Michael MacConnell is an Australian author born in New South Wales, Australia. His first fiction novel, Maelstrom, was released in October 2007 by Hachette Livre. The first sequel novel Splinter, was released in July 2008. Both novels have been published in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. He is also an occasional political contributor at Pajamas Media. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Organization and currently resides with his wife on the NSW Central Coast.
Michael was educated at Chevalier College, a Roman Catholic boarding school in rural New South Wales and later attended the University of Sydney where he received a degree in Governance, International Relations, History and Ancient History. He then went on to work in law-enforcement for a NSW state organisation and later worked in a similar function for the City of Sydney, where he remains today. An avid reader of crime and thriller fiction since he was a child, some of his greatest writing influences were James Patterson, David Morrell, Raymond E. Feist, Alex Kava, Daniel Silva, Dean Koontz, Lee Child, Michael Cordy, and Steven Pressfield. His first novel, Maelstrom, made the Ned Kelly Award long list in the Best Debut Novel category.
Michael is represented by the Selwa Anthony Author Management Agency.
Maelstrom (2007)
Special agent Sarah Reilly is the daughter of an FBI legend. Her father made his reputation hunting down one of America's worst serial killers. Now it's her turn.
A monster is cruising the east coast. One who has stalked the United States for three decades, claiming countless victims. A chameleon who has found a fatal flaw in the forensic profiler's art.
At the same time, someone is hunting down and eliminating serial killers with mechanical precision. A hunter with uncanny skill, limitless resources and lethal determination.
With the serial killer's interest in Sarah growing, and the hunter drawing closer to his ultimate prey, time is running out. To save what is most precious to her, Sarah will have to enter the maelstrom or face her darkest fears.
Splinter (2008)
Special Agent Sarah Reilly has just been decorated for bringing down one of America's worst serial killers. Refusing extended leave, she goes straight back to work in the Boston field office. But the murder of a child, Milo Kane, sees her transferred to LA to head up the FBI's investigating task force.
Within weeks, public sympathy for Milo's parents splinters into suspicion, and the LA District Attorney rides the wave against them. Sarah suspects that the parents are withholding something and when she discovers their former bodyguard is missing, she inches closer to finding answers.
Dealing with the media pressure, the politics and the emotional aftershock of her last case, Sarah knows that bringing the killer to justice won't be simple. But even she isn't prepared for the evil she will find.