Michael Kurland is a prolific author with more than 30 novels to his name, spanning various genres from non-fiction to fantasy, science fiction, and mystery. His non-fiction works cover topics such as amateur radio, espionage, criminal law, forensic science, and the history of crime in America. Many of his novels have been included in notable book clubs such as the “Writers’ Digest Book Club,” the “Junior Literary Guild,” the “Readers’ Digest Book Club,” and the “Military Book Club.”
Kurland has written several fantasy and science fiction novels, including “A Study in Sorcery” set in the Angevin Empire by Randall Garrett, the Hugo nominated “The Unicorn Girl,” and the “Ten Little Wizards.” He has also gained recognition for his mystery novels, particularly the Professor Moriarty series, which includes “The Infernal Device,” nominated for the American Book Award and an Edgar Award. His 1930s-set mysteries feature New York World columnist Alexander Brass, with “The Girls in the High Heeled Shoes” and “Too Soon Dead” as notable titles. Additionally, Kurland has written novels in the nondescript mainstream category, such as “Button-Bright” and “The Last President.” His historical novel “Irrefutable Evidence,” which delves into the development of Forensic Science, has been well-received in Europe. Kurland’s works have been translated into numerous languages, including Swedish, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Italian, Hungarian, German, French, Danish, Czech, and Chinese.
Michael Kurland has lived an eclectic life beyond his writing career. After serving in the Army Security Agency, he attended Columbia University and began writing professionally while still a student. He has worked as a high school English teacher, a road manager for an unsuccessful rock and roll band, a director for an amateur theater group, a private detective agency employee, managing editor of Crawdaddy, a national music magazine, and even a book publisher. He has also done free-lance editing, copyediting, and book reviewing for various publishers and magazines. Kurland is twice a finalist for the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America, and is best known for his novels about Professor Moriarty. He currently resides in Petaluma, California, with his partner, Linda Robertson, a novelist and criminal lawyer, and is surrounded by a variety of animals and wildlife in their backyard.