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Martin Roy Hill

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.martinroyhill.com

Twitter

martinroyhill

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Crime

Member Since

September 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/martinroyhill

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Martin Roy Hill has led an eclectic life. Soldier, sailor, journalist . . . well, not a spy, but he has written about them.

Martin joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve when he was 19, the same year he sold his first published piece to Reader's Digest. He spent a total of 13 years as a Coastguardsman, in two tours, involved in small boat search and rescue, emergency medical response, port security, and maritime law enforcement.

In between those tours, he served in a counter-insurgency unit in the U.S. Navy Reserve. After a final stint of Coast Guard active duty following the 9/11 attacks, Martin was offered a commission as a medical service corps officer in a component of the California National Guard, where he trained combat medics for Iraq an Martin Roy Hill has led an eclectic life. Soldier, sailor, journalist . . . well, not a spy, but he has written about them.

Martin joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve when he was 19, the same year he sold his first published piece to Reader's Digest. He spent a total of 13 years as a Coastguardsman, in two tours, involved in small boat search and rescue, emergency medical response, port security, and maritime law enforcement.

In between those tours, he served in a counter-insurgency unit in the U.S. Navy Reserve. After a final stint of Coast Guard active duty following the 9/11 attacks, Martin was offered a commission as a medical service corps officer in a component of the California National Guard, where he trained combat medics for Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, Martin converted to the military police, retiring in 2016 as a major and executive officer of an MP unit.

Martin also served as a wilderness medic and operations sergeant with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Wilderness Search and Rescue Detail, where he was cross trained as a tactical (SWAT) medic. Martin also spent several years as a medic and security specialist with a federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

Martin received a bachelor's degree in journalism from CSU Dominguez Hills, and spent more than 20 years as a writer and editor for newspapers and magazines. His investigative reporting earned him numerous journalism honors, including two William Allen White Awards. His stories were included in three of the Investigative Reporters and Editors' annual compilations of the best investigative reporting. He also worked as a freelance correspondent for LIFE and Newsweek.

After serving on active duty following the 9/11 attacks, Martin switched careers, becoming a U.S. Navy analyst in combat casualty care. He left that position after 16 years and became a full-time writer and freelance editor.

Between his military, public safety, and journalism careers, Martin experienced many adventures. In the Coast Guard, he participated in dozens of rescues, chased Russian spy ships and smugglers, protected dignitaries, and once was nearly lost at sea in a storm. In the Navy, he was assigned to liaison with a USCG patrol boat during war games, and ended up participating in what at the time was the largest drug bust in U.S. history.

He's been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and once followed a migrant trail from the U.S. into Mexico (at that country's request) to locate the remains of a woman who died along the trail so the smuggler leading her group could be prosecuted for her death. As a journalist, he covered disasters, air crashes, wild fires, as well as national and international leaders.

Martin's freelance credits include Reader's Digest, LIFE, Newsweek, Omni, American History, Writer’s Digest, Coast Guard Magazine, Retired Officer Magazine, The Compass, Aviation History, Mother Jones, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times Sunday Opinion, and Travel sections, and many more. He was a lead contributor to the 1995 WWII anthology, "From Pearl Harbor to Nagasaki: America at War," published by the Retired Officer Association, and a contributor to the 2013 American Civil War anthology "Gettysburg: Three Days that Saved the United States," published by I-5 Publishing.

Martin's background plays a significant role in his writing, which many reviewers have noted has a sense of realism not often found in fiction. His first book, DUTY, a collection of short stories centered around national service, was named the 2012 Best Short Story Anthology/Collection by the San Diego Book Awards Association. His Linus Schag, NCIS, thriller, The Butcher's Bill, received the 2017 Best Mystery/Suspense Award from the Best Independent Book Awards, the 2017 Clue Award for Best Suspense Thriller, the 2018 Silver Medal for Thrillers from the Readers Favorite Book Awards, and the 2018 Adult Fiction Award from the California Author Project.

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Combine Editions
Martin Roy Hill’s books

Average rating: 4.14 · 319 ratings · 145 reviews · 23 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Killing Depths 4.12 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 2012 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Eden 4.12 avg rating — 41 ratings — published 2014 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Empty Places 4.05 avg rating — 40 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Last Refuge 4.13 avg rating — 32 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Butcher's Bill (Linus Schag, NCIS, #2) 4.32 avg rating — 25 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Polar Melt 4.38 avg rating — 21 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Chimera Island 4.10 avg rating — 20 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Fourth Rising 3.89 avg rating — 18 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Upriver 4.40 avg rating — 15 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Duty: Suspense and Mystery Stories from the Cold War and Beyond 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Martin Roy Hill's Blog

The Secret Life of a Novelist's 'Mews'

Hello, my name is Princess Amber Francesca of Tabbivor, felioness and fur daughter to the man you know as Martin Roy Hill. Father is somewhat indisposed today—I warned him about too much catnip—so he, ah, asked me to write this column for him.

And why shouldn’t he? I know as much about his work as anyone. That’s because unlike my siblings—Princess Seeley Alexandra of Calico and Prince Samwise Harry Read more of this blog post »

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Published on October 08, 2022 10:06 • Tags: muse, on-writing, writer-s-life

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Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing Gillespie Field Groove: A Rolly Waters Mystery by Corey Lynn Fayman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Meet Rolly Waters, recovering alcoholic, musician, and part-time private eye. Or is it private eye and part-time musician? Depends on the day of the week. The daughter of an old music-industry acquaintance hires Rolly to find a guitar once owned by he ...more
Mar 01, 2023 10:01AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martin Hill entered a giveaway From the Shadows (Billy Boyle WWII #17) by James R. Benn	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 17, 2022 07:15AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of From the Shadows by James R. Benn. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — From the Shadows by James R. Benn <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing Survive! First Alien Contact by Charles Graham	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Twelve light years from earth, what remains of the earth starship Copernicus orbits the planet Tau Ceti G. The few survivors of the ship’s encounter with a deadly meteor storm struggle to survive on a planet with hostile creatures and no way to conta ...more
Jun 30, 2022 12:59PM · 1 like · like · see review
Martin Hill made a comment in the group Goodreads Reviewers' Group — ARC available for wartime mystery thriller! topic " I am offering a limited number of free advance reading copies of my latest thriller, UPRIVER, the third entry in the national award-winning Linus Scha ...more "
Jun 15, 2022 09:27AM
Martin Hill made a comment in the group Advanced Copies for Review & Book Giveaways — ARC available for wartime mystery thriller! topic " I am offering a limited number of free advance reading copies of my latest thriller, UPRIVER, the third entry in the national award-winning Linus Scha ...more "
Jun 15, 2022 09:24AM
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing Cold Harbour (Dougal Munro and Jack Carter, #2) by Jack Higgins	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
When I think of WWII thriller writers, the two names that pop to mind are Alistair Maclean and Jack Higgins. These two men, now gone, gave us such legendary stories as The Eagle Has Landed (Higgins) and Where Eagles Dare (Maclean) and many more. While ...more
May 15, 2022 03:03PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Cold Harbour by Jack Higgins. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Cold Harbour by Jack Higgins <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing The Fifth Profession by David Morrell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
David Morrell is a master thriller artist who isn’t afraid of crossing genre lines while still staying within the thriller category. He has written science fiction (The Shimmer), horror (The Totem), westerns (Last Reveille), and historic mysteries (t ...more
May 15, 2022 02:59PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Fifth Profession by David Morrell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Fifth Profession by David Morrell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing The Witch of November: A Great Lakes Story by Rick Collins	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In 1975, I was a young U.S. Coast Guard petty officer temporarily assigned as a SAR coxswain to a lifeboat station on an island in Lake Michigan just off Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula. During my time on the island, I gained a profound respect for ...more
Feb 20, 2022 08:15AM · 3 likes · like · see review
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing Outliers: Vita Aeterna: Book Two by Jay Allan Storey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Alex Barret is a man with time on his hands. Forty years before, sixteen-year-old Alex led a rebel army against the Elite, the oligarchs who lord over First City. The rebels won the battle, but not necessarily the war. With a price on his head, Alex ...more
Jan 22, 2022 10:01AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Outliers by Jay Allan Storey. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Outliers by Jay Allan Storey <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martin Hill rated a book it was amazing 11/22/63 by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jake Epping has gone down the rabbit hole. A schoolteacher in 2011, Epping is recovering from a failed marriage when his friend, diner-owner Al Templeton, tells him a secret. Hidden in his diner’s storage room is a temporal rift, a path to the year 1 ...more
Jan 18, 2022 10:22AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — 11/22/63 by Stephen King <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Authors...: Wanted: Author Interviews and Book Snippets!	16	214	Nov 08, 2012 01:48PM
How to Promote YO...: Great Promotion!	31	100	Dec 30, 2012 03:44AM
Making Connections: 673. DUTY: SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY STORIES FROM THE COLD WAR AND BEYOND by Martin Hill	5	67	Mar 06, 2013 05:06AM
Making Connections: 746. THE KILLING DEPTHS by Martin Roy Hill	18	114	Apr 20, 2013 01:26AM
Virtual Writers: Martin Roy Hill - Mystery and Suspense	1	4	Jul 06, 2013 01:12PM
San Diego Bibliop...: ONLY 12 Members!?	5	17	Jul 11, 2013 08:21AM
San Diego Bibliop...: Welcome all!	3	20	Jul 11, 2013 08:24AM
San Diego: Hello	1	9	Jul 11, 2013 08:36AM
The Mystery, Crim...: New Mystery Short Story Now Online	1	8	Jul 27, 2013 11:03AM
San Diego Bibliop...: Homegrown Mystery Story on Plan B E-magazine	1	5	Jul 27, 2013 11:26AM

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Martin’s Quotes

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend”
― Albert Camus

tags: attributed-no-source, friends, friendship, misattributed-albert-camus

90598 likes

“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
― Narcotics Anonymous

tags: humor, insanity, life, misattributed-ben-franklin, misattributed-mark-twain, misattributed-to-einstein

63620 likes

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

tags: from-charles-bayard-mitchell

99962 likes