Eliot Pattison b. 1951, is an American author who studied international law. He is known for having authored two series of mystery novels, commonly referred to as the Inspector Shan series and the Bone Rattler series. His first novel, The Skull Mantra, won the Edgar Award in May 2000. The Inspector Shan series revolves around Shan Tao Yun who is an inspector stationed in Beijing.