeles County, he has relocated to San Diego and some of his more recent writing is set there.

Personal life

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Parker lives in Southern California, where he writes and spends time with his family. His hobbies include hiking, hunting, fishing, and playing tennis.[4]

Awards

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Awards for Parker's writing[5]
Year Title Award Result
2001 Red Light Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel Finalist
2001 Silent Joe Hammett Prize Finalist
2002 Barry Award for Best Novel Finalist
Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel Winner
Macavity Award for Best Novel Finalist
2004 California Girl Hammett Prize Finalist
2005 Anthony Award for Best Novel Finalist
Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel Winner
Macavity Award for Best Novel Finalist
2010 Iron River Hammett Prize Finalist
The Renegades International Thriller Writers Awards for Best Novel Finalist
2018 The Room of White Fire Shamus Award for Best Novel Winner

Novels

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Standalone novels

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  • Laguna Heat (1985)
  • Little Saigon (1987)
  • Pacific Beat (1991)
  • Summer of Fear (1993)
  • The Triggerman's Dance (1996)
  • Where Serpents Lie (1998)
  • Silent Joe (2001)
  • Cold Pursuit (2003)
  • California Girl (2004)
  • The Fallen (2006)
  • Storm Runners (2007)
  • Full Measure (2014)
  • Crazy Blood (2016)
  • A Thousand Steps (2022)
  • The Rescue (2023)
  • Desperation Reef (2024)

Roland Ford series

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  • The Room Of White Fire (2017)
  • Swift Vengeance (2018)
  • The Last Good Guy (2019)
  • Then She Vanished (2020)

Charlie Hood series

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  • L.A. Outlaws (2008)
  • The Renegades (2009)
  • Iron River (2010)
  • The Border Lords (2011)
  • The Jaguar (2012)
  • The Famous and the Dead (2013)

Merci Rayborn series

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  • The Blue Hour (1999)
  • Red Light (2000)
  • Black Water (2002)

As editor

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  • Hook, Line & Sinister (2010)

References

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  1. ^ "Full Measure: A Novel". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on 2018-11-11. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  2. ^ "Barnes & Noble.com – T. Jefferson Parker – Books: Meet the Writers". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  3. ^ "Awards". Edgar Awards. Archived from the original on 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  4. ^ "Biography". T. Jefferson Parker. Archived from the original on 2006-05-18. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
  5. ^ "T. Jefferson Parker". Stop, You're Killing Me!. Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
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