After serving in the U.S. Navy and the U. S. Maritime Service, Charles Alvarez explored the various islands of the Pacific: Hawaiian, Marshalls, Tahiti, and the Marianas. He completed a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Northridge, along the way doing graduate work at the University of Houston, during which he received two grants from the National Science Foundation. He is the author of four books in the sciences, published by McGraw Hill and Science Research Associates.

Dressed to Kill is his first novel. He has completed four screen plays and is an active member of the Alameda Writers and the LAWriters. Alvarez is married to Patricia Ann Hurley and they have four children: two girls (Christina and Elizabeth) and two boys (Raymond and Thomas).