About

A native Californian now thriving in the Pacific Northwest, Gary McAvoy began writing early in life, for a small-town newspaper and regional Southern California magazines, then corporate communications for his own businesses and client projects, and on to published nonfiction books. As a technology industry veteran, Gary developed and edited “Cracking the New Economy: Business Tools for the Entrepreneur,” published in 2000 by the Washington Software Association, on whose Board he served as Vice Chair and a Director for six years.

From 1999 to 2005 Gary worked closely with primatologist and animal ethicist Dr. Jane Goodall, serving as Seattle Base Camp Chair for the Jane Goodall Institute, managing Northwest fundraising efforts in support of the institute’s global initiatives. In 2003 Gary convinced Jane she should speak to global food issues, and in 2005 they co-authored "Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating" (Warner Books) with Gail Hudson.

Nurturing a lifelong passion for collecting handwritten history, in 1997 Gary founded VintageMemorabilia.com, featuring authentic signed letters, documents, manuscripts, books, photographs, and other memorabilia of historical or cultural significance. Those who share this passion know that few things compare to holding history in your hands—a letter written by Abraham Lincoln, for example, or one by Truman Capote discussing work on his book "In Cold Blood."

It was this last acquisition, in fact, that sparked the adventures leading up to Gary's second nonfiction book, "And Every Word Is True" (Literati Editions, 2019), a fresh look at the investigation of the infamous 1959 Clutter family murders, heinous crimes chillingly portrayed in Capote's landmark nonfiction novel. Having prevailed in a four-year lawsuit brought by the State of Kansas—a tenacious campaign of suppression and intimidation to prevent the book’s publication—"And Every Word Is True" pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to the true story of “In Cold Blood.”

Gary is now writing fiction full-time. His bestselling series, The Magdalene Chronicles, features the Vatican Secret Archive and a cast of unforgettable characters as they plunge into the secret and mystifying world of ancient documents.

Other Works

  • The Celestial Guardian

    2024
  • The Jerusalem Scrolls

    2023
  • The Galileo Gambit

    2023
  • The Confessions of Pope Joan

    2023
  • The Opus Dictum

    2022
  • The Petrus Prophecy

    2022
  • The Avignon Affair

    2022
  • The Magdalene Veil

    2021
  • The Vivaldi Cipher

    2021
  • The Magdalene Deception

    2020
  • The Magdalene Reliquary

    2020
  • And Every Word Is True

    2019
  • The Clutter Murder Files

    2019
  • Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating

    2005
  • Cracking the New Economy

    2000

Awards and Recognition

  • Gary` was named a semifinalist for the 1995 Pacific Northwest Inc. Magazine/Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and in 1998 received the Governor's Award for distinctive leadership in Washington State's software industry.
  • "And Every Word Is True" named as a Finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
  • 1st Place Winner (Religious Fiction) Next Generation Indie Book Awards - June 2022