Hart, John 1965-

PERSONAL:

Born 1965, in Durham, NC; son of a surgeon father and French teacher mother; married; wife's name Katie; children: two. Education: Davidson College, B.A.; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.A.; Franklin Pierce Law Center, J.D.

ADDRESSES:

E-mail—[email protected]

CAREER:

Writer. Has worked in various jobs, including as a bartender in London, England, helicopter mechanic in Alaska, sailboat refurbisher in North Carolina, banker for Wachovia Bank, attorney for a law firm in North Carolina, and stockbroker; Merrill Lynch, Greensboro, NC, former financial advisor.

WRITINGS:

The King of Lies (novel), Thomas Dunne Books (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

With degrees in both accounting and law, John Hart had an already-established career as an attorney when he decided to quit his job to pursue writing full time. The gamble paid off: his first novel, The King of Lies, was published in 2006 and was eventually named to the New York Times best-sellers list. The novel's protagonist is a middle-aged lawyer whose morally challenged father disappears; when the father's dead body is discovered eighteen months later, the protagonist's search for the murderer focuses uncomfortably on those close to him.

Oline H. Cogdill, a contributor to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, commented: "In just the first couple of chapters, Hart sets up a multilayered plot full of intrigue that he nearly flawlessly escalates to a stunning end." Cogdill asserted that "King of Lies is a first-class debut." Library Journal reviewer Stacy Alesi wrote that the "character study of a damaged Southern lawyer … puts this debut novel on the must-read list." Bookreporter.com reviewer Joe Hartlaub stated that Hart's "grip on this difficult subject matter is strong and sure. While most of this dark work is grim and unrelenting, those who shy away from such emotions will marvel at the richness of his language, and the depth of his understanding and emotion."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, 2006, David Pitt, review of The King of Lies, p. 31.

Library Journal, March 15, 2006, Stacy Alesi, review of The King of Lies, p. 68.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel, July 12, 2006, Oline H. Cogdill, review of The King of Lies.

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (November 8, 2006), Joe Hartlaub, review of The King of Lies.

John Hart Home Page,http://www.johnhartfiction.com (November 8, 2006).