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Michael A. Black graduated from Columbia
College, Chicago in 2000 with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fiction Writing. He previously earned a Bachelor of Arts degree
in English from Northern Illinois University. Despite his literary leanings, he has often said that police work has been his
life. A former Army Military Policeman, he entered civilian law enforcement after his discharge, and for the past twenty-seven
years has been a police officer in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Michael A. Black is the author of over
forty articles on subjects ranging from police work to popular fiction, he has also had over thirty short stories published
in various anthologies and magazines, including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. His first novel,
A Killing Frost, featuring private investigator Ron Shade, was published by Five Star in September 2002, with endorsements
from such respected authors as Sara Paretsky and Andrew Vachss.
He has worked in various capacities
in police work including patrol supervisor, tactical squad, investigations, raid team member, and SWAT team leader. Michael
Black is currently a sergeant on the Matteson, Illinois Police Department. His hobbies include weightlifting, running, and
the martial arts. He holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. It is rumored he has five cats. Michael
A. Black is the author of A Killing Frost; Random Victim; Melody of Vengeance; A Final Judgement; Freeze Me, Tender;
The Heist; Windy City Knights; Volunteering to Help Kids; and, Tank: The M1A1 Abrams.
According to the book description of
Random Victim, “The case wasn’t just cold -- it was ice-cold. But the murder of Miriam
Walker had a pretty high profile in the middle of a tough re-election campaign, so the Cook County sheriff assembled a task
force to get results... and put Sergeant Frank Leal on it. Leal is still getting over the death of his partner and some wounds
of his own, both emotional and physical, so working as part of a team might be tough. It doesn’t
help that a lot of people don’t really want the case solved…including Miriam Walker’s husband and the men
he hired to take care of Miriam for him. Leal isn’t even sure he can trust the rest of the team, but he’s got
a job to do, and he’s not going to quit until he finishes it…no matter who gets in his way.”
According to the book description of
A Final Judgement, “Lawyers … Chicago Private Detective Ron Shade has a cop's inherent
distrust of them, even though it's been years since he was relieved of his badge. Still, when his old friend, Rick Walters,
who happens to be a member of the bar, needs help doing the legwork for a wrongful death lawsuit, Shade reluctantly agrees.
Then he finds out they'll be going up against the preeminent attorney in Cook County, Mason Gilbert, and his famous detective
associate, Big John Flood. The trial is in only three weeks and the first PI on the case committed suicide midway through.
Or did he? As Shade begins, he's hot on the trail of something very elusive in a case like this: The truth. Then an opportunity
he's been dreaming of suddenly materializes: a shot at the world heavyweight kickboxing championship. Finding himself
up against some unbeatable opponents, Shade feels like he's been swept up in a maelstrom. And this time he finds out that
the final judgment just might be death.”
According to the book description of
Freeze Me, Tender, “Ten years ago the hillbilly king of rock-and-roll, Colton Purcell, was
cryogenically frozen after his premature death. Or was he? Chicago-based magazine reporter Harry Bauer intends to find out
as he becomes involved in a convoluted murder plot stretching from good-old Memphis to glitzy Las Vegas, where the tenth anniversary
celebration of Colton's death is in full swing. When Harry's mentor and friend, a Vegas reporter specializing in conspiracy
theories, turns up murdered, Harry is intent on finding out why. But in a city that where illusion often transcends reality,
the truth proves more elusive than a gambler's lucky streak. Not only is there a huge Colton imitator-contest going on,
but the King's only daughter is set to marry the epicene Prince of Latino Pop (despite her mother's objections), and
a mysterious young man has introduced himself to Harry, claiming to be Colton's illegitimate son. The trail leads Harry
to the dark side of sin city, crossing paths with a bunch of mob guys, a very efficient (and very large) contract killer,
and some very unexpected people from Colton Purcell's past. There's also the murder of Colton's famous manager,
the abduction of a mysterious figure from a Memphis nursing home, and a host of other problems that makes Harry begin to wonder,
is it really Colton Purcell hanging upside down in that cryogenic tube full of liquid nitrogen? If he can live long enough,
he may just find out.”
According to the book description of
Melody of Vengeance, “Mighty Doc Atlas and his crew are about to embark on a quest to eradicate
a mysterious masked vigilante known as The Wraith. But the kidnapping of a prominent newspaper magnate's daughter brings
the governor knocking on Doc's door with a personal request to assist in the investigation. Soon, Doc finds the two cases
strangely intertwined. Can anyone come out unscathed with the preeminent crime fighter of his day and the shadowy avenger
of evil running on a collision course?”
The Library Journal said of A
Killing Frost, “Police officer and short story writer Michael A. Black likewise brings authenticity to
A Killing Frost: A Ron Shade Novel. A search for a missing fiance, who turns up floating dead in a canal, leads Chicago PI
Ron Shade into far more trouble than he bargained for in this assured debut in the classic hard-boiled tradition, which boasts
blurbs from Sara Paretsky and Andrew Vachss.”
According to the book description of
Volunteering to Help Kids, “This series describes the benefits of volunteering through community
service-learning programs. Students will learn how people from all walks of life can lend a helping hand while learning invaluable
lessons in citizenship, a variety of academic subjects, and practical skills.”
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