Barbara D'Amato

Barbara D'Amato was the 1999-2000 president of Mystery Writers of America. D'Amato is also a past president of Sisters in Crime International. She writes three mystery series, including one starring Chicago freelance investigative reporter Cat Marsala [HARDBALL, HARD TACK, HARD LUCK, HARD WOMEN, HARD CASE, HARD CHRISTMAS, HARD BARGAIN, HARD EVIDENCE, HARD ROAD] and one starring Chicago patrol cops Suze Figueroa and Norm Bennis [KILLER.APP, GOOD COP BAD COP, and HELP ME PLEASE]. D'Amato is a playwright, novelist, and crime researcher. Her research on the Dr. John Branion murder case formed the basis for a segment on "Unsolved Mysteries," and she appeared on the program. Her musical comedies, THE MAGIC MAN and children's musical THE MAGIC OF YOUNG HOUDINI, written with husband Anthony D'Amato, played in Chicago and London. Their Prohibition-era musical comedy RSVP BROADWAY, which played in Chicago in 1980, was named an "event of particular interest" by Chicago magazine. A native of Michigan, she has been a resident of Chicago for many years. D'Amato has been a columnist for the Sisters in Crime newsletter and Mystery Scene Magazine. She has worked as an assistant surgical orderly, carpenter for stage magic illusions, assistant tiger handler, stage manager, researcher for attorneys in criminal cases, and occasionally teaches mystery writing to Chicago police officers. Currently available books: HARDBALL, Scribner, June, 1990, ISBN 0-684-19140-7, $17.95, Worldwide paperback, 1991, ISBN 0-373-26066-0, $3.50. HARD TACK, Scribner, June 1991, ISBN 0-684-19299-3, $17.95. Worldwide paperback, 1992, ISBN 0-373-26097-0, $3.99. HARD LUCK, Scribner, May 1992, ISBN 0-684-19408-2, $20.00 Worldwide paperback, August 1993, ISBN 0-373-26124-1, $3.99. THE DOCTOR, THE MURDER, THE MYSTERY, [Agatha Award and Anthony Award winner] 1992, Noble Press, Chicago. ISBN 1-879360-13-6, $20.95. Berkley paperback ISBN 0-425-15624-9, $6.99. HARD WOMEN, [Nero Wolfe Award nominee] Scribner 1993. Worldwide pb 1994 ISBN 0-373-26150-0. HARD CASE, Scribner, ISBN 0-684-19686-7, $20.00, Sept. 1994. Berkley 1995. HARD CHRISTMAS, [Anthony Award and Macavity Award nominee] Oct. 1995, Scribner ISBN 0-684-19687-5, $20.00. Named a Best-Seller by the Independent Mystery Booksellers. KILLER.app, hardcover, March 1996, Forge, ISBN 0-312-85991-0, $22.95, Forge paperback ISBN 0-812-55391-8, $5.99. HARD BARGAIN, Scribner, Sept. 1997, ISBN 0-684-83353-0, $21.00. GOOD COP, BAD COP, hardcover March 1998, Forge, ISBN 0-312-86562-7, $22.95 [Carl Sandburg Award winner]. HARD EVIDENCE May 1999, Scribner. ISBN 0-684-83354-9 HELP ME PLEASE, ISBN 0-312-865-63-5, [September 1999, Forge]. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY ISBN 0-312-86564-3, $24.95 [Dec.2000, Forge] winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award. HARD ROAD, ISBN 0-7432-0095-0, $23.00, [August 2001, Scribner]. WHITE MALE INFANT, ISBN 0-765-30024-9 [Forge July 2002]. Short stories: "The Lower Wacker Hilton" in CAT CRIMES [Donald I. Fine], and [Fawcett paperback]. "Stop Thief!" in SISTERS IN CRIME 4 [Berkley] included in THE YEAR'S 25 FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES, [Carroll & Graf] and in DETECTIVE DUOS [Muller and Pronzini, Oxford]. "Freedom of the Press" in DANGER IN D.C. [Donald I. Fine] reprinted in Mystery Scene Magazine and in AUGUST IS A GOOD TIME FOR KILLING [Mosiman and Greenberg, Rutledge Hill Press. "If You've Got the Money, Honey, I've Got the Crime, in DEADLY ALLIES 2, [Doubleday]; Partners in Crime, [Signet]. "Soon to Be a Minor Motion Picture" Agatha Nominee. "I Vant to Be Alone" in CELEBRITY VAMPIRES, DAW. "Shelved" in MALICE DOMESTIC V, [Pocket]. "See No Evil" in FIRST CASES, volume 2, [Randisi, ed., Signet]. "Too Violent" in GREAT WRITERS AND KIDS WRITE MYSTERY STORIES with Brian D'Amato [Greenberg, Morgan and Weinberg, Random House]; "Hard Feelings" in CRIMES OF THE HEART, Hart, ed. Berkley Prime Crime, winner of the 1999 Love Is Murder Conference Readers Choice Award for Best Short Story. "Dolley Madison and the Staff of Life" in FIRST LADY MURDERS, Pickard ed., Pocket. "Of Course You Know that Chocolate Is a Vegetable" in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine Nov. 1998, second place winner in EQMM reader's awards. Winner of the 1999 Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards for Best Short Story. Also in Crème de la Crime Carrol & Graf, 2000. "Steak Tartare" from DEATH DINES AT 8:30", Berkeley, May 2001.