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Chris Kuzneski
Occupation	Author
Genre	Action-adventure, Action-thriller, Adventure, Mystery, Techno-thriller
Notable works	The Plantation Sign of the Cross Sword of God The Lost Throne The Prophecy
Website
http://www.chriskuzneski.com

Chris Kuzneski (born in 1969) is a New York Times bestselling American author.^[1] His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have been published in more than 40 countries.^[2] Due to his success in the United Kingdom, his books are released in the British market several months before they are published in America.^[3]

Each of Kuzneski’s novels follows the adventures of Jonathon Payne and David "D.J." Jones, former members of the MANIACs ⎯ an elite Special Forces unit in the U.S. military. Although the main characters are ex-soldiers, the novels are not “military” thrillers. Instead, they are often compared to the works of Clive Cussler and James Rollins. Kuzneski’s thrillers are known for their action, adventure, and humor. His novels have garnered the attention of several notable authors. His books have been endorsed by James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Douglas Preston, Vince Flynn, James Rollins, Tess Gerritsen, and Steve Berry.

His fourth thriller, The Lost Throne, was released in the UK in 2008 and peaked at #5 on the British fiction chart. The American hardcover was released by Putnam in July 2009. It won the Bronze Medal for Popular Fiction at the Florida Book Awards, which is America’s most comprehensive state book awards program.^[4] The American paperback reached the New York Times mass-market bestseller list in July 2010.^[5]

His fifth thriller, The Prophecy, was published in the UK in October 2009 and climbed to #4 on the British fiction chart. The American hardcover was released by Putnam in July 2010. His sixth book, The Secret Crown, is scheduled to be released by Penguin UK on September 30, 2010.^[6]

Born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kuzneski currently lives in Tampa, Florida. He played football at the University of Pittsburgh where he received his undergraduate degree in writing and his master's degree in teaching. While studying at Pitt, he wrote for The Pitt News, the Indiana Gazette, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. From 1992 until 1998, he taught English and coached football in two western Pennsylvania school districts and was selected to Who's Who Among America's Teachers. But in his heart, he knew he wanted to be an author, so he left teaching and started working on his first novel.^[7]

One by one, in cities across America, people of all ages are being taken by force. But these aren’t random kidnappings. They were meticulously planned and executed with a singular objective: revenge. Ariane Walker is one of the victims, dragged from her apartment while leaving few clues behind. Her boyfriend, Jonathon Payne, and his best friend, David "D.J." Jones, follow the trail to New Orleans. Together, the duo slowly uncovers the shocking truth behind the South’s most violent secret: the Plantation.^[8]

Payne and Jones are recruited to find Dr. Charles Boyd, an archeologist who recently found the Catacombs of Orvieto, the safe haven for the popes of the Middle Ages. While Boyd avoids pursuit, a series of victims turn up dead, people who were tortured and crucified like Jesus Christ on his final day. All the incidents are interconnected, but it’s up to Payne and Jones to figure out the common thread and why they were selected to solve the puzzle.^[9]

Off the coast of South Korea, a young boy discovers a cave that is bathed in human blood. Less than a week later, everyone in his village disappears... In Saudi Arabia, a female archaeologist unearths an artifact that threatens the historical foundation of Islam. To some Muslims, it is a discovery that must be silenced at all costs. Meanwhile, an American soldier is brutally killed while interrogating one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists. Payne and D.J. Jones, his former commanders, offer to spearhead the investigation. They quickly realize that there is more to this than terrorist reprisal; there is a plot in motion that will burn the world in the fires of a holy war.^[10]

The Meteora monasteries are built atop the towering cliffs of central Greece. Holy Trinity is the most isolated, its brotherhood the guardians of a long-forgotten secret. In the dead of night, an elite group of warriors carrying ancient weapons hurl the silent monks to the rocks below – the holy men taking their secret to their graves. Halfway across Europe, a terrified academic fears for his life. Richard Byrd has nearly uncovered the location of a magnificent treasure. But there are those who have dedicated their lives to protecting it, and they will stop at nothing to prevent its discovery.^[11]

When the writings of 16th-century visionary Nostradamus ring alarmingly true, Payne and Jones find themselves in a life-or-death race to stop those who would use the French seer’s predictions for their own dark purposes.^[12]

Jonathon Payne, a retired Special Forces officer and former commander of the MANIACs. Payne is CEO of Payne Industries, a hi-tech company. He was introduced in The Plantation and has appeared in every Kuzneski novel.

David "D.J." Jones, Payne’s former second-in-command with the MANIACs. Best friends with Payne, he operates a detective agency out of the Payne Industries building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jones was introduced in The Plantation and has appeared in every Kuzneski novel.

Nick Dial, director of the homicide division of Interpol. Dial was introduced in Sign of the Cross and made a brief appearance in Sword of God. His character was featured in Kuzneski’s thriller, The Lost Throne.

Randy Raskin, a computer researcher at the Pentagon. He can access classified information that would otherwise be unavailable to Payne and Jones. The character is based on a real-life person, a college friend of Kuzneski’s from the University of Pittsburgh. Raskin was introduced in Sign of the Cross and has appeared in every Kuzneski novel since.

MANIACs, an elite Special Forces team composed of the best soldiers in the United States military. The term MANIACs is an acronym for Marines Army Navy Intelligence Air Force and Coast Guard.

• The Plantation (2002)
• Sign of the Cross (2006)
• Sword of God (2007)
• The Lost Throne (2008)
• The Prophecy (2009)

• Chris Kuzneski's Official Site