Melodie Johnson Howe is an American writer and former actress, born and raised in Los Angeles. From a young age, she had a passion for writing and even composed plays as a child. However, her life took a different turn when she was discovered by Hollywood at the age of twenty-one and began her acting career. She worked in movies alongside notable actors such as Clint Eastwood, Alan Alda, and James Caan for a decade.
In the early 1980s, Howe decided to leave acting to pursue her childhood dream of writing mysteries. Her first novel, "The Mother Shadow," was published in 1989 and featured Claire Conrad and Maggie Hill, who Howe describes as "the female answer to Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin." The novel was nominated for an Edgar Award and was followed by a sequel, "Beauty Dies," in 1994. Howe is also known for her short fiction, and her most recent book, "Shooting Hollywood: The Diana Poole Stories," is a collection of short stories starring a forty-year-old actress trying to make a comeback.
Howe's writing is influenced by her experiences in Hollywood, and her works often feature strong female protagonists and explore themes of power, ambition, and identity. In addition to her novels and short stories, Howe has also written plays and essays, and her work has been widely praised for its insight, wit, and intelligence. She continues to write and publish, and her contributions to the mystery genre have earned her a devoted following and critical acclaim.