John Doll

John Doll is a third-generation San Josean who eavesdropped on family rumors, confessions and denials. ST. JAMES PARK is based on his Italian-American mother’s tales of one gruesome night in 1933. Having spent a career creating revitalization projects throughout the Bay Area, including restoration of a once prominent hotel in downtown San Jose, he is now living in San Francisco with his wife Rachael.

Kirkus Reviews cited that ST. JAMES PARK "has a cinematic quality, but it’s always firmly grounded in elements of real-life history; as such, it serves as a cautionary tale on how social disparities and anti-immigrant bias can be manipulated to fuel the evil plans of powerful people.” The novel earned a ‘Get It’ verdict and won the 2026 IPPY Gold Medal Award in the West-Pacific Fiction category.