Libby Fischer Hellmann

I thought I had read most if not all the mysteries set in Chicago, but somehow I missed Libby Fischer Hellmann until recently. Libby is another of the great writers that’s published by Poisoned Pen Press. Her heroine, Ellie Foreman, is a free-lance video producer – that’s a field Libby knows all about as you can see from her profile (below). Like Ellie, I live in one of Chicago’s northern suburbs – so the North Shore locations (along with the Lake Geneva WI settings in A Shot to Die For) are very familiar. You needn’t be from the Chicago area, however, to enjoy Libby Fischer Hellmann’s books.

Books:

Ellie Foreman Series

• (2005) A Shot to Die For See Review
• (2004) An Image of Death
• (2003) A Picture of Guilt
• (2002) An Eye for Murder

Author Website: www.hellmann.com

Author Profile

According to the Chicago Tribune, "Libby Fischer Hellmann has joined an elite club: Chicago mystery writers who not only inhabit the environment but also give it a unique flavor." The Trib is referring to Libby's award-winning amateur sleuth series featuring Chicago video producer Ellie Foreman.

The series made its debut in 2002 with An Eye For Murder. In an unusual partnership, Eye was simultaneously published by Poisoned Pen Press (hard cover) and Berkley Prime Crime (mass market). Publishers Weekly called it a "masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense." Kirkus Reviews called Ellie "the true stuff of working-mom sleuths." The book was nominated for an Anthony Award for Best First and also won the Readers' Choice award for Best First at the Love is Murder conference.

The second Ellie Foreman novel, A Picture of Guilt, was released July, 2003, also in dual publication. It won the Reader's Choice award for Best Traditional Series at the 2004 Love is Murder conference, and was a finalist in the Benjamin Franklin Awards (mystery-suspense category) given by Publishers Marketing Association for excellence in independent publishing. An Image Of Death, the third book in the series was released in February 2004, also in dual publication. Publishers Weekly calls it "a powerful tale," and the Chicago Sun-Times "recommends it highly, even if you don't live in Illinois." Her fourth novel, A Shot To Die For, was released in September 2005, again in both hard cover and mass market. The Chicago Sun Times raved about it, saying "Hellmann reaches next level with latest mystery novel." It recently won the 2005 Readers Choice Award at the Love is Murder conference.

A transplant from Washington, D.C., Libby has lived in the Chicago area almost thirty years. She is currently National President of Sisters in Crime. When not writing fiction, Libby conducts executive training programs in presentation skills, speech delivery, and media interviews. She also writes video scripts, articles, and speeches.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master in Fine Arts degree in Film Production from New York University. After an eight year stint in television news, including work at PBS and NBC, she spent eight years at Burson-Marsteller, the large public relations firm. She has worked free-lance since 1985.

Libby lives on the North Shore of Chicago with her family and a Beagle, shamelessly named Shiloh. She is represented by BookEnds, LLC.

Author profile and photo from www.hellmann.com, used with permission.