Chip Hughes grew up in Southern California and learned to surf in San Diego. After earning degrees in business, humanities, and English, culminating in a Ph.D. from Indiana University, he moved to the Islands to teach at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, and to take up surfing again. At U.H. he taught courses in American literature, writing, and popular fiction, including the mystery.  He left the university in 2008 to write full time.

His non-fiction publications include Beyond The Red Pony: A Reader’s Companion to Steinbeck’s Complete Short Stories—also translated into Japanese; John Steinbeck: A Study of the Short Fiction; and numerous essays and reviews. His photos and writing have also appeared in Porsche Panorama, national magazine of the Porsche Club of America, and he is copy editor for Sonne Porsche, newsletter of the Hawai‘i Region.

An active member of the Private Eye Writers of America, Chip launched the projected six-volume Surfing Detective mystery series in 2004 with Murder on Moloka‘i. The second book, Wipeout!, followed in 2007.  The remaining titles, in various stages of development, include Kula: the Case of the Famous Surfing Dog, Murder at Volcano House, Barking Sands, and The Maui Masseuse.  The series was optioned for television in 2009 and is currently in development.

Chip lives in Windward O‘ahu with his wife, Charlene, and two retrievers, Princess and Boomer.  He surfs when time allows.