Jean Heller is an accomplished American investigative journalist and author known for her groundbreaking reporting and gripping thrillers. She gained prominence in 1972 for exposing the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and later covered major events during the Gulf War. Her journalism career spanned prestigious outlets such as The Associated Press, New York Newsday, and the St. Petersburg Times, earning her numerous accolades, including a Polk Award, the Worth Bingham Prize, and eight Pulitzer Prize nominations. As a novelist, Heller debuted with the thriller "Maximum Impact" in 1993, followed by "Handyman" in 1995, both praised by critics and later released in Kindle editions.
Heller's fiction often reflects her investigative background, blending suspense with richly detailed settings. Her novel "The Someday File" introduces Chicago journalist Deuce Mora, the protagonist of a thriller series lauded by Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly for its intricate plotting and authentic portrayal of the city. Drawing from her lifelong connection to Chicago, Heller crafts narratives where the city itself becomes a central character. Her writing merges her journalistic rigor with a flair for storytelling, exploring themes of crime, political intrigue, and resilience.
Now based in Chicago, Heller continues to write, with Deuce Mora's adventures forming the core of her recent literary work. Her transition from award-winning journalism to fiction has been marked by the same dedication to uncovering compelling truths, now woven into the fabric of her novels.