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Michael McGarrity holds a BA with distinction in psychology and a master's degree in clinical social work. As an undergraduate, he held a Ford Foundation Scholarship at the University of New Mexico. Additionally, he is an honor graduate of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy.

His career in criminal justice includes work in corrections, law enforcement, security,  police officer training, and serving as an expert witness to the court.  As a deputy sheriff for Santa Fe County he worked as a patrol officer, community relations officer, training and planning supervisor, and lead investigator for the sex crimes unit, which he established.  He also has served as an instructor at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, an investigator and caseworker for the Public Defender's Office, and an investigator for a state government agency.  In 1987, he was honored as Santa Fe's Police Officer of the Year.

As a trained psychotherapist, McGarrity specialized in the treatment of high-risk and at-risk populations including drug abusers, chronically mentally ill patients, juvenile delinquents, adult felons, and abused and neglected children. He was responsible for reestablishing mental health services for the New Mexico Corrections Department after the infamous prison riot of 1980, creating school-based counseling services for children and youth, setting-up intensive therapy programs for patients with serious mental disorders, and developing halfway houses and residential treatment programs for drug abusers and felons released to the community. In 1980 he was recognized by his peers as the New Mexico Social Worker of the Year.

He has been on the faculty of several colleges and universities, teaching courses in psychology and counseling, functioning as a field supervisor for undergraduate and graduate clinical social work students, and as a college instructor within the New Mexico prison system.

Prior to turning his attention to the writing of fiction, he published a number of professional journal articles on a wide range of topics, including therapy programs for children, program assessment and evaluation, staff development, and drug treatment interventions. For a number of years, he maintained a private practice specializing in the family therapy and consultation services to community-based treatment agencies.

With the publication of "Tularosa" in 1996, McGarrity turned to writing full time.  He lives in Santa Fe New Mexico with his wife and college sweetheart, Emily Beth (Mimi). His son, Sean Eli, who creates the maps for the books and takes the author's photographs, also lives in Santa Fe.

Michael's debut novel,Tularosa" was nominated for an Anthony Award, a Dilys Award and a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and was selected as one of the best books of the year by "Publishers Weekly".  "Serpent Gate", the third novel in the Kevin Kerney series, was a "Booklist" top-ten crime novel of 1998-1999.    "Under the Color of  Law"  garnered kudos as a Top 10 bestseller list for 2001 of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.  It was also judged as one of the best books of 2001 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine.  Deadly Pleasures also gave a nod to the cover art as a top book cover of 2001.  In 2003, Michael was nominated for two awards, the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, and the Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Western Novel, his second Spur nomination and in 2004, Michael was not only nominated but was awarded the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts -- Literature.

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