The Midnight Boy

E. A. Allen is a cattle farmer, History Professor, and retired CIA Intelligence Officer.

He writes the Montclaire Mysteries for adult readers, chronicling the exploits of Gerard de Montclaire, an early twentieth-century crime fighter known for his ruthless determination. Recently, Allen has launched a new series of Percy St.-John Adventures for teens and young adults—stories inspired by the great tradition of Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Agatha Christie, which he cherished as a young reader.

Allen has taught History and International Relations at various institutions, including Loyola, Xavier, the University of New Orleans, and the University of Virginia. He holds a Ph.D. in Modern European History from Tulane and pursued studies in France at the University of Montpellier and the Sorbonne. During his government career, he served as Senior Analyst for European Security Affairs at the CIA and worked on the National Intelligence Council as Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Europe under the Clinton and Bush administrations.

Now residing on a farm in the mountains of northwest Arkansas with his wife, Elizabeth, several cat companions, and one remarkably intelligent beagle, Allen spends his “spare time” building a rustic cabin in the nearby Ozark forest.