Journalism After graduating
Phi Beta Kappa from
Dartmouth College in 1996, he interned at
The Washington Post, and was eventually hired full-time by the paper, which assigned him to their bureau in
Manassas, Virginia. In 1998, he moved to
The Star-Ledger in
Newark, New Jersey, where he began working as a sports features writer and later as a news feature writer. In 2007, "Crossroads", his four-part series on the
1967 Newark riots, won the New Jersey Press Association's top prize for enterprise reporting.
Fiction In 2004, Parks began writing fiction in the cafe at a
Barnes & Noble as a way to kill time while his wife was studying for her graduate degree. In response, in March 2018, Hardee's presented Parks with a plaque and declared him its writer in residence.
Faces of the Gone The inspiration for his first published novel,
Faces of the Gone, was a 2004 quadruple homicide in
Newark, New Jersey that he covered as a journalist. In 2008, the novel was acquired by
St. Martin's Press/
Minotaur Books and was published on December 8, 2009. Prior to publication,
Harlan Coben called it a "terrific debut."
Library Journal gave it a starred review, calling it "the most hilariously funny and deadly serious mystery debut since Janet Evanovich's One for the Money." The novel went on to win the 2010
Shamus Award for best first novel; and the 2010
Nero Award for best American mystery.
Faces of the Gone is the only book to have ever won both awards.
Eyes of the Innocent Parks' second book,
Eyes of the Innocent, was based on Parks' reporting of the
Subprime mortgage crisis and
House flipping that became common in
Newark, New Jersey and other cities prior to the
2008 financial crisis. It received a starred review from
Library Journal, which called it "as good if not better (than) his acclaimed debut."
The Wall Street Journal described protagonist Ross as "engaging" and said the book was "a capable follow-up to this author's award-winning debut."
The Free Lance–Star described it as "a book that melds the style of a
Bob Woodward and a
Janet Evanovich."
The Girl Next Door Parks' third book,
The Girl Next Door, delves into the struggles of the newspaper industry and how a contentious union negotiation ends up imperiling a woman described as being like the girl next door. The novel won the Lefty Award for best humorous mystery. In doing so, Parks became the first author to have won the Lefty, Nero and Shamus Awards.
The Girl Next Door also received a starred review from
Booklist, which called it "... a masterpiece."
Library Journal called the Carter Ross series "a refreshing tonic for the mystery soul.". Shelf Awareness gave it a starred review, calling it "perfect for the reader who loves an LOL moment but wants a mystery that's more than empty calories."
Kirkus Reviews named it one of the top 100 works of fiction of 2012, making it one of just a handful of mysteries to win that honor.
The Good Cop Parks' fourth book,
The Good Cop, deals with the subject of illegal gun smuggling and starts with the suicide of a
Newark, New Jersey police officer. It received a starred review from
Booklist, which called it "a tautly written page-turner with charm and humor."
Library Journal opined "Parks's award-winning series is essential reading."
RT Book Reviews said the book "will please even the most discerning reader." The
Associated Press called it "a great lighthearted read." It won the 2014
Shamus Award in the category of Best Hardcover Novel. In doing so, Parks became the first former Best First Shamus Award winner to subsequently win Best Hardcover Novel.
The Player The fifth book in the Carter Ross series,
The Player, delves into the topics of toxic waste and organized crime. It received starred reviews from
Kirkus Reviews and
Library Journal.
The Washington Post called it "one of the best portraits of a working reporter since (Michael) Connelly's THE POET."
RT Book Reviews made it a "Top Pick!" and opined, "Parks has quietly entered the top echelon of the mystery field."
The Fraud The sixth book in the series,
The Fraud, chronicles two incidents of carjacking, one afflicting a wealthy man from the suburbs, the other a poorer man from the city.
Kirkus Reviews called it, “More deeply felt than Carter’s first five cases: reliable entertainment that’ll make you think twice about your next trip to Newark.” The novel was nominated for a Library of Virginia People's Choice Award in 2016.
Say Nothing Parks released his first standalone novel, and his first novel published by
Dutton Books in 2017,
Say Nothing, which tells the story of a judge whose children are kidnapped by people who are looking to control the outcome of a case the judge is hearing. It received endorsements from
Lee Child,
Sue Grafton,
Jeffery Deaver,
Joseph Finder,
Chris Pavone, and
William Landay, in addition to starred reviews from
Publishers Weekly,
Kirkus, and
Library Journal.
The Washington Post called it, "deeply moving. How moving? Its ending brought me to tears, and, where books are concerned, such moments are rare." The
Richmond Times-Dispatch called it "the work of an author who continues to raise his sights and refine his immense talent."
Say Nothing has been translated into fifteen languages and sold in dozens of countries worldwide. In 2007, it was named Thriller of the Month by
The Times of London. It became a bestseller in Germany, where it appeared for multiple weeks in
Der Spiegel Buchreport. It won the Library of Virginia People's Choice Award.
Closer Than You Know In March 2018, Parks published
Closer Than You Know, which received starred reviews from
Library Journal and
Kirkus Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews wrote that it was "another irresistible descent into hell." ==Personal life==