Barbara D'Amato

Barbara D'Amato is a renowned American author, researcher, and playwright, who is best known for her mystery novels. She has written several successful series, including the Cat Marsala Mystery series, the Figueroa and Bennis series, and the Dr. Gerritt Degraaf Mystery series. D'Amato's work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the first annual Mary Higgins Clark Award, the 1998 Carl Sandburg Award for Excellence in Fiction, and the 1999 Readers Choice Award for Best Police Procedural.

Before turning to writing full-time, D'Amato worked in a variety of occupations, including as a researcher for attorneys in criminal cases, stage manager, tiger handler, carpenter, assistant surgical orderly, and trainer with the Chicago PD. She has said that writing is one of the best jobs she has ever had, as it allows her to ask police questions that she would not be able to ask otherwise. D'Amato has also served as the president of the Mystery Writers of America and the Sisters in Crime International Presidency.

In addition to her work as a novelist, D'Amato is also a playwright and crime researcher. Her research on the Dr. John Branion murder case was the inspiration for a segment on the television show "Unsolved Mysteries," and she has appeared on the program. D'Amato has also written several musical comedies with her husband, Anthony D'Amato. She was born in Michigan and currently resides in Chicago, where she writes for Mystery magazine and the Sisters in Crime newsletter.