Picture an American storyteller who swapped a law office for the wilds of Africa to expose wildlife trafficking—meet Bryan Christy! This investigative journalist turned novelist has spent decades chasing down poachers and kingpins, earning him the title of National Geographic’s Rolex Explorer of the Year. From gritty exposés to his thrilling debut novel, In the Company of Killers, Christy’s work pulses with adventure and purpose.
The Making of Bryan Christy
Born on a U.S. Army base in Neubrücke, Germany, Bryan Christy grew up in Millville, New Jersey, where he worked as a mortician’s apprentice in his family’s funeral home. A far cry from the jungles he’d later explore, this early brush with life’s raw edges shaped his knack for uncovering hidden truths. After studying at Penn State, Cornell’s FALCON Japanese Program, and the University of Michigan Law School, Christy practiced international law in Washington, D.C. But the courtroom couldn’t hold him—he traded legal briefs for journalism, diving into stories that demanded courage and cunning.
Bryan Christy’s Unforgettable Stories
Christy’s writing blends the precision of a lawyer with the grit of a seasoned investigator. His 2008 non-fiction book, The Lizard King, unravels the exotic reptile trade, exposing kingpin Anson Wong and sparking new wildlife laws in Malaysia. This page-turner, now in development for HBO, showcases Christy’s ability to make complex crimes gripping. His National Geographic cover story “Tracking Ivory” traced elephant tusks from African war zones to Chinese markets, earning global attention and influencing policy changes, including China’s ivory market closure.
In 2021, Christy pivoted to fiction with In the Company of Killers, a taut thriller about Tom Klay, a wildlife reporter and CIA spy navigating espionage and revenge. Drawing on Christy’s real-life encounters with traffickers and terrorists, the novel weaves environmental crime into a global conspiracy, earning praise as “crisp, fast, and intelligent” from bestseller C.J. Box. Christy’s style—vivid, muscular, and morally charged—makes every page a call to action.
Why Bryan Christy Matters
Bryan Christy’s work transcends storytelling; it’s a catalyst for change. As founder of National Geographic’s Special Investigations Unit, he redefined wildlife journalism by focusing on villains, not just victims, leading to arrests, policy shifts, and heightened global awareness. His investigations linked wildlife trafficking to terrorism, prompting Congressional hearings and saving countless animals. Through his novel, Christy invites readers to grapple with the same urgent issues, proving fiction can be as powerful as fact in the fight for justice.
- Born: Neubrücke, Germany
- Key Works: The Lizard King (2008), In the Company of Killers (2021)
- Awards: National Geographic Rolex Explorer of the Year (2014), Wildscreen Panda Award (2016)
Ready to join the fight against environmental crime? Snag In the Company of Killers and dive into Bryan Christy’s thrilling world of intrigue and impact!