Chris Allen is an Australian thriller writer, based in Sydney, Australia. A former paratrooper, Allen has also served as Security Manager for the international aid agency CARE in Timor Leste; with the Australian Protective Service; and for the NSW Government as Head of Security for the Sydney Opera House and as Sheriff of NSW. His first novel, Defender of the Faith, was published in 2011. In February 2012 Allen entered into contracts for two books with Momentum, the digital-only imprint of publishing house Pan Macmillan Australia.