Ridley Pearson

Ridley Pearson in 2007

Ridley Pearson, born on March 13, 1953 in Glen Cove, New York, is an American writer. Pearson has historically written suspense and thriller novels for an adult audience, but has also begun branching out by writing adventure books for children.

Literary career

Pearson's novels for adults include Undercurrents (1988), The Angel Maker (1993), No Witnesses (1994), Chain of Evidence (1995), Beyond Recognition (1997), and The Body of David Hayes (2004). Pearson became the first American to receive the Raymond Chandler-Fulbright Fellowship at Oxford University in 1991. Many of his stories are set in the neighborhoods in and around Seattle, Washington, many featuring the Seattle Police detective Lou Boldt and forensic psychologist Daphne Mathews.

After his daughter asked him how Peter Pan met Captain Hook, Pearson teamed up with his long-time friend humorist Dave Barry to co-author Peter and the Starcatchers, a prequel to Peter Pan, which is published in the US by Disney and by Walker Books in the UK. Pearson and Barry have produced two further prequels – Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon – and have announced a fourth book called Peter and the Sword of Mercy. Never Land Books, a series of chapter books related to the Peter Pan novels is in progress. Also for Disney, Pearson has written four novels set inside the Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida. Named The Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, The Kingdom Keepers: Disney at Dawn, The Kingdom Keepers: Disney in Shadow, and the latest one: The Kingdom Keepers: Power Play (2011). They feature Disney characters coming to life and Walt Disney leaving clues for the secrets of the park.

He is also the author of The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red—adapted as the film The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer (2003)—and three mysteries featuring Chris Klick, under the pseudonyms of Joyce Reardon, Ph.D., and Wendell McCall, respectively.

Personal life

Pearson was raised by his parents, Robert and Betsy Pearson, in Riverside, Connecticut, along with his siblings, Bradbury and Wendy. He was educated at the Pomfret School, the University of Kansas, and Brown University. He lived in Shanghai, China, for the summer of 2008 and until summer of 2009 but has now come back to the US. His residence is in Saint Louis, Missouri, with his wife, Marcelle, and their two daughters Paige and Amanda.

He also plays bass guitar and sings for the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band of published authors.

Bibliography

• Undercurrents (1988)
• The Angel Maker (1993)
• No Witnesses (1994)
• Beyond Recognition (1997)
• The Pied Piper (1998)
• The First Victim (1999)
• Middle Of Nowhere (2000)
• The Art Of Deception (2002)
• The Body Of David Hayes (2004)

Chris Klick

as Wendell McCall

• Dead Aim (1988)
• Aim For The Heart (1990)
• Concerto In Dead Flat (1999)

Walt Fleming

• Killer Weekend (2007)
• Killer View (2008)
• Killer Summer (2009)
• In Harm's Way (2010) crossover with Boldt/Matthews

Other

• Never Look Back. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1985. ISBN 0-312-56475-9. 
• Blood of the Albatross. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1986. ISBN 0-312-08448-X. 
• The Seizing of Yankee Green Mall. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1987. ISBN 0-312-00703-5.  (later republished as Hidden Charges)
• Probable Cause. New York: St Martin's Press. 1990. ISBN 0-312-03914-X. 
• Hard Fall. New York: Delacorte Press. 1992. ISBN 0-385-30138-3. 
• Chain of Evidence. New York: Hyperion. 1995. ISBN 0-7868-6172-X. 
• as Joyce Reardon, Ph.D. (2001). The Diary Of Ellen Rimbauer. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-6801-5. 
• Parallel Lies. New York: Hyperion. 2001. ISBN 0-7868-6564-4. 
• Cut and Run. New York: Hyperion. 2005. ISBN 0-7868-6726-4. 

Bibliography: for children

The Kingdom Keepers

• Disney After Dark (2005) - New York: Disney Editions. Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2009, Grade 6-8 winner.
• Disney at Dawn (2008) - New York: Disney Editions
• Disney In Shadow (2010) - New York: Disney Editions
• Power Play (2011) - New York: Disney Hyperion
• Shell Game (2012) - New York: Disney Hyperion

Peter Pan

• Peter and the Starcatchers (with Dave Barry) (2004) - New York: Disney Editions
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves (with Dave Barry) (2006)
• Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (with Dave Barry) (2007)
• Peter and the Sword of Mercy (with Dave Barry) (2009)
• The Bridge to Neverland (with Dave Barry) (2011)

Never Land chapter books

• Escape From The Carnivale (with Dave Barry) (2006)
• Cave Of The Dark Wind (with Dave Barry) (2007)
• Blood Tide (with Dave Barry) (2008)

Steel Trapp

• Steel Trapp: The Challenge (2008) - New York: Disney Editions
• Steel Trapp: The Academy (2010)

Other

• Science Fair (with Dave Barry) (2008) - New York: Disney Editions

External links

• Official site
• Fantastic Fiction Author Page
• Interview, from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• 1986 audio interview of Ridley Pearson by Don Swaim of CBS Radio, RealAudio
• Interview Of Ridley Pearson on WDW Radio about Kingdom Keepers