Michael BalterMichael Balter writes crime thrillers blending sharp wit with high-stakes suspense. His debut novel, Chasing Money, won multiple awards, including the Best Indie Book Award for Crime Thrillers and the 2024 Crime Thriller of the Year award from BestThillers.com. His second novel, The Vatican Deal, is also an award-winner. His third novel, Dead Exit, coming July 7, 2026, continues the award-winning Marty and Bo Thriller series. Born in Berlin, Michael grew up in a bombed-out building. When the Berlin Wall went up, his family fled to America. During the Vietnam War, he served as an air traffic controller at the Udorn Air Force Base in Thailand. Michael earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering before joining Intel Corporate in the early days of Silicon Valley. He later became an entrepreneur, launching ventures ranging from a voice recognition startup to an art company, and a private equity firm. The kidnapping of a business partner by a Russian mobster inspired elements of Chasing Money. Michael lives in Charlevoix, Michigan and is working on his next novel. Learn more at mbalter.com. Read More Read Less