James Phelan is a 28-year-old Australian thriller writer who teaches in the Swinburne University Master of Arts Writing program.

During his Masters studies he developed the idea that would become his first published book, Literati (John Wiley & Sons, 2005).

His novels follow New York based investigative journalist Lachlan Fox into different global hot spots. His novels Fox Hunt (2006), and Patriot Act (2007) and Blood Oil (2008) are published by Hachette Australia.