▁and ▁entrepr ene ur . ▁A ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁journal ism ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Wayne ▁State ▁University , ▁C auff iel ▁began ▁his ▁writing ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁music ▁mag az ines , ▁including ▁Rol ling ▁Stone , ▁Cre em ▁and ▁Gu itar ▁Player . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁award - win ning ▁rep orter ▁with ▁the ▁Detroit ▁News ▁and ▁Detroit ▁Month ly ▁Magazine ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁C auff iel ▁began ▁his ▁book writing ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁with ▁Mas qu erade : ▁A ▁True ▁Story ▁of ▁S edu ction , ▁Comp ulsion ▁and ▁Mur der . ▁That ▁title ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁best s eller ▁House ▁of ▁Sec rets ▁have ▁appeared ▁on ▁critics ' ▁lists ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁works ▁in ▁American ▁true ▁crime . ▁Th emat ically , ▁C auff iel ' s ▁books ▁often ▁explore ▁how ▁people ▁em brace ▁popular ▁tr ends ▁and ▁ex alt ▁American ▁values ▁to ▁hide ▁their ▁own ▁dark ▁intent ions ▁and ▁destruct ive ▁acts . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s , ▁C auff iel ▁wrote ▁three ▁fiction ▁titles . ▁He ▁performed ▁as ▁a ▁bl ues ▁guitar ist ▁with ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Blues ▁Band ▁in ▁Motor ▁City ▁night cl ubs . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁review ▁called ▁C auff iel ' s ▁book ▁Mas qu erade ▁an ▁" ex