Cody McFadyen was an international bestselling author known for his thrilling novels. He authored six thrillers, with five centered around the character of FBI special agent Smoky Barrett, who is dedicated to hunting serial killers. His standalone thriller, Der Menschenmacher, was published in Germany in 2011 without an English translation.

Before releasing the fifth book in the Smoky Barrett series in 2016, McFadyen took a four-year hiatus to care for his ailing parents. He was known to reside in Southern California and was the father of a daughter.