James Irwin
ALLi Author Member
Location: United States of America
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
James was a college professor and held leadership roles in national and international marketing communication before turning full-time to writing. Prior to all that he was a widely exhibited filmmaker and media artist whose work the Los Angeles Times called "witty and ingenious," and the San Francisco Chronicle described as "pithy — cerebral undercurrent sparked by sexual innuendo." James published his novel "Nina's Friends" in March 2025. Many of his short stories, creative non-fiction pieces, and essays on media and culture have appeared in journals, newspapers, and magazines over the years. He is an associate editor of the Atlantic Journal of Communication and co-founded the film journal Cinematograph. His awards and fellowships include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, National Endowment for the Humanities, Gotham Writers Workshop, Ziff-Davis Publishing, Rockefeller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, USA Today, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Originally from southeastern Pennsylvania, he spent a decade in San Francisco and now lives in northern New Jersey.
James Irwin's books
Genres: Crime, Thriller, Suspense
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback, Large print
Age Groups: 18+
"A deep and compelling dive into a question seldom answered: How lucky am I?" ~ Jerry Spinelli, Newbery Medalist What if you believed fate was on your side—even when the stakes are life and death? Matt Martinez is not having a good day. He’s nearly burned through his poker stake, his girlfriend is threatening to leave him over his gambling, his father is dying in hospice, and he can’t seem to get along with his sister. To top it off, he accidentally murders two people, and it isn’t even lunch time yet. From a writer the Los Angeles Times called “witty and ingenious,” Lucky Guy is a gripping psychological thriller about a would-be professional poker player whose faith in his own luck is as unshakable as it is seemingly unfounded. As Matt’s world teeters on the edge of disaster, his belief in his own invincibility is put to the ultimate...
Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback, Large print
Age Groups: 18+
Sometimes the friends of your friend are your enemies. Sometimes your friend isn’t who you thought they were. From the corridors of power and privilege in Washington D.C, to Copenhagen’s shadowy urban backstreets, loyalty is a currency and betrayal has severe consequences. Nina's Friends plunges readers into a labyrinth of international intrigue when brutal violence in Philadelphia’s Society Hill sets into motion a complex game of lies, misdirections, and competing desires. Dragan Markov is a Russian bureaucrat haunted by past mistakes, a man more complex (and more dangerous) than he appears. He is thrust into a world of art fraud, money laundering, outlaw bikers, and aspiring terrorists, as he seeks answers to the murder of his ex-lover. Every step forward peels back another layer of deception, and every ally could be a threat. Not to mention, an assassin may be on his tail. With the war in Ukraine casting a...