Scott James (writer)

Scott James (born 1962) is a veteran journalist and bestselling author. His reporting has often appeared in The New York Times, and he is the recipient of three Emmy awards for his work in television news.

His most recent book is Trial by Fire: A Devastating Tragedy, 100 Lives Lost, and a 15-Year Search for Truth (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, October 27, 2020). In a blend of narrative nonfiction and investigative reporting, the book tells the story of the 2003 Station nightclub fire, when the rock band Great White lit off fireworks inside a small club, igniting an inferno that killed 100 people. The disaster is the deadliest rock concert in United States history, and America’s deadliest single building fire following the nationwide adoption of improved fire prevention standards in the aftermath of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire that killed 165 people in 1977.

In the book, several of the tragedy's key figures were interviewed about the fire for the first time, including the nightclub’s owners, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, who were convicted in the 100 deaths.