ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Elliott

Ashley Elliott was born and raised in the town of Conway, Arkansas and was by any measure proceeding on a traditional career path. After she turned twenty-five, and her wedding months away, her life got turned inside out when her father was murdered and, a month later, her mother drugged and kidnapped, entangling her for a decade with the criminal justice system and a relentless quest for justice.

The resulting trauma led to a diagnosis of PTSD and general anxiety, which she managed and overcame through therapy, family support, and the medium of writing.

The Demon in Disguise represents the culmination of a deep plunge into the center of her pain and painstaking exploration of her truth.

Ashley is an avid hiker, athlete, and bodybuilder, and has competed and won medals in various national and international athletic competitions, including the Spartan Worlds Championships and IPE Masters World Championships.

Ashley earned a B.S. from the University of Utah in Organizational Communication. She lives in Utah with her husband and children.

Michael J. Coffino

Before becoming a full-time writer and freelance editor, Michael Coffino had two parallel careers: one in the courtroom and the other in the gymnasium. He was a business litigation and trial attorney and legal writing instructor for four decades and concurrently devoted twenty-five years as a basketball coach, primarily at the high school level.

He has written and co-authored nine books, including Truth Is in the House, his debut novel, set for release July 2021.

Michael grew up in the Bronx. He earned a B.S. in Education from the City University of New York and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.

Michael plays guitar, holds a black belt in karate, is a workout junkie, plays pickleball, and hikes regularly in the hills and mountains of California and Colorado. He lives in Marin County, California and has two adult sons, both teachers and high school basketball coaches.

A TRUE CRIME TALE

The Demon in Disguise

For every suspense novel that entertains, there is a true crime tale that dispenses with belief suspension in favor of the painfully real. Ashley Elliott survived the execution style murder of her father and friend, the drugging and kidnapping of her mother, and the small town good ol’ boy criminal justice system.