Thomas Thorpe writes in nineteenth century genre, but has a background in space exploration. Tom avidly read science fiction during the dawn era of space exploration, and, after graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles, worked at Eastman Kodak (Lunar Orbiter), the Manned Spacecraft Center and Lowell observatory before landing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. There, he experienced defining moments of the Mariner, Viking and Surveyor Mars expeditions. Subsequently, he managed the Mars Global Surveyor Project through most of its ten-year operations and has published journal articles on the topic of Mars photometry. During these missions, be began writing historical fiction concerning the adventures of the Darmon family and mysteries set worldwide within the first half of the nineteenth century. This was a turbulent time wherein many countries struggled with self-government, having just emerged from colonialism or repressive monarchies. In America, Greece, Brazil, Canada, France, Russia and India tensions flared between royal traditionalists and young radicals who tried to free their population from the repression of greedy landowners. As a result, conspiracies abounded within governments and murders were common. Mr. Thorpe has published five historical mystery thrillers in the Darmon Mystery series. Book Six: Desperate Crossing, is in press at Black Rose Writing.