Donald (Don) Jay Donaldson, who also writes as David Best, was born in 1940 and is a now retired professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology. He holds a Ph.D. in human anatomy and his entire academic career was spent at the University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, where he published dozens of papers on wound-healing, and taught microscopic anatomy to thousands of medical and dental students.

He lives in Memphis, Tennessee with his wife and two West Highland terriers. In the spring of most years he simply cannot stop buying new flowers and other plants for the couple's prized backyard garden.

He is the author of five medical thrillers and seven forensic mysteries, the latter featuring the hugely overweight and equally brilliant New Orleans medical examiner, Andy Broussard, and his gorgeous psychologist sidekick, Kit Franklyn. Of these it has been said that they contain 'lots of Louisiana color, pinpoint plotting and two highly likable characters', whilst the Los Angeles Times states 'the autopsies are detailed enough to make Patricia Cornwell fans move farther south for their forensic fixes ..... splendidly eccentric local denizens, authentic New Orleans and bayou backgrounds'.