May McGoldrick

May McGoldrick, a pseudonym for USA Today bestselling authors Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick, is known for a wide range of novels spanning historical, contemporary and western genres, with works such as The Thistle and the Rose (1995) and Highland Crown (2019).

The two authors, each with a different background — Nikoo in engineering and Jim in sixteenth-century literature — have co-authored over fifty novels that have reached readers worldwide and been translated into numerous languages.

Nikoo and Jim's journey into fiction began after years of marriage when they realised the unique blend of their storytelling strengths: Nikoo brought depth to characters. At the same time, Jim created vivid settings and action. This creative collaboration led to their first book, The Thistle and the Rose, establishing their writing partnership.

At their publisher's request, they adopted the female pen name May McGoldrick to appeal to romance readers, reflecting a common practice among writers facing industry pressures regarding genre expectations and reader demographics.

Their early books even included a fictional biography to create a backstory for May McGoldrick, complete with a mention of her Pennsylvania home and cat. However, her own dog needed to be more keen on the details.

In addition to the May McGoldrick pseudonym, the authors expanded into new genres under different names. As Jan Coffey, they delved into contemporary suspense, merging their initials to form "Jan" and using an anglicised version of Nikoo's Persian surname, Kafi. More recently, they adopted the name Nik James for a series of westerns, continuing their tradition of adapting their pseudonyms to suit their evolving genre pursuits.

Their latest novel, Erase Me (2024), is the second instalment in the Time and Tide series, a contemporary thriller set in the sunny yet shadowy streets of a California beach town. In this high-stakes romance, covert agents Avalie and Reed collide in a fiery encounter driven by secrets and a clash of loyalties.

Both hold missions that could change the course of history, yet as their paths cross, they find themselves ensnared in a dangerous web of deception and forbidden attraction.

Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick live in California.

Photo credit: www.maymcgoldrick.com