Mel Harrison is a world traveler and, fortunately for readers, so is Alex Boyd.

Amid the twists and turns of each installment of the "An Alex Boyd Thriller" series, one is taken on a trip through Egypt, England and Italy, among other stops abroad. 

It only adds to the entertainment level as Boyd and partner Rachel Smith are plunged into perplexing, page-turning, life-or-death assignments as special agents.

If a reader is new to this six-book series, it's OK to start with the New Orleans-set "Crescent City Carnage," according to Harrison.

"I deliberately wrote the series so that each book can stand alone. Having each book set in a different country helps this approach," the author said. "However, if a reader wants to see the growth of Alex and Rachel, both as individuals as well as in their relationship, then they should start at the beginning, 'Death in Pakistan,' and then move forward."

We caught up with the author to see what else he had to say about his books and his life.

This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.

Are you a native of New Orleans, or have you lived there at some point?

I am not a native of New Orleans, but my wife is. She was raised in Mid-City and went to Tulane. I first visited New Orleans in 1975 while still in the Foreign Service and immediately loved the city's architecture, food and the sense of history that the residents felt. Over the years, we have lived in the French Quarter, the Garden District and in Covington.

Your books' main characters, Alex and Rachel, seem patterned after you and your wife. Did that make character development easier or more difficult?

Alex Boyd, my protagonist, is patterned after my own career as a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service. In the books, he is assigned to the same places where I served. Naturally, I embellished the storylines and dangers that he faces to create exciting scenes for my readers. This made character development relatively easy, although I must say that Alex is tougher than me and speaks more languages than I do.

As for Rachel Smith, his wife, she is a fictional creation.

My own wife is not nearly as tall as Rachel, nor does she have martial arts skills. She is, however, as smart and beautiful as Rachel. Because Rachel is fictional, I had to create what the readers might like in a female character who is brilliant and athletic — and has a personality that can dominate most people.

Can you elaborate on what led to your receiving two high governmental honors?

In separate years, I received both the State Department's Award for Valor and the worldwide Security Officer of the Year while serving in a three-year assignment in Islamabad, Pakistan. The assignment was very dangerous for all Americans in the U.S. Embassy. The threat of terrorism and mob violence was high.

As for the Award for Valor, while serving as the senior regional security officer at the embassy in Islamabad, 8,000 rioters attacked the American Cultural Center. I and a few other embassy staff were present in the center during the multi-hour attack. We fought off the rioters, who had broken all of the building's windows, tried unsuccessfully to force their way into the center, and set fire to the embassy motor-pool cars outside.

As for the Security Officer of the Year award, that was for sustained performance over the prior year operating in an environment of terrorist threats, actual bombings and violent demonstrations.

Walk us through your choice of New Orleans as the setting at this point in the series.

I always set my books in places that I know well. Having lived in New Orleans several times, I felt the city offered a variety of things that could make an excellent setting for a thriller.

The city's culture and history are unique in America, as can be seen through the voices of its residents. The level of violence in certain areas and at certain times can be significant and adds danger to the story. The food is unparalleled and its architecture is a feast for the eyes.

Also, one of my goals in writing the series was to expose readers to the real world of the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, a service that is represented around the world in about 250 locations. But it also has domestic field offices across America handling criminal investigations and VIP protection.

What were some of the essential things you had to get correct when setting your story in the Big Easy?

When I first conceptualized writing "Crescent City Carnage," set in the Big Easy, I knew I wanted the murdered victim to be a Foreign Service officer of African American Creole descent.

Yet, I knew little of the Creole heritage and culture.

I spent hours talking to a few lifelong residents of New Orleans and many more hours researching information. Of course, I had lived in New Orleans several times, so I also drew upon personal knowledge as well. For other essential things, like restaurants, streets and locations, I double-checked what I had remembered, and then triple-checked them during my last vacation to the city.

When did you first become interested in writing?

I have always been an avid reader of action-adventure books, commonly called thrillers. Toward the end of my 28-year career, I became interested in writing a series based upon adventures that I had experienced. Where I live now, there are several creative writing clubs, so turning my ideas into action-packed novels was a no-brainer.

Where do you see Alex Boyd going from here?

In my six-book series, Alex Boyd has increased his responsibilities and gained senior rank. Eventually, I will have to place him at the pinnacle of the Diplomatic Security Service. But before that happens, I will have him facing different and more dangerous threats overseas.

Meanwhile, Rachel Smith, his wife, is approaching ambassadorial rank, having moved on from being a senior press and political officer. This is a real-world conundrum in the Foreign Service when a working couple are both skilled and are outstanding officers.

You have traveled to so many places — where do you still want to go?

My wife and I have visited about 120 countries and lived/worked for several years each in six of them, plus one of us has worked in another 20 countries for many months at a time. In the future, my wife will prefer to explore new places we have not yet visited, while I prefer to return to our old haunts in Italy, France and the UK.

Who are the authors you follow or who inspire you?

I learned my craft from reading authors who write great thrillers such as James Patterson, David Baldacci, Nelson DeMille and Harlan Coben. But there are so many others who I also read, such as Stieg Larsson, Robert Parker, Lee Child and Vince Flynn.

I also gain inspiration from Ernest Hemingway, John le Carré, and in early times, from Agatha Christie, Alastair McLean and Ian Fleming. It is impossible to list all who have influenced what I write.