Born in Westport, Connecticut, but now a Florida resident, Child graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, with a major in English.

In 1987, after founding the company's mass-market horror division, Child left the St. Martin's Press to become a systems analyst at MetLife.

In 2002, Child began his solo career with the debut novel Utopia, then wrote Death Match in 2004.

However, with Deep Storm in 2007, Child introduced the character of Dr. Jeremy Logan, a Yale professor of medieval history and enigmalogist, whose role over the course of the series gradually increases with each book.

He appeared in only one chapter in Deep Storm, then became a supporting character in Terminal Freeze (2009), before finally becoming the main protagonist in The Third Gate (2012).