Pete Earley is a storyteller who has penned 22 books including four New York Times bestsellers, including The Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.
After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, Pete became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise. He later began writing novels for fun.
His honest nonfiction reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of few authors with “the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.
When Pete’s life was turned upside down by the events recounted in his book Crazy, he joined the National Alliance on Mental Illness to advocate for strong mental health reform on the public stage. He was invited by President Obama to speak at a White House summit about his son’s illness and recovery.
A former Washington Post reporter, Earley has appeared five times before the U.S. Congress to testify about the need for mental health reform, has spoken in 49 states and addressed legislators in five foreign countries.
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Published Works
Since becoming a full-time author in 1986, Pete has written 11 non-fiction books and 10 novels.
Family of Spies (1988)
- Prophet of Death (1991)
- The Hot House (1992)
- Circumstantial Evidence (1995)
- Confessions of a Spy (1997)
- Super Casino (2000)
- WITSEC (2002)
- The Big Secret (2004)
- Lethal Secrets (2005)
- Crazy (2006)
- The Apocalypse Stone (2006)
- Comrade J (2008)
- The Serial Killer Whisperer (2012)
- Sly Fox for Jeanine Pirro (2012)
- Clever Fox for Jeanine Pirro (2013)
- Resilience with Jessie Close (2015)
- Duplicity co-authored with Newt Gingrich (2015)
- Treason (2016) coauthor Newt Gingrich, a Washington Post bestseller
- Vengeance (2017) coauthor Newt Gingrich
- Collusion (2019) coauthor Newt Gingrich
- Shakedown (2020) coauthor Newt Gingrich
- No Human Contact ((2023)
Testimonials
Here’s what others had to say about Pete:
Earley is a fair-minded reporter who apparently decided that his own feelings were irrelevant to the story. There is a purity to this kind of journalism, one that bestows an honor on the fact-seeking reader.
The Washington PostA former Washington Post reporter, Mr. Earley writes with authenticity and style — a wonderful blend of fact and fiction in the best tradition of journalists-turned-novelists.
Nelson DeMille, bestselling author
Before we had schools of journalism, there was a straight-forward task called reporting that took you where you had not been and told you what you had not known. The Hot House is by a reporter, and gives the readers reporting at its very finest.
The Los Angeles TimesPete Earley is a major talent.
Stephen Coonts, bestselling author of Flight of the IntrudersA terrific eye for action and character. Earley sure knows how to tell a story. Gripping and intelligent.
Douglas Preston, bestselling co-author of The Relic
Press and Awards
As an author, Pete has been on the receiving end of many accolades, including:
- 2007 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for General Nonfiction
- New York Times Bestseller Family of Spies
- New York Times Bestseller for The Hot House
- Robert F. Kennedy Award for Social Justice 1996
- Edgar Award Winner for Best Fact Crime Book 1996
- New York Times Bestseller Comrade J
- NAMI Outstanding Media Award 2007
- Washington Psychiatric Society Patient Avocate of the year 2007
- American Psychiatric Association Award for Patient Advocacy 2008
- 100 Most Popular Nonfiction Authors 2008
Pete’s opinion has also been sought out on many subjects and as a result he has been featured in these media outlets:
