Lee Child was born in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in nearby Birmingham. He worked as a presentation director for Granada Television in Manchester until he was fired due to corporate restructuring. He then bought six dollars' worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series. Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment.

Lee currently lives in Manhattan and the south of France. He spends his spare time reading, listening to music, and watching the Yankees, Aston Villa, or Marseilles soccer. He is married with a grown-up daughter. He is tall and slim, despite an appalling diet and a refusal to exercise.