Matthew Theron Ruff, born September 8, 1965, is an American author known for his work in thrillers, science fiction, and comic novels. He is noted for novels such as The Mirage and Lovecraft Country, the latter of which was adapted into a television series by HBO in 2020.

I was born in New York City in 1965 and realized I wanted to be a fiction writer at the age of five. I honed my storytelling skills throughout my childhood and adolescence. At Cornell University, I wrote what would become my first published novel, Fool on the Hill, as my senior thesis in Honors English. My professor, Alison Lurie, connected me with an agent, and within six months of my graduation, Fool on the Hill was sold to Atlantic Monthly Press.

Thanks to a combination of foreign rights sales, support from family and friends, grants, and a growing backlist, I've managed to focus on novel-writing as my primary career. My third novel, Set This House in Order, was a critical success, winning several awards, including the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, a Washington State Book Award, and a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. It also helped me secure a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. My fourth novel, Bad Monkeys, also won multiple awards and is under development as a film by Universal Studios with Margot Robbie attached to star.

I reside in Seattle, Washington, with my wife, Lisa Gold, who is a researcher and rare-book expert.