Patricia Hall

Patricia Hall is a renowned author who uses the pen name of journalist Maureen O'Connor. She was born in 1957 in West Yorkshire, where she was also raised. This region has served as the inspiration for the setting of her acclaimed series featuring reporter Laura Ackroyd and DCI Michael Thackeray. Hall's decision to use a pen name adds an intriguing layer to her identity, keeping her personal life separate from her creative works.

As a journalist, Hall has gained valuable insights and experiences that have contributed to the development of her writing career. Her professional background in journalism has enabled her to create compelling and believable characters, as well as to craft engaging storylines that keep readers invested. Hall's ability to weave intricate narratives while maintaining a strong sense of realism is a testament to her skill and expertise as a writer.

Hall is married and has two grown-up sons. Although she was born and raised in West Yorkshire, she now resides in Oxford. This relocation has not hindered her ability to continue setting her novels in her native region, as she maintains a strong connection to her roots. Hall's personal life, while largely kept private, has undoubtedly influenced her writing, providing her with a rich tapestry of experiences to draw from in the creation of her fictional worlds.
Ackroyd and Thackeray Books
# Title Year
1 Death by Election 1993
2 Dying Fall 1995
3 In the Bleak Midwinter 1995
4 Perils Of The Night 1997
5 The Italian Girl 1998
6 Dead on Arrival 1999
7 Skeleton at the Feast 2000
8 Deep Freeze 2002
9 Death in Dark Waters 2002
10 Dead Reckoning 2003
11 False Witness 2004
12 Sins of the Fathers 2006
13 Death in a Far Country 2007
14 By Death Divided 2008
15 Devil's Game 2009
16 Dust to Dust 2011
Kate O'Donnell Books
# Title Year
1 Dead Beat 2011
2 Death Trap 2012
3 Dressed to Kill 2013
4 Blood Brothers 2014
5 Deep Waters 2017
6 Playing with Fire 2018
7 Cover Up 2019
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Poison Pool 1991
2 The Coldness of Killers 1992
3 Masks of Darkness 2003
Ready-to-Read Level 3
# Title Year
1 Creepy-Crawly Birthday 1991
2 Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch 1991
3 Pinky and Rex Go To Camp 1992
4 Pinky and Rex Get Married 1993
5 Mitchell Is Moving 1996
6 Harriet Tubman and the Freedom Train 2003
7 Amelia Earhart: More Than a Flier 2003
8 Teddy Roosevelt: The People's President 2004
9 The Vampire Bunny 2004
10 Who's Afraid of Granny Wolf? 2004
11 Clara Barton: Spirit of the American Red Cross 2004
12 Davy Crockett: A Life on the Frontier 2004
13 Albert Einstein: Genius of the Twentieth Century 2005
14 Invasion of the Pig Sisters 2006
15 Abigail Adams: First Lady of the American Revolution 2006
16 Max & Mo Go Apple Picking 2007
17 Snack Attack 2008
18 Trucks 2009
19 Sojourner Truth: Path to Glory 2010
20 The Dog That Dug for Dinosaurs 2012
21 Sparky and Tidbit 2015
22 Innings and Outs of Baseball 2015
23 Thrills and Chills of Amusement Parks 2015
24 Rabbid of the Sea 2015
25 Pulling Back the Curtain on Magic! 2015
26 The Explosive Story of Fireworks! 2015
27 Rabbids at the Museum 2015
28 Day at the Fair 2015
29 The Cool Story Behind Snow 2015
30 The Sugary Secrets Behind Candy 2015
31 Zach and Lucy and the Museum of Natural Wonders 2016
32 Zach and Lucy and the Yoga Zoo 2016
33 How Airplanes Get from Here . . . to There! 2016
34 Attack of the Zombie Rabbids 2016
35 Unmasking the Science of Superpowers! 2016
36 Looking Up!: The Science of Stargazing 2017
37 Secret Agents! Sharks! Ghost Armies!: World War II 2017
38 The Founding Fathers Were Spies!: Revolutionary War 2017
39 Heroes Who Risked Everything for Freedom: Civil War 2017
40 Fearless Flyers, Dazzle Painters, and Code Talkers!: World War I 2018
41 You Can't Bring a Sandwich to the Moon . . . and Other Stories about Space!: Space Age 2018
42 Crayola! The Secrets of the Cool Colors and Hot Hues 2018
43 The Harlem Globetrotters Present the Points Behind Basketball 2018
44 Mount Rushmore's Hidden Room and Other Monumental Secrets: Monuments and Landmarks 2018