Pete Nelson is the author of 18 fiction and nonfiction books. He has also written for a number of magazines including Playboy, Outside, MS, National Wildlife, and Redbook. 12 of his novels are aimed at young adults; he is a doting father and has a particular interest in writing for this audience. Left for Dead is Nelson’s most popular and critically acclaimed work, winning the 2003 Christopher award, and being named on the American Library Association's 2003 top ten list.

Hunter Scott, a hard-working and intelligent eleven-year student from Pensacola, Florida, decided to investigate the sinking of the USS Indianapolis for his upcoming school history fair project. After struggling to find information in history books on the sinking, Hunter used a naval newspaper to locate survivors, where he learned about the miscarriage of justice which saw Captain McVay scapegoated by the US navy for the deaths of hundreds of men. His history fair project soon became a campaign to restore the good name of Captain Charles B. McVay III.

It was a campaign which brought him into contact with many survivors and which led him to a legal battle in Washington DC. As Hunter’s story gathered more national and international coverage and interest, individuals from around the world sent Hunter more information and testimonies, which allowed Hunter to further strengthen his case.