Richard North Patterson
Encyclopedia
Richard North Patterson (born February 22, 1947) is an American
author of fiction. He was born in Berkeley, California
, the eldest child of a corporate executive and a housewife. While still a child, he moved with his parents to Bay Village, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio
, and graduated from Bay High School in 1964. He graduated in 1968 from Ohio Wesleyan University
. In 1971 he graduated from Case Western Reserve Law School and served as an Assistant Attorney General
for the state of Ohio and has been partner in several of the country’s leading law firms. He also served as the liaison for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to the Watergate Special Prosecutor.
Richard did not start writing until he was 29 and already out of law school. He began his first book, The Lasko Tangent, as part of a creative writing course at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
. Once it was completed, he found a publisher, and the novel won the Edgar Allan Poe Award
in the category "Best First Mystery Novel (American)" in 1980. He published three more novels before retiring, in 1993, from the practice of law to devote himself to writing. Since then he has written 11 additional novels, with eight consecutive international bestsellers, including No Safe Place, Eyes of a Child, and Dark Lady. He has also won the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière
.
Patterson was a past chairman of the National Governing Board for Common Cause
. He has served on boards of several advocacy groups dealing with gun violence
, political reform, and reproductive rights. His family consists of 5 children, one of whom is his adopted daughter Katherine who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Vanderbilt University in 2007 with a B.A. in neuroscience. They split their time between the San Francisco Bay Area
and Martha's Vineyard
.
In 2008, Patterson received a Distinguished Achievement Citation from Ohio Wesleyan University as part of its graduation ceremonies.The Distinguished Achievement Citation, the highest honor the OWU Alumni Association can award, recognizes an honoree’s work and service to the national and international community. http://connect2.owu.edu/issues/20080528/newsAndViews/distinguishedAchievementCitations.html
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author of fiction. He was born in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, the eldest child of a corporate executive and a housewife. While still a child, he moved with his parents to Bay Village, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and graduated from Bay High School in 1964. He graduated in 1968 from Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
. In 1971 he graduated from Case Western Reserve Law School and served as an Assistant Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
for the state of Ohio and has been partner in several of the country’s leading law firms. He also served as the liaison for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to the Watergate Special Prosecutor.
Richard did not start writing until he was 29 and already out of law school. He began his first book, The Lasko Tangent, as part of a creative writing course at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
. Once it was completed, he found a publisher, and the novel won the Edgar Allan Poe Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
in the category "Best First Mystery Novel (American)" in 1980. He published three more novels before retiring, in 1993, from the practice of law to devote himself to writing. Since then he has written 11 additional novels, with eight consecutive international bestsellers, including No Safe Place, Eyes of a Child, and Dark Lady. He has also won the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière
Grand Prix de Littérature Policière
The Grand Prix de Littérature Policière is a French literary prize founded in 1948 by author and literary critic Maurice-Bernard Endrèbe. It is the most prestigious award for crime and detective fiction in France...
.
Patterson was a past chairman of the National Governing Board for Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
. He has served on boards of several advocacy groups dealing with gun violence
Gun violence
Gun violence defined literally means the use of a firearm to threaten or inflict violence or harm. Gun violence may be broadly defined as a category of violence and crime committed with the use of a firearm; it may or may not include actions ruled as self-defense, actions for law enforcement, or...
, political reform, and reproductive rights. His family consists of 5 children, one of whom is his adopted daughter Katherine who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Vanderbilt University in 2007 with a B.A. in neuroscience. They split their time between the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
.
In 2008, Patterson received a Distinguished Achievement Citation from Ohio Wesleyan University as part of its graduation ceremonies.The Distinguished Achievement Citation, the highest honor the OWU Alumni Association can award, recognizes an honoree’s work and service to the national and international community. http://connect2.owu.edu/issues/20080528/newsAndViews/distinguishedAchievementCitations.html