Ford's father died when he was young and as such he was brought up solely by his mother, who worked as a secretary.
[2] Ford attended Nathaniel Hawthorne College in New Hampshire (closed 1988)[3] and ended up with a master's degree in 18th-century literature from Adelphi University in New York.
[7] The second novel in the Frank Corso series, Black River, was recognised by The Seattle Times as one of the "Best Mysteries of 2002.
"[9] The following year, Ford received the Pacific Northwest Writers Association's Achievement Award for both his literary success and, according to The Seattle Times, his "willingness to help others.
"[2] The same year, he won the Spotted Owl Award for the best mystery novel by a Pacific Northwest writer for Black River.