JAMES GRANT

Born in Coventry, England, but raised largely in Birmingham, James Grant, aka Lee Child, attended law school but his first major job was as a presentation director for Granada Television in Manchester. He stayed at that occupation until he was 40 at which time he and lots more were let go as part of a restructuring. Needing a new line of work, he decided to try his hand at writing and his first book, Killing Floor, was an immediate success. He has since moved to Manhattan.