Maddy Hunter is a well-known American author, celebrated for her cozy mystery novels. She has written the Passport to Peril series, which has gained considerable popularity and acclaim. The idea for this series came to Hunter while she was accompanying a friend on a seniors' tour of Switzerland. She was so intrigued by the diverse group of senior tourists that she decided to create a mystery series centered around this concept.
Before becoming a successful cozy mystery writer, Hunter tried her hand at romance novels. However, her publisher did not show interest in publishing her romances. This led Hunter to reconsider her writing career and she decided to venture into the cozy mystery genre instead. The first novel of the Passport to Peril series was published in 2003, marking the beginning of Hunter's successful career as a cozy mystery author.
Hunter admits that her journey to becoming a cozy mystery writer was not an easy one. She faced several challenges and struggled to come up with appropriate characters. She spent several years trying to write a long historical drama, but it turned out to be unfruitful. However, her luck changed when she went on a tour of Switzerland, sponsored by the bank of one of her friends for its club members. The miserable weather conditions and tasteless food in Lucerne provided her with the perfect setting and inspiration for her cozy mystery series.