Doug Richardson was born in Arcadia, California. The son of a career politician, Doug grew up outside Sacramento and inside the state Capitol. He used to talk his way into then-Governor Ronald Reagan's office, just to get a handful of jellybeans.

Doug left Northern California for Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California's School of Cinema. For as long as he could remember, Doug had wanted to be a movie director. But in pursuing his goal he discovered how movies are really made: in the writing.

After finishing college, Doug signed a two-year contract with Warner Brothers. In 1989 he garnered national attention when his spec screenplay was the first in Hollywood to sell for a million dollars. Doug's first feature film, the sequel to DIE HARD, DIE HARDER, was produced in 1990. He has since written and produced feature films including the box office smash BAD BOYS and, most recently, HOSTAGE. To date, Doug's features have grossed over 800 million dollars worldwide.

In 1997, Doug's debut novel, DARK HORSE, was published by Avon/Morrow in hardcover, followed two years later by his follow up, TRUE BELIEVERS.
Doug continues to write and develop for feature films and television. He lives in Southern California with his wife, two children and four mutts.

Reviewed by Brenda Ballard for Readers' Favorite

Ben has morphed into a safe person after a violent crime takes his family from him. Reserved, quiet and so in tune with safety that he sells his service as a safety consultant to businesses and corporations. He has settled into a vanilla life, marries another survivor in her own right, becomes father to his new wife's three girls and doesn't see any reason to change. That is, until he receives a piece of communication from an inmate right before death that reveals more than he ever thought he would regarding the loss of his first family. Through twists, surprises and a lot of angst, his life unravels; vengeance is his breath, his blood source and nothing will ever be the same for him.

Doug Richardson is a talented suspense writer who draws the mind's eye into his scenes, his characters. I forgot to breathe in a few places, reading as fast as I could so as to get to what would happen next. Characters are designed in such a way that you will be seeking the good guy, booing the bad guy and trying to figure out where everyone else in the cast fits in.

There was not one part that did not pique my curiosity, let my own mind play out what could possible happen . . . only to be disturbed, delighted with what the author brings next . . . every single time!

Anybody who has a taste for suspense will absolutely enjoy this book. I would love to listen to it on audio book!