Michael Raleigh was born in Chicago and attended De Paul University and Michigan State University. He is the author of Peerless Detective (Diversion Books 2015) the The Conjurer's Boy (Harvard Square Editions 2013) and seven previous books: the coming-of-age novel In the Castle of the Flynns (Sourcebooks 2002), the comic adventure The Blue Moon Circus (Sourcebooks 2003) and five mysteries: Death in Uptown (St. Martin's 1991), A Body in Belmont Harbor (St. Martin's 1993), The Maxwell Street Blues (St. Martin's 1994), A Killer on Argyle Street (St. Martin's 1995), and The Riverview Murders (St. Martin's 1997). In the Castle of the Flynns was reissued by Sourcebooks in 2012.In February of 2015, Diversion Books reissued the five Paul Whelan mystery novels listed above.He taught at Truman College in the City Colleges of Chicago system for 28 years and currently teaches in the First-Year Writing Program and the Honors Program at De Paul University, his alma mater.Before turning to the writing of novels, Michael published short stories and poems in a number of literary magazines. Along the way he worked as a bank teller, library clerk, grant specialist, fundraiser, punch-press operator, and bartender -- the last two of which, he believes, provide him with marketable skills in the event his writing career stalls out. He lives in Chicago with his wife Katherine and whichever of his three children happen to be passing through at any given time.