Mickey Spillane was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1918. After World War II, Spillane converted an unsold comic-book project - "Mike Danger, Private Eye" - into a hard-hitting, sexy novel. The Mike Hammer series went on to sell in its millions and Kiss Me, Deadly became the first private eye novel to make the New York Times bestseller list. Spillane has been honoured by the Mystery Writers of America with the 'Grand Master Award' and by with a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' from the Private Eye Writers of America. He currently lives with his wife in South Carolina.