Michael is the author of three critically acclaimed crime novels, The Chicago Way, The Fifth Floor and The Third Rail. His fourth novel, We All Fall Down, will be published by Knopf in the summer of 2011. Michael is also a documentary producer and co-creator, producer and executive producer of A&E’s groundbreaking forensic series, Cold Case Files.
Michael’s investigative journalism and documentary work has won multiple Emmys and CableACE awards, numerous national and international film festival awards, as well as an Academy Award nomination.
Michael holds a law degree with honors from Duke University, a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelors degree, magna cum laude, in classical languages from Holy Cross College.
Michael was born in Boston and lives in Chicago. He owns an Irish bar in Chicago, The Hidden Shamrock.