John William Wainwright (25 February 1921 – 19 September 1995) was an English crime novelist and author of 83 books, four of which have been published under the pen name Jack Ripley.
He also wrote some short stories (mostly uncollected in book format), seven radio plays, and an indefinite amount of magazine articles and newspaper columns.
Cul-de-sac (1984) was also very well received in its days, mainly thanks to a warm endorsement by fellow writer Georges Simenon, who defined it "an unforgettable novel".
In an interview given to the Italian periodical Il Giallo Mondadori in 1975, Wainwright cited Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain and Ian Fleming as his favourite authors.
Wainwright always led a very private life, almost never giving interviews and rarely appearing in public, while enjoying a steady if not spectacular success in his lifetime.