2027 Spotlight Guests

2027 THRILLERMASTER: Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is #1 New York Times bestselling author of forty-two novels and one work of non-fiction. With over ninety-two million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. His very first novel, THE BLACK ECHO, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, BLOOD WORK. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include THE WAITING, RESURRECTION WALK, DESERT STAR, THE DARK HOURS, THE LAW OF INNOCENCE, THE NIGHT FIRE, and DARK SACRED NIGHT. Michael’s crime fiction career was honored with the Diamond Dagger from the CWA in 2018, the Outstanding Contribution To Crime Writing Award at the 2022 Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England, and the Grand Master title from the Mystery Writers of America in 2023.

Michael is the executive producer of Bosch, and Bosch: Legacy, and Ballard, three Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling characters: Harry Bosch played by Titus Welliver, and Maggie Q as Renée Ballard. These stream on Prime Video. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller. He is the creator and host of the podcasts Murder Book, and The Wonderland Murders & The Secret History Of Hollywood, and Killer In The Code. Michael is also the writer and producer of The Safe Man audio drama on Audible. Michael is the executive producer of the documentary films, Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story and Tales of the American and Power Trip. He spends his time in California and Florida.

2027 THRILLERMASTER: Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Edgar nominated COP TOWN and standalone novels PRETTY GIRLS and FALSE WITNESS. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. 

Pieces of Her, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. The Good Daughter will soon be a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. 

Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

2027 INTERNATIONAL GUEST OF HONOR: Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels, including DON’T LET HIM IN, NONE OF THIS IS TRUE, THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS, and THEN SHE WAS GONE, as well as INVISIBLE GIRL and WATCHING YOU. 

Her novels have sold more than fifteen million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into over thirty languages. 

Connect with her on X @LisaJewellUK, on Instagram @LisaJewellUK, and on Facebook @LisaJewellOfficial

2027 SPOTLIGHT GUEST: Mark Greaney

#1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney’s debut international thriller, THE GRAY MAN, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and a highly sought-after Hollywood property. Netflix released the film version of The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas, in 2022. Twelve subsequent Gray Man novels have been released to date, including his latest, THE CHAOS AGENT.

Mark is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author or co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels, including his most recent TOM CLANCY TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE. He collaborated with Tom Clancy on three Jack Ryan novels before Tom’s death in 2013.

RED METAL, a military thriller written by Mark Greaney and Lt Col Hunter R. Rawlings, USMC, became a New York Times bestseller in 2009, and ARMORED, the first book in the Joshua Duffy thriller series, was released in 2022. A sequel to Armored, SENTINEL, was released on June 25th, 2024.

Mark’s books are published in nearly two dozen languages and are also available as audiobooks. In his research for the novels he has traveled to dozens of countries, visited the Pentagon, military bases, and many Washington, D.C. Intelligence agencies, and trained in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combative tactics.

Mark lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife, his three stepchildren, and his four dogs; Lobo, Ziggy, Winston, and Mars.

2027 SPOTLIGHT GUEST: Isabella Maldonado

Edgar Award nominee and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During her tenure in the department, she was a patrol officer, hostage negotiator, spokesperson, and recruit instructor at the police academy. After being promoted, she worked as a patrol sergeant and lieutenant. Finally, as a captain, she commanded the Gang Council, Public Information Office, and a police precinct with 150 personnel, including patrol officers, detectives, specialty units, supervisors, and civilians. Her final assignment was Commander of the Special Investigations and Forensics Division, which included CSI detectives, fingerprint analysts, video and other surveillance specialists, computer forensics detectives and the crime lab. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Agent Nina Guerrera series, Agent Daniela Vega series, Detective Veranda Cruz series, and Sanchez & Heron series (co-authored with Jeffery Deaver).

In 2107, she attended ThrillerFest as part of the Debut Author Program, where she was fortunate to meet and subsequently sign with Liza Fleissig of Liza Royce Associates in New York.

Her books are published in 24 languages and sold in 52 countries.

2027 THRILLER LEGEND: Emily Bestler

Emily Bestler is the Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Emily Bestler Books. Emily attended Barnard College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor’s degree in English, and received her MA in English from Columbia University. After attending New York University’s Publishing Program, she began her career at Macmillan Books and then moved to Random House where she became a Senior Editor. 

Emily was named Editorial Director of Pocket Books and became Executive Editorial Director at Atria/Pocket Books. 

In 2011, she founded Emily Bestler Books, where she is a Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief.

2027 THRILLER FAN: Oline Cogdill

Oline’s reviews appear in the South Florida Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Tribune Publishing Wire, and Shelf Awareness. She also has reviewed for Publisher’s Weekly, Associated Press and Mystery Scene magazine. Her mystery fiction reviews appear in numerous other publications worldwide.

Her annual “best of the year” list ends up in a plethora of publications. She often moderates panels at bookstores, conferences, and libraries, and judges book awards, including for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the mystery/thriller category, for about 10 years. Oline also has an essay on reviewing in the award-winning book HOW TO WRITE A MYSTERY, co-edited by Lee Child and Laurie R. King.

She received the 2013 Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America and the 1999 Ellen Nehr Award  by the American Crime Writers League. In 2025, Oline received the Impact Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Fort Lauderdale/Broward Chapter in recognition of her impact with the Broward Public Library Association.

Oline worked for 29 years with the South Florida Sun Sentinel where she received the 1997 Pettijohn Award, the highest honor the newspaper gives.

Oline’s love of mysteries and thrillers, respect for its authors and thirst for excellent plots have only grown. The genre has gotten her through the best of times, the worst of times; through long airplane rides and short car trips; through waiting in lines, waiting rooms and waiting for people and yes, through sickness and health.

She sends profound thank you for this honor and to all the wonderful crime fiction writers. You continue to amaze her.

2027 THRILLER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Jerri Williams

Jerri Williams has always been a storyteller and, after serving 26 years as a special agent in the FBI, she has plenty of stories to tell. During most of her Bureau career, she worked major economic fraud investigations and is amazed at the schemes and deceptions con-artist and corrupt corporate and public officials devise to steal other people’s money. She notes that with a gun, they can steal hundreds. But with a lie, they can steal millions.

Since January 2016, she’s been using her investigative experience to write FBI crime fiction about greed and to produce and host FBI Case File Review, a true crime FBI podcast where she interviews retired FBI agents about their high-profile cases and careers. Based on her experience as an FBI spokesperson, she also debunks misconceptions about the FBI and has worked as a technical consultant for major TV networks and production companies wanting to create authentic FBI dramas and characters. 

In FBI MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS: A MANUAL FOR ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES, she presents the top 20 clichés about the FBI in books, TV, and movies. The entertaining companion book with advanced FBI themes, FBI WORD SEARCH PUZZLES: FUN FOR ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES is also available. Her crime novels — PAY TO PLAY and GREEDY GIVERS — feature flawed female FBI agent Kari Wheeler, a married mother of three investigating fraud and corruption in Philadelphia while struggling to balance her family responsibilities.

On November 18, 2021, in Washington, DC, the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) recognized Jerri as their G-Man Honors – Distinguished Service Honoree for her continued support of the FBI Family through her podcast and books.