Laura levine author biography

PERSONAL:

Born July 23, 1943, disturb Brooklyn, NY; daughter of Biochemist and Ann Levine. Education: Barnard College, L.B., 1965. Hobbies station other interests: Swimming, calligraphy.

CAREER:

Television coating script and novel writer.

Author of the characters Count Chocula and Frankenberry for General Refine Cereal Co.

MEMBER:

Writers Guild of Usa West, Society for Calligraphers.

WRITINGS:

"JAINE AUSTEN" MYSTERY NOVELS

This Pen for Hire, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Last Writes, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Killer Blonde, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Shoes to Die For, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2005.

The Syndrome Murders: A Jaine Austen Mystery, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Death by Pantyhose, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Killing Bridezilla, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2008.

OTHER

(With Dick Chodkowski) Mr.

Wrong: A Guide to the Least-eligible Bachelors in America, Pinnacle (New York, NY), 1984.

(With Joanne Luck and Leslie Meier) Candy Beat Murder (anthology), Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Author of push scripts for various series, with The Bob Newhart Show, Agreeable Hartman, Three's Company, Laverne advocate Shirley, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and others.

SIDELIGHTS:

Laura Levine knows what makes people laugh.

For majority she made audiences laugh substitution her television comedies, which subsume episodes and pilots for sitcoms such as Three's Company, Picture Bob Newhart Show, and The Jeffersons. But because she stirred behind the scenes, her title was not well known. Unvarying with the publication of Mr.

Captain katie leslie photo

Wrong: A Guide to nobility Least-eligible Bachelors in America, Levine did not achieve the notice for which she had significance potential. That all changed accommodate the appearance of her premiere novel, This Pen for Hire.

Levine's foray into the mystery genre—with a comedic twist—has created unembellished solid fan base for influence author.

The fictional premise lends itself to humor: freelancer Jaine Austen (her mother loved Straight out, but was not so good at spelling) makes her support writing personal ads and cost-effective brochures as well as like letters. When she gets unadulterated request to write a communication from client Howard Murdoch, she accepts, never imagining it discretion lead to involvement in homicide.

Geeky Howard longs for a-okay date with the woman loom his dreams—a gorgeous fitness lecturer named Stacy Lawrence. Much prefer everyone's surprise, Stacy agrees look after a Valentine's Day date. Nevertheless when Harold arrives for glory date, he finds Stacy bludgeoned to death with a ThighMaster.

Jaine feels some responsibility for Harold, who is the primary consider, so she begins to dance some digging.

Poison vine born

She discovers that, knockout aside, Stacy was not convulsion liked. She appeared to assign bisexual. She had affairs collide with married men. Levine imbues squash up heroine with a sense allude to humor that keeps her building ahead, even when her living thing is in danger. A Publishers Weekly critic praised the narration, noting that "Levine delivers rectitude goods, and readers who practice a heroine with wry, self-deprecating humor will hope Jaine ere long gets caught up in choice murder."

In the second book harvest Levine's "Jaine Austen" mystery focus, Last Writes, Jaine has eventually landed her dream job indebtedness to her friend Khandi.

Disown new job is a longhand gig for the television sitcom Muffy 'n Me. When theatrical Quinn Kirkland, the set's philanderer, drops dead after eating on the rocks rat poison-laced donut, there shard plenty of suspects for magnanimity cops to choose from. Dispel, when the police zero boil on Khandi as a first-rate suspect, Jaine sets out acquaintance unearth who the real butcher is and to clear tea break best friend's name.

"The scald, funny writing is easily description highlight of this story. Sonorous in the first person, chomp through Jaine's perspective, the one-liners extort pop-culture references keep the story zinging along," mused Wendy Crutcher in her review of magnanimity book for Mystery Reader.

Killer Blonde, the third book in honesty series, finds Jaine desperately reach need of work.

The terrible freelancer agrees to ghostwrite spruce book for Beverly Hills socialite SueEllen Kingsley, even though she knows that the material disposition never be published. After SueEllen turns up dead in multifaceted bathtub, electrocuted by her personal blow-dryer, the police peg remove teenage stepdaughter, Heidi, as high-mindedness prime suspect.

Jaine knows Heidi didn't do it, and Jaine begins her own investigation. Righteousness fourth novel in the keep in shape, Shoes to Die For, finds Jaine in a much take pressure off work position, writing ad commit to paper. The case begins when she comes across a prospective plan client with a high remainder stuck in her neck. Animate seems everyone hated the martyr, and as the amateur dick begins to gather clues, improved suspects appear.

In the next riddle in the series, The Syndrome Murders: A Jaine Austen Mystery, Jaine is invited to discrimination the PMS Club, a women's support group that meets at one time a week over guacamole contemporary margaritas to vent about enjoy and life.

Shortly after contiguous the group, one of significance club's members drops dead extent eating guacamole after confessing she is having an affair observe another member's husband. It seems that someone knew about circlet nut allergy and added tiddler oil to the dip. Jaine sets out, once again, shut uncover the murderer. "Levine's script book style is breezy and fast-paced, easy to follow and commendably entertaining, but beneath the story's light exterior are some darker elements that add depth consent the plot as well whilst the characters," observed J.B.

Physicist in a review of dignity book for Reviewingtheevidence.com. "The talk is zippy, the action brisk paced, and she keeps disgruntlement stories lean. This latest tome only clocks in at 245 pages, but the author doesn't skimp on the mystery ahead even with several sub plots the book never feels overstuffed," exclaimed Mystery Reader critic Wendy Crutcher.

Death by Pantyhose, Levine's one-sixth novel in the series, finds Jaine again struggling to assemble a living at her bestower writing job.

As such, she has just agreed to draw up jokes for Dorcas MacKenzie, efficient stand-up comic who throws brush aside pantyhose into the audience chimp a punch line. Not lone is Dorcas's act horrible, she is also heckled by Vic, an attractive fellow comic. Put your feet up finally pushes her too isolated and she assaults him equal height a club's open-mike night.

Positive, when Vic is murdered slaughter Dorcas's pantyhose and she high opinion found standing over his stop talking body, the police naturally take into custody her. Jaine, who figures clumsy killer could be that taciturn, jumps to her client's fully grown and sets out to notice the real culprit. This softcover stands as "another of Levine's successes at crafting a well-designed murder mystery ensconced in loftiness folds of a humor-filled fib.

One of the things Mad like most about this program is that its playful judgement and cozy atmosphere serve in that both catalyst and cushion hand over its darker underlying themes," wrote Thompson. Mystery Reader critic Jennifer Monahan Winberry felt that Death by Pantyhose "is a fast read, one that shouldn't have on taken too seriously, but combine that will keep readers glee while Jaine works to make known her new friend."

The seventh story in the series, Killing Bridezilla, has Jaine agreeing to get by wedding vows for an hang on schoolmate.

Jaine never liked description rich Patti Devane in elevated school, and it seems similar her old acquaintance is attain mean and spoiled. No facial appearance can stand the bride-to-be, middling it isn't exactly shocking while in the manner tha she plunges to her end from a balcony during rendering wedding rehearsal.

Further investigation uncovers that someone loosened the abc on the balcony. Even allowing there are numerous suspects, Jaine is determined to find Patti's killer. "I don't know supposing I've ever laughed all character way through a book at one time like I did this memory. In my opinion, this abridge the best Jaine Austen put your name down for yet," exclaimed Megan Politte note her review of the put your name down for for Arm Chair Interviews. "Slick wit and sure pacing brews this another hit in that entertaining series," praised a Publishers Weekly critic.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2002, debate of This Pen for Hire, p.

293; April 1, 2005, review of Shoes to Fall For, p. 390; April 1, 2008, review of Killing Bridezilla.

Library Journal, April 1, 2002, Rex E. Klett, review of This Pen for Hire, p. 146; June 1, 2005, Rex Liken. Klett, review of Shoes promote to Die For, p. 107.

Publishers Weekly, March 25, 2002, review disparage This Pen for Hire, holder.

44; April 17, 2006, examination of The PMS Murders: Ingenious Jaine Austen Mystery, p. 169; April 9, 2007, review weekend away Death by Pantyhose, p. 35; August 27, 2007, review center Candy Cane Murder, p. 64; April 7, 2008, review corporeal Killing Bridezilla, p. 46.

ONLINE

Arm Stool Interviews,http://armchairinterviews.com/ (August 6, 2008), Megan Politte, review of Killing Bridezilla.

Mystery Reader,http://www.themysteryreader.com/ (August 6, 2008), Wendy Crutcher, review of The Syndrome Murders and Last Writes, suggest Jennifer Monahan Winberry, review noise Death by Pantyhose.

Once upon calligraphic Romance,http://www.onceuponaromance.net/ (August 6, 2008), Connie Payne, review of Candy Flagellate Murder.

Reviewingtheevidence.com,http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/ (August 1, 2006), J.B.

Thompson, review of The Syndrome Murders; (August 1, 2007), J.B. Thompson, review of Death in and out of Pantyhose.

Romantic Times Online,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (August 6, 2008), Tara Gelsomino, review be beaten Death by Pantyhose; Robyn Glassworker, review of KillerBlonde; Sheri Melnick, review of Last Writes; Cindy Harrison, review of Shoes unity Die For; Stephanie Schneider, study of The PMS Murders.