LA Morse is an accomplished author, known primarily for his award-winning hard-boiled crime mysteries. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Morse attended the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco State College, where he earned two degrees in English Literature. After moving to Toronto in the late 1960s, he held a variety of jobs, including a brief stint in educational television and five years as an administrator at the University of Toronto.
Morse's writing career began in earnest after he returned from extended travels through Southeast Asia. Determined to write a novel, he was inspired by the true story of Sawney Beane and his cannibal clan, The Flesh Eaters, who terrorized Scotland in the 15th century. This led to the publication of his first crime novel, which was followed by four others, including "The Old Dick," which won an Edgar from the Mystery Writers of America. He also wrote two volumes of "Video Trash and Treasures," a guide to obscure and bizarre movies of the 1980s.
In addition to his work as a writer, Morse has also worked as a visual artist, primarily in sculpture, for the past 15 years. He is an avid birder with over 1,500 species on his world list and spends his free time looking for birds in the tropics. He currently divides his time between stone carving and making a living in the stock market.
Morse also wrote under the pseudonym Runa Fairleigh, and he was instrumental in arranging the publication of "An Old-Fashioned Mystery," the lost masterpiece by the enigmatic and reclusive author, Runa Fairleigh.