By Z.J. Czupor
ZJ Czupor‘s On Tour with Dead Writers brings us clues to a mystery author each second Tuesday of the month. Dust off your investigative skills and send your answer to mysteryminutecontest@gmail.com by the 20th of the month.
This author’s second novel, published in 1952, is considered a suspense novel and psychological thriller. It brought her notoriety when it was chosen as the first Edgar winning best mystery novel. This author was also one of the first to write historical descriptions of New Guinea, and in particular about the island following World War II. Furthermore, critics likened her novel to Joseph Conrad’s (1857-1924) Heart of Darkness (1899).
The novel follows a sheltered young woman who travels to the fictional island of Marapai, off the coast of New Guinea, to investigate the suicide of her anthropologist husband. She believes her husband was murdered. There are several suspects including a tribe that practices witchcraft in an area where her husband discovered gold. She ventures deep into the jungle in search of the truth.
She only published nine mystery novels, all set in exotic locations and while she was considered one of the best suspense writers of her era she has unfortunately slipped into near obscurity. American crime writer Dorothy B. Hughes (1904-1993) called her “one of the most important writers of far-off places and their mysterious qualities.”
Who was this famous trailblazing author of mysteries?
Discover the author’s identity by June 20 so you can win a signed copy of Mosaic by Gayle Lynds!
A winner will be chosen from all those who email us at mysteryminutecontest@gmail.com.
Did you guess Helen Reilly last month? Sue in Michigan won The Long March Home by Tosca Lee!
Subscribe to our Newsletter to receive an extra clue at the beginning of each month as well as automatic entry to several more monthly Giveaways and first looks at weekly blogs!
Contest rules:
1. All US addresses are eligible to win.
2. Each month’s prize will be a book written by one of the Rogues and donated by that author.
3. All subscribers who email us with the correct answer before the 20th will be entered in a drawing to win.
Z.J. Czupor’s new murder mystery, When The Fog Rises, is published at zjames.substack.com. He’s also the author of the thriller Cut Right Through Me (also at Substack) and a book of poetry THE BIG WEIRD: Haikus in Times of Pandemic and Chaos. Z.J. is immediate past president of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and is an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He is represented by Terrie Wolf, founder and owner of AKA Literary Management.
I have a feeling I should know this one but I don’t!