After receiving his Juris Doctorate from UCLA, Jack Martin worked for The Department of Defense and the aerospace industry, specializing in contracts and regulatory issues. Tracing his Californian ancestry back to the 1830s, Martin developed a passion for American history and the mystery genre. With encouragement and support from his beloved wife Sonia, he began writing. She passed away on Christmas Eve 2009 following a brave battle against ovarian cancer. He promised her he would finish the books and become a published author. He dedicated his first novel, John Brown’s Body to her, the love of his life. Martin is the author of the Alphonso Clay Mystery Series set during the Civil War: John Brown’s Body, Battle Cry of Freedom, Marching Through Georgia, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Hail Columbia.