Picture a New Englander who swapped the hustle of Madison Avenue for the glitzy crime-ridden streets of Palm Beach—meet Tom Turner! This former adman turned real estate developer found his true calling crafting gripping crime novels, most notably the Charlie Crawford Mystery series. With a knack for weaving vivid settings and colorful characters, Turner’s stories pull readers into a world of scandal, murder, and sun-soaked suspense.
The Making of Tom Turner
Born a native New Englander, Tom Turner’s early life was anything but predictable. After dropping out of college to run a Vermont bar (and famously hiring Bennington College students as go-go dancers), he returned to academia, earned his degree, and dove into the fast-paced world of advertising. As an award-winning copywriter in Boston and New York, Turner honed his storytelling skills, but the Mad Men life wasn’t his endgame. At thirty, he made a bold pivot to commercial real estate, eventually landing in Palm Beach, Florida. There, amidst renovating mansions, he began penning tales of crime and intrigue, inspired by the opulent yet shadowy world around him.
Tom Turner’s Unforgettable Stories
Turner’s Charlie Crawford Mystery series, starting with Palm Beach Nasty (2015), introduces readers to Charlie Crawford, a burned-out NYPD detective seeking a quieter life in Palm Beach—only to stumble into high-stakes murders. In this debut, Crawford tackles a gruesome case involving a man hanging from a banyan tree, navigating suspects like a creepy bartender and a billionaire with dark secrets. The sequel, Palm Beach Poison (2016), ups the ante with Russian mobsters and a deadly real estate scheme, showcasing Turner’s flair for creative murders (think poisonous snakes!). Palm Beach Deadly (2017) sees Crawford and his witty partner Mort Ott unraveling a talk show host’s murder, blending humor with suspense. Turner’s move to Charleston, South Carolina, inspired Killing Time in Charleston, a standalone novel rich with Southern charm and dark secrets. His style—described as a mix of Michael Connelly’s procedural grit and Carl Hiaasen’s colorful satire—paints Palm Beach as a playground for the rich and ruthless, with sharp dialogue and twisty plots that keep readers hooked.
Turner’s settings are practically characters themselves. Palm Beach’s glittering mansions and Charleston’s historic charm provide vivid backdrops that ground his stories in a sense of place. His knack for weaving real-world details—like the gossip of local realtors or the quirks of billionaire society—adds authenticity, making each novel a love letter to its locale. With 18 crime thrillers to his name, Turner’s ability to craft engaging, location-driven mysteries has earned him a loyal following.
Why Tom Turner Matters
Tom Turner’s impact lies in his ability to transform the crime genre into a vibrant exploration of place and personality. His Charlie Crawford series offers more than just whodunits; it’s a satirical peek into the excesses of the ultra-wealthy, delivered with a wink and a nod. Fans praise his taut pacing and laugh-out-loud moments, while critics, like Kirkus Reviews, call his work “relentlessly diverting” and “briskly paced fun.” By blending humor, heart, and homicide, Turner has carved a niche for readers who crave smart, escapist thrillers. His move from Palm Beach to Charleston and now Delray Beach shows a restless creativity, promising more stories that capture the pulse of America’s most intriguing locales.
- Key Works: Palm Beach Nasty, Palm Beach Poison, Palm Beach Deadly, Killing Time in Charleston
- Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
- Current Home: Delray Beach, Florida
Ready to dive into a world of glitz, grit, and gripping mysteries? Grab Palm Beach Nasty and let Tom Turner’s cynical yet charming Charlie Crawford sweep you into a thrilling adventure!