Kent Harrington is a 4th generation San Franciscan, born to an Irish-Jewish father and Guatemalan mother. His early education was spent at the Palo Alto Military Academy, where he was sent at an early age. He attended San Francisco State University and received a degree in Spanish Literature. After living both in Spain and Latin America, he returned to the Bay Area and began his career as a novelist supporting himself as a teacher, carpenter, factory worker and life insurance salesman.
His first published work was the well-received noir thriller Dark Ride published in 1997. Booklist’s review said: “This is as noir as it gets.” His follow-up noir thriller Dia De Los Muertos is now considered a modern crime classic. Amazon’s editorial review says: “If ‘American noir’ were in the dictionary, you might find Kent Harrington’s picture in place of the definition.”
Other works include Red Jungle, set in Guatemala, and The Good Physician. Both novels were compared to Graham Greene and John le Carré’s work. Red Jungle was selected as one of the “10 Best Crime Novels” of the year by Booklist.
Harrington is the author of nine novels. The latest is Last Ferry Home. He lives in Northern California with his wife.