Genealogy
Johnson traces family histories through records and archives, uncovering the choices and chances that echo down generations—research that doubles as training for writing mysteries.
About Johnson
The Life Behind the Stories
Soldier, civil servant, traveler, genealogist, puzzle-builder, grandfather—and now, storyteller. Every chapter of Johnson’s life finds its way onto the page.
From Washington to the World
F. Matthew Johnson was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, a place where history is never far away—where monuments, archives, and quiet neighborhoods all seem to hold stories waiting to be told.
He built a career in service of his country, first in the United States Army and later in the Department of the Army Civil Service, retiring from both. That career carried him far from home: more than fifteen years of it were spent living and working in Europe, among the languages, train platforms, old cities, and long histories that now surface in his fiction.
A Marriage Measured in Passport Stamps
Johnson and his wife have been married for more than forty-five years, and they have spent a good part of that time seeing the world together. They have traveled to forty-seven of the fifty United States and at least thirty countries—Egypt, Singapore, South Africa, Ireland, and Croatia among them.
The travels don’t end when the suitcases are unpacked. Johnson combines his love of travel with his love of jigsaw puzzles: he assembles puzzles of the places they’ve visited, then glues, frames, and hangs them, so the walls of their home have become a gallery of remembered journeys.
Roots, Records, and Rhythm
When he isn’t writing or traveling, Johnson is often deep in genealogy research, tracing family lines through old records and discovering how the past quietly shapes the present—a theme readers will recognize in his mysteries.
Music runs through it all. He is as comfortable with Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” as he is with Glenn Miller or Earth, Wind & Fire—an ear for classical, big band, and soul that lends his storytelling its range of moods.
Home in the High Desert
Today, Johnson and his wife live in the high desert of Southern Arizona, close to wide skies and desert mountains. They have two children and eight grandchildren, and—between family visits, puzzles, and research—Johnson writes the kind of stories he loves to read: mysteries where love and duty pull in different directions, and the truth is worth waiting for.
A Life in Chapters
The Road to the Writing Desk
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Washington, D.C. Area
Born and raised near the nation’s capital.
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U.S. Army
A career of service, discipline, and duty.
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Life and Service in Europe
More than fifteen years living and working abroad.
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Department of the Army Civil Service
Continued service after the uniform, through retirement.
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World Travel
Forty-seven states and thirty-plus countries with his wife.
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Southern Arizona
A home in the high desert, near family.
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Author
Turning a lifetime of places and people into stories.
Beyond the Writing Desk
What Fills the Hours Between Chapters
Travel
From the pyramids of Egypt to the coast of Croatia, Johnson and his wife have gathered a lifetime of places—and the sights, sounds, and small moments that make settings feel real on the page.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Puzzles of the places he has visited are assembled piece by piece, then glued, framed, and hung as artwork—travel memories rebuilt by hand. A fitting hobby for a mystery writer: the picture only appears when every piece finds its place.
Music
Tchaikovsky, Glenn Miller, Earth, Wind & Fire—Johnson’s listening spans centuries and styles, and it shows in his writing’s range: elegance, swing, and soul, each in its moment.
Family Life
More than forty-five years of marriage, two children, and eight grandchildren keep home life full. The long view of love—its patience, its tests, its rewards—is something Johnson writes about because he has lived it.
Family & Life
The Stories Beyond the Books
Family is at the center of Johnson’s life. This growing collection will share the people, places, memories, and creative gifts that bring joy to the years between chapters.
To begin the gallery, Johnson is proud to spotlight the artwork of his granddaughter, Leila.
Granddaughter Spotlight
Leila’s Cat Art
Leila brings personality and emotion to every character she draws. Her cat illustrations move from quiet, close-up studies to lively group scenes, using expressive eyes, distinctive markings, and bold silhouettes to suggest stories of their own.
Select any image to view the artwork at a larger size. More family photographs and creative work can be added to this collection over time.
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A Well-Stamped Passport
The Miles Behind the Stories
- 47 of 50 United States visited
- 30+ countries visited
- 15+ years living and working in Europe
- 45+ years of marriage
- Two children
- Eight grandchildren
Photograph placeholder — framed travel puzzles displayed as artwork, or a Southern Arizona high-desert landscape (16:9 crop).