Hilley began writing at night while practicing law as a criminal defense attorney. After completing two unpublished manuscripts, he quit the practice of law to concentrate on writing full-time. His first book, Sober Justice (David C. Cook), a legal thriller, was published in 2004.[6] Four more books followed. The novels, which feature a down-and-out attorney named Mike Connolly, became popular in the Southeast, especially along the Gulf Coast where the stories are set.
Hilley continued to expand his work with non-fiction and in 2011 co-authored The Walk. Part memoir, part instruction, the book was co-written with former NFL running back Shaun Alexander. In 2012, he assisted Edythe Scott Bagley, sister of Coretta Scott King, in writing Desert Rose: The Life and Legacy of Coretta Scott King, a memoir of the sisters and their involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.[9]
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hilley spent a year of isolation delving into number theory. The result of that effort was summarized in Observations Regarding Non-Prime Odd Numbers, released in 2021 by Dunlavy Gray.
Nevertheless, the primary focus of his career has remained with fiction. Beginning in 2017, his original novels, the Mike Connolly mystery series, were reissued in print and as eBooks. During that same time, he released two works of general fiction (What the Red Moon Knows and The Art Dealer's Wife) and a collection of short stories (The Legend of Dell Briggers).
Published works
Mike Connolly Mysteries
Sober Justice (2004, reissued 2017)
Double Take (2005, reissued 2019)
Electric Beach (2006, reissued 2021)
Night Rain (2007, reissued 2021)
The Deposition (2007, reissued 2021)
Sunset Motel (2022)
General fiction
What The Red Moon Knows (2018)
The Art Dealer's Wife (2020)
Short stories
Edgar's List, included in the 2006 anthology Heartwarming Christmas Stories
The Legend of Dell Briggers - A Novella and Two Short Stories, (2020)
Other People, Other Places - A Collection of Short Fiction, (2021)
