Retired and became an appraiser, high school teacher, and novelist. Two
of his early novels were twice recipients of the Samuel Goldwyn Creative
Writing Awards. Another of his books was filmed as That Cold Day in the Park (1969).
He was born in Tokyo, Japan, the son of Eleanor Alfrida (Child) and Robert Henri Perreau-Saussine. His father was French, and his mother was born in Rhode Island, to English parents. Peter was raised in Los Angeles.