Joseph Mark Brewer grew up in Ohio and at an early age developed an interest in reading, writing, and discovering the world around him. An enlistment as a journalist in the US Navy gave him the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and Asia. He has continued working at that craft at publications in the US, Canada, and Japan. His years there are the inspiration for his 12-part Shig Sato Mystery series.

When he's not writing about Shig and Japan, he's busy with the upcoming Tom Becker, Bounty Hunter series; a magical realism romance, and a historical novel about an unlikely murder linked to the 1919 "Black Sox" World Series scandal. He also writes a variety of short fiction, such as his warm-hearted collection of holiday short stories SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN. Some of his short stories have appeared in the international anthologies TWISTED TALES and CROOKED TALES.