Richard North Patterson is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two prior novels, including the number one New York Times bestseller, Protect and Defend, as well as a nonfiction narrative of the 2016 presidential campaign. Formerly a trial lawyer, Patterson's numerous awards include the Edgar Allan Poe Award. Critics have called him "one of the best in the business" and "our most important popular novelist."

Between 2015 and 2021, Patterson was a regular columnist for national publications, noted for his widely read commentaries on American politics. Concerning his novel, Balance of Power, President Bill Clinton said, "Richard North Patterson has a keen eye for how Washington really works," while Senator Edward Kennedy called it "a great read by a masterful writer." Trial is his first novel in nine years.

Patterson lives on Martha's Vineyard and in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife, Dr. Nancy Clair.