DENISE SWANSON

Website URL: www.deniseswanson.com

I’m thrilled to be writing the new Devereaux’s Dime Store series, but I’m just as excite to be continuing the Scumble River series. Although there are similarities in both series—small town setting, quirky family and friends, and murder—there are also some big differences. Whereas Skye is a “good girl”, who has trouble saying no to her mother and wants to help everyone, Devereaux has spent time in the hard-nosed financial investment world and her only family is the grandmother who raised her after her father went to prison and her mother abandoned her.

The Dime Store books offer me a chance to spread my wings and write about some edgier situations, while still keeping my same voice AKA writing style. My goal is to continue to give my readers a satisfying mystery, but add a tiny bit spicier romance and more complicated family relationships. Not to mention, the nostalgia that only an old fashion dime store can truly provide.

It is my hope that Little Shop of Homicide has something for every reader. It's been both challenging and exhilarating to create a new cast of characters who I hope my readers will find as likable and interesting as the Scumble River gang.

Denise lives in Illinois with her husband, classical music composer, David Stybr, and her cool black cat Boomerang.

Scumble River Mysteries:

Book 1, July 2000: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-20055-1
Large Print: Thorndike $27.95 * ISBN 0-7862-3329-X

Book 2, April 2001: Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-20272-4
Large Print: Thorndike $27.95 * ISBN 0-7862-3674-4

Short Story, June 2001: "Not a Monster of a Chance"
in the anthology And the Dying is Easy
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-20329-1

Book 3, April 2002: Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-20548-0
Large Print: Thorndike $29.95 * ISBN 0-7862-4402-X
Also on audio cassettes! Read by Deborah Hazlett
Chivers North America $54.95 * ISBN 0-7927-2553-0

Book 4, April 2003: Murder of a Snake in the Grass
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-20834-X
Large Print: Thorndike $29.95 * ISBN 0-7862-5629-X

Book 5, November 2003: Murder of a Barbie and Ken
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-21072-7
Large Print: Thorndike $29.95 * ISBN 0-7862-6126-9

Book 6, July 2004: Murder of a Pink Elephant
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $5.99 * ISBN 0-451-21210-X
Large Print: Thorndike $28.95 * ISBN 0-7862-6798-4

Novella, February 2005: "Dead Blondes Tell No Tales"
in the anthology Drop-Dead Blonde
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-21444-7

Book 7, July 2005: Murder of a Smart Cookie
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-21584-2
Large Print: Thorndike $28.95 * ISBN 0-7862-7765-3

Book 8, August 2006: Murder of a Real Bad Boy
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-21828-0

Book 9, April 2007: Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * ISBN 0-451-22141-9

Book 10, April 2008: Murder of a Chocolate Cover Cherry
Obsidian (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * 978-0-451-22368-5

Book 11, April 2009: Murder of a Royal Pain
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 * 978-0-451-22658-7
* Large Print ISBN 978-1-60285-486-4

Book 12, April 6, 2010: Murder of a Wedding Belle
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 *
ISBN-13: 9780451229618 : ISBN: 0451229614
Large Print: $33.95 * ISBN-13: 9781602857926 : ISBN: 160285792X

Book 13, March 1, 2011: Murder of a Bookstore Babe
Signet (Penguin Putnam) $6.99 *
ISBN-13: 978-0451232809 : ISBN: 0451232801

Book 14, October, 2011: Murder of a Creped Suzette
Penguin/NAL/Obsidian $7.99 * ISBN-13: 9780451235008
Large Print: $34.95 * ISBN-13: 978-1611733068

"Finger in Every Lie" in the Mayhem in the Midlands Anthology
Hats Off $16.95 * ISBN 1-58736-091-8

Breaking and Entering, compiled by Denise Swanson
A Guide to Finding an Agent, Selling a Manuscript and Other Mysteries of Publishing
A Publication of Sisters in Crime; © 2004 Sisters in Crime