Matthew Costello

For other people named Matthew Costello, see Matthew Costello (disambiguation).

Matthew John Costello (born 1948) is an American writer specializing in the genres of horror, gothic, and science fiction. His articles have appeared in publications including the Los Angeles Times and Sports Illustrated. He has scripted Trilobyte's bestselling CD-ROM interactive dramas The 7th Guest and its sequel The 11th Hour, as well as many other video games.

Matthew Costello
Born	Matthew John Costello 1948 (age 75–76)
Occupation	Novelist scriptwriter game designer
Nationality	American
Genres	Horror fiction gothic fiction science fiction
Website
www.mattcostello.com

Career

Costello continued Dana Lombardy's "Gaming" column on Asimov's Science Fiction beginning in April 1986, which renamed to "Neat Stuff" in April 1989 and he continued until June 1990.

Along with F. Paul Wilson, Costello created and scripted FTL Newsfeed, which ran daily on the Sci-Fi Channel from 1992 to 1996. In 2005 his novel Beneath Still Waters was adapted into a film by director Brian Yuzna.

Costello also wrote Island of the Skull (Pocket Books), an original prequel to Peter Jackson's film, King Kong.

Along with his adult genres, he has created works for children. His works include the book series The Kids of Einstein Elementary (Scholastic), and Magic Everywhere (Random House), as well as games including Aladdin's Mathquest (Disney), A Cartoon History of the Universe (Putnam), and two math games based on the hit PBS Kids show Cyberchase. He is the designer of role-playing and board games, including Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, Batman, Lone Wolf & Cub, and many others.

Recently, Costello worked on Rage, a post-apocalyptic action-adventure game for id Software, and wrote its novelization, as well as a new game for Eidos with Neil Richards and Swedish developer Avalanche Studios.

Books

Genre	Titles	Year(s)
Anthology	52 anthologies Cat Crimes III, “Where's Mittens?,” Donald I. Fine, Inc., 1992 Chilled to the Bone, “Undertow,” Mayfair Games, Inc., 1991 Dark Dreams, Matt Costello Horror Writer Profile, Cemetery Dance Publications, 2001 Dark Thoughts On Writing: Advice and Commentary from 50 Masters of Fear and Suspense, Underwood Books, 1997 David Copperfield's Tales of the Impossible, “The Last Vanish,” HarperCollins, 1995, 1996 Day One, “Day One,” Tor Books, 2011 Deathport, “Thank You for Your Patience,” Pocket Books, 1993 Diagnosis: Terminal, “Friendly Wager,” Tor Books, 1996, 1997 Doomslayers: Into the Labyrinth, “Expedition,” White Wolf Publishing, Inc., 1998 Dracula: Prince of Darkness, “Deep Sleep,” DAW, 1992 Frankenstein: The Monster Wakes, “My Coney Island Baby,” DAW, 1993 Future Net, “Someone Who Understands Me,” DAW, 1996 Gauntlet 2, “Nonfiction Reviews,” Borderlands Press, 1991 Gothic Ghosts, “Unexpected Attraction,” Tor Books, 1997, Great Writers & Kids Write Spooky Stories, “Closet Monsters,” (with Nora Costello) Random House, 1995 Hellboy: Odd Jobs, “A Night at the Beach,” Dark Horse Comics, Inc., 1999 Horrible Beginnings, “Deep Sleep,” DAW, 2003 Hottest Blood, “Abuse,” Pocket Books, 1993 Lighthouse Hauntings, “And the Sea Shall Claim Them” (with Rick Hautala as by A. J. Matthews), Down East Books, 2002, 2014 My Favorite Fantasy Story, An Introduction to “More Spinned Against,” DAW, 2000 Mr. October: An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala, Volume 1, “A Guy Walks Into a Bar,” Journal/Stone 2013 Murder Most Feline: Cunning Tales of Cats and Crime, “Mr. Biggles for the Defense,” Cumberland House, 2001 Murder Most Postal: Homicidal Tales that Deliver a Message, ”Someone Who Understands Me,” Cumberland House, 2001 Necon XV, “My Coney Island Baby,” Necon Books, 1995 Necon XX, ”Unexpected Attraction,” Necon Books, 2000 Never Fear – the Tarot, “The Hanged Man,” 13Thirty Books, 2016 Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, “Unexpected Attraction,” Necon e-Books, 2017 Occasional Demons, “And the Sea Shall Claim Them” (with Rick Hautala a.k.a A. J. Matthews), Cemetery Dance Publications, 2010 Odd Jobs, “A Night at the Beach,” Dreamscape Media 2020 October Dreams, “The Real Darkborn,” Cemetery Dance Publications, 2014 Phantoms of the Night, “Unfortunate Obsession,” DAW, 1996 Santa Clues, “Must Be Santa!”, Signet, 1993 Sea-Cursed: Thirty Terrifying Tales of the Deep, “Deep Sleep,” Barnes & Noble Books Solved, “Shadow,” Carroll & Graff Publisher, Inc., 1991 Starfall, “Mind over Matter,” TSR, Inc., 1999 The Best of Cemetery Dance, “Vacation,” Cemetery Dance Publications, 1998 The Best of Cemetery Dance Volume 2, “Vacation,” New American Library, 2001 World of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade, “Undercover,” White Wolf, Inc., 1994 The Big Book of Necon, “Unexpected Attraction,” Cemetery Dance Publications, 2009 The Big Book of Necon, “Unexpected Attraction,” Cemetery Dance Publications, 2011 The Dean Koontz Companion, “Films, Television, and Dean Koontz,” Berkeley Books, 1994 The Essential Dracula, Commentary and Insights, Penguin Books, 1991 The Essential Frankenstein, Commentary and Insights, Penguin Books, 1993 The Fantastic Adventures of Robin Hood, “Young Robin,” Signet, 1991 The Stories: Five Years of Original Fiction on Tor.com, “Day One,” Tor, 2013 The Ultimate Zombie, “Corporate Takeover,” Dell Publishing, 1993 Thunder's Shadow, “The Man Who Knew Things,” Thunder's Shadow, 1993 Till Death Do Us Part, “Whatever Turns You On,” Berkeley Books, 1999 Time Gate: Dangerous Interfaces, “The Murderer,” Simon & Schuster, 1990 Uncharted Worlds: Xeno Encounters, “The Last Vanish,” 13Thirty Books, 2016 Unfortunate Obsession / School for the Unspeakable? Stellar Audio, 1997 Werewolves, “Nick of Time,” DAW, 1995 Writing Horror, “Pushing the Horror Button,” Writer's Digest Books, 1997	1991-2017
Chapbook	1 chapbook Day One, Tor Books	2011
Children's literature	3 children’s titles The Kids of Einstein Elementary: The Titanic Cat, Scholastic Books, 2004 (w/Len Mlodinow) The Kids of Einstein Elementary: The Last Dinosaur, Scholastic Books, 2004 (w/Len Mlodinow) Magic Everywhere, Three Rivers Press, 1999	1999-2004
Comic books	6 comic books Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (4 Part Mini-Series), NOW COMICS, 1989 Fright Night Part II, NOW COMICS, 1988 Open Space No. 3, Marvel Comics, 1990	1991-1998
Cozy mystery series: Cherringham Mysteries (with Neil Richards)	48 Cherringham mysteries The Body in the Woods, 2017 Murder on the Thames, 2013 Mystery at the Manor, 2014 Murder by Moonlight, 2014 Thick as Thieves, 2014 Last Train to London, 2014 The Curse of Mabb's Farm, 2014 The Body in the Lake, 2014 Snowblind, (2014) Playing Dead (2014) A Deadly Confession, 2014 Blade in the Water, 2014 Death on a Summer Night, 2014 A Lesson in Murder, 2015 The Secret of Combe Castle, 2015 A Fatal Fall, 2015 The Last Puzzle, 2015 Final Cut, 2015 The Vanishing Tourist, 2015 Follow the Money, 2015 Ghost of a Chance, 2015 Murder Most Wild, 2015 The Song Never Dies, 2015 Dead in the Water, 2016 A Bad Lie, 2016 A Death in the Family, 2016 Secret Santa, 2016 Death on a Moonlit Night, 2017 A Dinner to Die For, 2018 The Drowned Man, 2018 The Gentleman Vanishes, 2018 Trail of Lies, 2018 Death Trap, 2018 Cliffhanger, 2019 The Secret of Brimley Manor, 2019 Too Many Lies, 2019 Murder Under the Sun, 2020 Killing Time, 2020 Still Dead, 2020 Killer Track, 2021 Cold Case, 2021 No Place to Hide, 2022 In the Frame, 2022 A Score to Settle, 2022 Deadline, 2023 Bad Neighbours, 2023 In Good Faith, 2024	2013-2024
Cozy mystery series: Mydworth Mysteries (with Neil Richards)	16 Mydworth mysteries A Shot in the Dark, 2019 A Little Night Murder, 2019 London Calling!, 2019 Murder Wore a Mask, 2020 Deadly Cargo, 2020 Danger in the Air, 2020 The Wrong Man, 2021 Secrets on the Cote d'Azur, 2021 A Distant Voice, 2021 City Heat, 2021 Fool's Gold, 2022 Murder in the Dark, 2022 A Deadly Match, 2023 Dead of Night, 2023 A Fatal Affair, 2023 The Lost Man, 2024	2019-2024
Fantasy & science fiction	13 fantasy / sci-fi novels Fates Trick, Tor Books, 1988 Revolt on Majipoor, Tor Books, 1987 King Kong: The Island of the Skull, Pocket Books, 2005 Masque (F. Paul Wilson and Matthew J. Costello), Warner Books, 1998 Mirage (F. Paul Wilson and Matthew J. Costello), Warner Warner Books, 1996 Nowhere (Shane Christopher), Berkeley Books, 2007 Rage, Ballantine, 2011 seaQuest DSV: Fire Below, Berkeley Books, 1994 Star Road (Matthew Costello and Rick Hautala), St. Martin's Press, 2014 The Wizard of Tizare, Bantam Books, 1990 Time Warrior: Time of the Fox, Penguin Books, 1990 Time Warrior #2: Hour of the Scorpion, Penguin Books, 1991 Time Warrior #3: Day of the Snake, Penguin Books, 1992	1969-1971
Horror fiction	20 horror novels Beneath Still Waters, (as Matthew J. Costello), Berkeley Books, 1989, re-released in 2007 Child's Play 2, (as Matthew J. Costello), Berkeley Books, 1990 Child's Play 3, (as Matthew J. Costello), Berkeley Books, 1991 Doom 3: Maelstrom, Pocket Books, 2009 Doom 3: Worlds on Fire, Pocket Books, 2008 Darkborn, (as Matthew J. Costello,) Berkeley Books, 1992 Drowned Night, (as Chris Blaine), Berkeley Books, 2005 In Dreams, (as Shane Christopher), Berkeley Books, 2006 Midsummer, Berkeley Books, 1990 Missing Monday, Berkeley Books, 2004 Poltergeist the Legacy: Maelstrom, Ace Books, 2000 Sleep Tight (as Matthew J. Costello). New York: Kensington Pub Corp; Zebra Books, 1987 The 7th Guest: A Novel, (with Craig Shaw Gardner), Prima Books, 1995 Wurm, Berkeley Books, 1991 Garden, Twilight Publishing, 1993 Vacation, St. Martin's Press, 2011 Vacation Limited Edition, Cemetery Dance Publications, 2016 Home, Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2012 Home Limited Edition, Cemetery Dance Publications, 2012 Family, 13Thirty Books, 2017	1987-2017
Nonfiction	5 nonfiction books How to Write Science Fiction, (1st edition) Paragon House, 1992 How to Write Science Fiction, (2nd edition) Marlow & Company, 1995 The Greatest Games of All Time, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1991 The Greatest Puzzles of All Time, (1st edition) Prentice Hall Press, 1988 The Greatest Puzzles of All Time, (2nd edition) Dover Books, 1996	1991-1998
Role-playing and board games	8 RPG and board games Alone Against the Dark – 1985, (new edition 2018) for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu Final Challenge – Mayfair Games, for D&D, 1984 (note – link to wiki page) Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Gamebook: Daredevil Guilt by Association– for TSR and Marvel, 1988 Jonah Hex – for DC Heroes,1986 Lone Wolf and Cub – for Mayfair Games, 1989 (board game) Sniper Adventure Gamebook: KGB Doublecross, 1987 The Stauf Mysteries, 2019 (The 7th Guest board game, publisher Trilobyte) Wheel of Destruction – Batman, for DC Heroes, 1985	1984-2018
Suspense	4 suspense novels Artifact, Tor Books, 2003 (with Kevin J. Anderson, Janet Berliner, and F. Paul Wilson) Homecoming, Berkeley Books, 1992 See How She Runs, Berkeley Books, 1994 Murder on Demand, Blackstone Press, 2024 (with Al Roker)	1992-2024

Video games

Title	Publisher	Release
Bad Boys II (Bad Boys: Miami Takedown)	Empire Interactive	2004
Barbie's Riding Club	Mattel Media	1998
Clifford The Big Red Dog: Reading (with Leonard Mlodinow)	Scholastic	2000
Clue Chronicles: Fatal Illusion	Atari Interactive (formerly Hasbro Interactive)	1999
Cyberchase: Castleblanca Quest	The Learning Company	2003
Cyberchase: Carnival Chaos	The Learning Company	2003
Cyberchase: Online Adventure	PBS	2003
Derelict (with F. Paul Wilson)	Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel)	1996
Disney G Force	Disney Interactive Studios	2009
Disney Universe	Disney Interactive Studios	2011
Disney's Hercules	Disney Interactive	1998
Disney's Math Quest (with F. Paul Wilson)	Disney Interactive (Aladdin (franchise)	1998
Doom 3	id software / Activision	2004
Doom 3: BFG Edition	id software / Activision	2012
Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil	id software / Activision	2005
Double Happy: The Infinite Sadness	Monkeystack	2013
Just Cause (with Neil Richards)	Eidos Interactive	2006
Just Cause 2 (with Neil Richards)	Square Enix	2010
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)	Disney Interactive Studios	2007
Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier (with Neil Richards)	Playstation	2017
Quake Champions	Bethesda Softworks	2017
Rage	Bethesda Softworks	2011
Resident Evil 4 (2023 video game)	Capcom	2023
Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways	Capcom	2023
Shellshock: Nam '67	Eidos Interactive	2004
Starsky & Hutch	Empire Interactive	2003
The 7th Guest	Virgin Interactive Entertainment (formerly Virgin Games)	1993
The 7th Guest VR (based on original story by)	Vertigo Studios and Exkee	2023
The 11th Hour	Virgin Interactive Entertainment (formerly Virgin Games)	1995
The Cartoon History of the Universe	Putnam New Media	1995
The Italian Job	Eidos Interactive	2003
The Walking Dead: No Man's Land	Next Games	2015

Awards

• Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel nominee (1993): Homecoming
• Prometheus Award Best Novel nominee (1999): Masque

External links

• Official website
• Matthew J. Costello at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Matthew Costello at IMDb
• Matthew J. Costello at Library of Congress, with 31 library catalog records
• Matthew J. Costello at Demian's Gamebook Web Page
• Shane Christopher (pseudonym) at LC Authorities, 1 record, and at WorldCat