Timothy Hallinan is a renowned American author, best known for his thriller and mystery novels. He has published twenty-two books, all of which fall under three series: Simeon Grist, Poke Rafferty, and Junior Bender. Hallinan's passion for writing began at a young age, and he was inspired to become a writer after reading Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind. His love for writing was further reinforced when he received positive feedback from his eighth-grade English teacher, Miss Reid, for a love poem he had written for her.
Hallinan's professional career began in the music industry, where he wrote and composed songs for a band. However, he later transitioned to a corporate career, working as a consultant for several large corporations, advising them on TV sponsorship and audience-building. He also ran a firm that helped build the web presence of various public television programs. Despite his busy corporate career, Hallinan continued to write at night. Today, he writes full-time and splits his time between Santa Monica, California, and Southeast Asia.
Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series, set in Bangkok, and Junior Bender series, set in Los Angeles, have been critically acclaimed and nominated for several awards, including the Edgar, Macavity, Shamus, and Lefty awards. His 2014 Junior Bender novel, Herbie's Game, won the Lefty Award for Best Comic Crime Novel of the year. His 2010 Poke Rafferty Bangkok novel, The Queen of Patpong, was also nominated for the Edgar as Best Mystery of the Year.
In addition to his two current series, Hallinan has also revived his earlier series, written in the 1990s about the overeducated slacker private eye Simeon Grist. The new book, Pulped, was published in 2017, and the series is now regarded as a cult favorite. Hallinan divides his time between Los Angeles and Southeast Asia, and his works frequently appear in Best Books of the Year roundups by major publications.