Michael Lister is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, who was born in Tallahassee, Florida and raised in Wewahitchka, Florida. He is a novelist, screenwriter, and essayist, renowned for his mystery novels and literary suspense thrillers. His writing is characterized by poetic prose, exquisitely set scenes, and characters who are damaged and faulty. Lister's love for language and narrative was inspired by the Southern storytelling tradition from an early age. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology with an emphasis on myth and narrative.
In the early 90s, Michael Lister became the youngest chaplain within the Florida Department of Corrections. For nearly a decade, he served as a contract, staff, and senior chaplain at three different facilities in the Panhandle of Florida, a unique experience that led to his first novel, "Power in the Blood," published in 1997. This novel marked the beginning of Lister's popular and celebrated John Jordan series, featuring an ex-cop turned prison chaplain, John Jordan. The series includes six books, each taking readers through the gates of Potter Correctional Institution, Florida's toughest maximum security prison. Lister's writing combines thrilling whodunits with compelling accounts of his hero's spiritual struggle, captivating readers with its unique blend of suspense and spirituality. Additionally, Lister writes historical hard-boiled thrillers, such as "The Big Goodbye," "The Big Beyond," and "The Big Hello," featuring Jimmy "Soldier" Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II.
Michael Lister has been honored with two Florida Book Awards, first for his literary novel "Double Exposure" and then for his fifth John Jordan novel "Blood Sacrifice." The Panama City News Herald described "Double Exposure" as a "thriller about a wildlife photographer whose camera traps capture a crime, set deep in the swamps of the Apalachicola River, lyrical and literary, written in a sparse but evocative prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy." Lister's writing is not only suspenseful and romantic but also steeped in the rich history of the Florida Panhandle. In addition to his successful writing career, Lister is an inspirational speaker and musician, performing with his wife as the band Bliss Street. Learn more about Michael Lister and his work at his official website, michaellister.com.