Embedded Files
Mystery Author
women sleuths
amateur detectives
soft-boiled private eyes
Coming soon from Kensington Publishing:
The Blackwood Exceptional Teas Mysteries
Set in 1925 Devon and London, this historical mystery series follows Thea Blackwood — a determined young woman stepping into her family’s storied tea business. But beneath the fragrant blends and genteel traditions, Thea discovers a world steeped in secrets, betrayals, espionage, ruthless competition — and murder.
New and Selected Works
The Knife Sharpener
"The Knife Sharpener" (AHMM July 2023), a crime story set during the Battle of Gettysburg, is included in this prestigious annual anthology. The story is inspired by the battlefield experiences of fifteen-year old Tillie Pierce, pictured here, whose family sent her to what they believed would be safety at a farm outside of town. . . at the foot of Little Round Top, a key battle of the second day.
The Marian Warner Mystery Series
No Mistaking Death
On assignment from the government, Marian Warner heads to a small town in Ohio to investigate the hostilities erupting when an old mission house is nominated for landmark status. Soon the battle goes from nasty letters to a double murder, and Marian discovers this small-town crime strips away the defenses it's taken her years to erect -- and those of someone she loves. Available at the usual online retailers
"Shelley Costa delivers a sharp, elegant and thoroughly gripping mystery — beautifully plotted and packed with vivid characters. No Mistaking Death will grab you from page one."
-- Daniel Stashower, Edgar award-winning author
The Damages
Marian's back, only this time, when she returns to Carthage to investigate a missing person case, she finds herself dropped into the high-stakes world of medical malpractice litigation. When the crime becomes murder, Marian's hunt for the killer leads not only to some surprising truths but also to the loss of friends, her own comfort zone -- and very nearly her life. When will the killer stop? And when will Marian? An exciting sequel to No Mistaking Death.
". . .a complex tale with a lot of twists and turns, . . .it ramps up to an arresting climax and powerful ending."
--Seattle Book Mama
Bio
Shelley at the family cottage in northern Ontario
Shelley Costa’s work has been nominated for both the Edgar and Agatha Awards and has received a Special Mention for the Pushcart Prize. Shelley holds a PhD in English from Case Western Reserve University, where she wrote her dissertation on suspense, and she went on to teach fiction writing at the Cleveland Institute of Art for many years. When she isn't plotting murder, she swims laps, studies Art History, and enjoys time with friends and family.
Complete List of Publications
The Best Mystery Stories of 2024 (The Mysterious Press, 2024, hardcover and trade paperback), "The Knife Sharpener" (reprint)
The Damages (Level Best Books, 2024, trade paperback)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (July 2023), “The Knife Sharpener” (fiction)
Nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Short Story
No Mistaking Death (Level Best Books, 2023, trade paperback)
Evil Under the Tuscan Sun (Penguin Random House, 2022, mass market paperback)
Crime of the Ancient Marinara (Penguin Random House, 2021, mass market paperback)
Al Dente’s Inferno (Penguin Random House, 2020, mass market paperback)
Odd Partners, Anne Perry, ed. (Ballantine, 2019, hardcover and paperback), “Glock, Paper, Scissors” (fiction)
A Killer’s Guide to Good Works (Henery Press, 2016, hardcover and trade paperback)
Practical Sins for Cold Climates (Henery Press, 2016, hardcover and trade paperback)
Basil Instinct (Simon & Schuster, 2014, mass market paperback and large print edition)
You Cannoli Die Once (Simon & Schuster, 2013, mass market paperback and large print edition)
Nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel 2014
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: 13 Tales of New American Gothic (2011, digital), “As the Screw Turns” (reprint)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (April 2010), “As the Screw Turns” (fiction)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (November 2011), “The Burning Grounds” (fiction)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (November 2012), “Strangle Vine” (fiction)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (June 2014), “The Specific Gravity of Blood in Sunlight” (fiction)
O Livro Completo de Edgar Allan Poe (Madras Editora Ltda, 2008)
The Everything Guide to Edgar Allan Poe (Adams Media, 2007)
Crimewave (UK), Fall 2006, “Blue Morpho” (fiction)
The Georgia Review, Fall 2004, “From the Personal Record Collection of Beniamino Gigli” (fiction)
Special Mention, 2006 Pushcart Prize
The World’s Finest Mystery and Crime Stories, Ed Gorman, ed. (Forge, 2004), “Black Heart and Cabin Girl” (reprint)
Blood on Their Hands, Lawrence Block, ed. (Berkley, 2003, hardcover and paperback), “Black Heart and Cabin Girl” (fiction)
Nominated for an Edgar® Award for Best Short Story 2004
Crimewave (UK), Spring 2002, “The Generator” (fiction)
The Georgia Review, Fall 2001, “Getting the Story” (fiction)
Crimewave (UK), Spring 2001, “Face Value” (fiction)
The Georgia Review, Winter 2000, “The Chief Creatures of God” (fiction)
Crimewave (UK), Fall 2000, “Double Fault” (fiction)
The North American Review, March 1987, “The Passion of Marisol” (fiction)
The North American Review, June 1980, “A Woman of Quality” (fiction)
Cleveland Magazine, December 1978, “The Great Wings Beating Still” (fiction contest winner)
Contact
Shelley Costa
Represented by
Gail Fortune
Talbot Fortune Agency
980 Broadway, Suite 664
Thornwood, NY 10594
Tel. 914-747-1211
shelleycostabooks@gmail.com
photos of Shelley by Rebecca Bloomfield Photography
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