Ellen Byron

Ellen Byron is a highly accomplished author, known for her work in television, magazines, plays, and most notably, books. She is a native New Yorker, but her time at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, sparked her fascination with the state and inspired her successful Cajun Country series.

The Cajun Country series, which includes titles like 'Plantation Shudders' and 'Body on the Bayou,' is a beloved set of cozy mystery novels. The debut book, 'Plantation Shudders,' was nominated for the Lefty, Daphne, and Agatha Awards, and the series has been praised by Publishers Weekly and the Library Journal. Byron's writing is compared to that of notable authors such as Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Dantes, Agatha Christie, Tina Fey, and Louise Penny.

In addition to her success in the mystery genre, Byron is also a bestselling author in the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries and Catering Hall Mysteries series, which she writes under the name Maria DiRico. She has won multiple Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and Best Humorous Mystery Lefty awards from the Left Coast Crime conference. Her latest book, 'Bayou Book Thief,' is also nominated for an Anthony award.

Byron is not only a successful author but also an award-winning playwright and a non-award-winning TV writer, with credits including Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly Odd Parents. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines and considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart. Byron is a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America.