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I write mysteries and romance centered on place, community, and characters who live at the crossroads of identity and belonging.
I’m best known for the Golden Retriever Mysteries, cozy mysteries that pair amateur sleuthing with humor, heart, and very good dogs. Across my work, I often explore found family, second chances, and the bonds—human and canine—that help people find their way forward.
These themes continue in the Smiling Dog Café series, where empathetic dogs guide people in quiet need to a Brooklyn café, and coffee and conversation awaken memories that open the door to change.
I’ve also received awards for the Mahu Mystery series, featuring Kimo Kanapa‘aka, a gay homicide detective with the Honolulu Police Department. Set in contemporary Hawaii, the Mahu books blend classic police-procedural storytelling with Hawaiian culture, LGBTQ+ themes, and a strong sense of place, earning devoted readers for their emotional depth and long-running character arcs.
In addition, I write the Have Body, Will Guard adventure-romance series—high-stakes MM romantic thrillers that combine danger, loyalty, and slow-burn relationships—along with standalone novels and novellas spanning mystery, romance, and suspense.
Beyond fiction, I’m a journalist and reviewer, and a retired professor of English. I regularly speak to writers’ groups and am a member of Mystery Writers of America and Novelists, Inc.
With dozens of novels, novellas, and collections to my name, I continue to write stories that put character first—whether the hero carries a badge, a broken heart, or a leash.
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