was born in 1971 in the Clogher Valley and after completing an English degree at Queen's University Belfast and a Masters in Social Work followed various callings - social worker, counsellor, lecturer, organic market gardener - before becoming a journalist. His short stories have been short-listed twice for a Hennessy/New Irish Writing Award. 'Disappeared', his first novel, was published in 2012 by the Mysterious Press, New York, and has been nominated for a Strand Best Debut Award by book critics at the 'Washington Post', the 'LA Times', the 'San Francisco Chronicle' and 'The Guardian'. 'Border Angels', the sequel, is due to be published on October 22nd 2013.