Edith Maxwell

Edith Maxwell is a prolific and successful American author, best known for her cozy mystery novels. She has written several series under her own name as well as pen names, including the Local Foods Mysteries, Country Store Mysteries, Quaker Midwife Mysteries, and Lauren Rousseau Mysteries. Maxwell's writing is influenced by her upbringing in California and her experiences living in the northeast. She has a strong connection to the land, having owned and operated a small certified-organic farm in Massachusetts, and this connection is reflected in her writing.

Before becoming a full-time novelist, Maxwell worked for decades as a technical writer in the software industry. She also worked as a freelance journalist and editor, contributing essays, features, and medical texts to various publications. Maxwell is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and she is the Vice President of the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime. She is also a blogger, frequently collaborating with other prominent authors in the genre.

Maxwell's short stories have been published in numerous anthologies and magazines, and she has received nominations for several prestigious awards in the mystery genre. She is particularly known for her Quaker Midwife Mysteries, which are set in the 1880s and feature a Quaker midwife as the sleuth. Her novel Charity's Burden, the third book in the series, won the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel in 2019. Maxwell's writing is informed by her background in linguistics and her commitment to social justice. She currently lives in the Boston area with her husband and three cats.