David A. Kelly grew up in New Hartford, New York, delivering the local newspaper and watching the town's seasonal baseball games.
After graduating from New Hartford Senior High School, he earned a computer science degree at Syracuse University before moving to Boston, where he met his wife Alice, a journalism student, and began a career in technical writing and marketing.
A Series That Spans the Majors
The spark for his writing came from his two sons, Steven and Scott, whose love of mystery and baseball inspired the creation of characters Mike and Kate, the young sleuths who explore the quirks of each MLB ballpark.
Since then, Kelly has released 28 titles in the Ballpark Mysteries series, selling more than two million copies and covering 21 of the 30 major league stadiums.
His newest venture, a children's chapter book series set in NFL stadiums, will soon feature a mystery involving the Pittsburgh Pirates, slated for release later this year or early 2027.
Beyond the books, Kelly's stories have encouraged young readers to visit the real ballparks he describes, turning literature into travel.