Gifford, Thomas

Thomas Gifford (1937 2000) was a bestselling author of thriller novels. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, he moved to Minnesota after graduating from Harvard. After eight years as a traveling textbook salesman, he wrote "Benchwarmer Bob" (1974), a biography of Minnesota Vikings defensive end Bob Lurtsema. "The Wind Chill Factor" (1975), a novel about dark dealings among ex-Nazis, introduced John Cooper, a character Gifford would revisit in "The First Sacrifice" (1994). "The Wind Chill Factor" was one of several books Gifford set in and around Minneapolis.Gifford won an Edgar Award nomination for "The Cav...