Bouton, Mark

PERSONAL:

Born in OK. Education: Attended Oklahoma State University; Oklahoma University of Law, J.D.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Topeka, KS. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Law enforcement officer and writer. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), agent, beginning c. 1966, retired.

WRITINGS:

MYSTERIES

Max Conquers the Cosmos, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2003.

Cracks in the Rainbow, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2005.

Max Unlocks the Universe, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

A former FBI agent who helped track down Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, Mark Bouton has since retired and committed his time to writing mysteries. In his first book, Max Conquers the Cosmos, Bouton introduces Max Austin, a retired FBI agent living in Kansas who also has an interest in stargazing and the cosmos. Now working as a private investigator, Max finds himself employed by an attorney defending a woman on charges of murdering her husband. Max thinks the woman is guilty, but the more he delves into the case the more he finds out about her husband's questionable business dealings and her motives for revenge. Jenny McLarin, writing in Booklist, commented that "Austin … has the makings of an appealing series hero." New Mystery Reader Web site contributor Narayan Radhakrishnan called Max Conquers the Cosmos "an absolute stunner of an action novel."

Cracks in the Rainbow features Rick Dower, a cop who begins his own investigation of a friend's death after the victim's widow indicates that a computer group may have been after him. His investigation leads him to discover a computer program encrypted with an important clue. "A grand read with a stunning finish," wrote Radhakrishnan in another New Mystery Reader review.

In Max Unlocks the Universe, Bouton returns to his retired-FBI agent, putting Max on the case of a murder that takes place during a meeting at Zipdata, Inc. Max's investigation begins to look beyond the suspected killer to shady dealings that have led to other partners in the firm being murdered in San Francisco and Denver. A Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote that "it's hard to resist genial, down-to-earth Max." Susan Johnson, writing on the I Love a Mystery Newsletter Web site, referred to the author's FBI experience and noted: "Mark brings this life experience to his novels and makes them more believable and suspenseful."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, December 15, 2003, Jenny McLarin, review of Max Conquers the Cosmos, p. 729.

Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2006, review of Max Unlocks the Universe, p. 702.

ONLINE

CJ Online Kansas News,http://www.cjonline.com/ (February 17, 2007), Tim Hrenchir, "McVeigh's Signature at Hotel Was Key Bombing Clue."

I Love a Mystery Newsletter,http://www.iloveamysterynewsletter.com/ (February 17, 2007), Susan Johnson, review of Max Unlocks the Universe.

New Mystery Reader,http://www.newmysteryreader.com/ (February 17, 2007), Narayan Radhakrishnan, reviews of Max Conquers the Cosmos and Cracks in the Rainbow.

Weborgers Hard Boiled Mysteries,http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384/ (November 4, 2003), E. Borgers, review of Max Conquers the Cosmos.