Richard Montanari

Richard Montanari was born in Cleveland, Ohio, into an American family of Italian origin. After studying, he spent some time in Europe and worked various jobs, including as a clothing-store clerk and an encyclopedia salesman. After returning to the United States, he worked for several years in his father’s construction company. As a freelance writer, he contributed to more than 200 publications, including the Chicago Tribune, the Detroit Free Press, and the Seattle Times. His first novel was published in 1996. He achieved a breakthrough as a bestselling author in Germany with *Cruzifix*, the first novel featuring the Philadelphia detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano.