J.J. Hernandez has spent more than two decades working in law enforcement, which means he has accumulated an unusually large collection of stories, characters, bad decisions, strange circumstances, and reminders that truth really can be stranger than fiction. Those experiences now help fuel stories ranging from hard-edged crime fiction to lighthearted mysteries featuring two unusually clever Cane Corsos.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Florida, Hernandez developed an early fascination with crime stories and the people who inhabit them, the investigators, victims, criminals, survivors, and ordinary individuals forced into extraordinary circumstances.
His debut novel, The Broken, follows the intertwining lives of two people from different worlds brought together by betrayal, violence, and heartache. Moving from emotional turmoil to historical suspense, his second novel, One Night in Fear City, transports readers to the dark streets of 1977 New York City, where survival depends on the decisions made during a single terrifying night.
His latest book, Corso P.I.: The Case of the Missing Kolaches, takes his storytelling in an entirely different, and considerably more humorous, direction. The illustrated children’s mystery follows bumbling Austin private investigator Danny Cruz and his Cane Corsos, Kenzo and Vito. Danny may receive the credit for solving the case, but the dogs are usually the ones doing the real detective work. Inspired in part by Hernandez’s own Cane Corsos, the story combines mystery, humor, friendship, and a healthy appreciation for Austin’s favorite pastries.
Hernandez is also bringing his original short fiction to life through scripted podcast productions. These audio stories expand his fictional worlds through voice performances, sound design, and cinematic storytelling, offering audiences a new way to experience his work.
Whether writing about people navigating the darkest corners of human behavior or two oversized dogs searching for stolen kolaches, Hernandez remains drawn to stories about loyalty, courage, justice, and the unexpected heroes who emerge when trouble arrives.
He lives in Austin, Texas, with the real-life Kenzo and Vito.