Alice Kimberly

What could be cozier than mysteries set in a haunted bookshop? I can't think of a thing. And the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries fall squarely into the cozy column. Alice Kimberly is the pseudonym of a husband-wife writing team ... like Nero Blanc and Robin Paige, two other successful mystery writers who come to mind. The photo at right is Alice Alfonsi* taken while in Rhode Island ghost hunting (touring haunted places, a favorite pastime). The White Rabbit seemed appropriate given that she was named after Alice in Wonderland (by her older sister, Grace, who was four years old at the time!). Readers who are not fond of reading hard-cover books (too cumbersome while reading in bed, too expensive to take to the beach) will appreciate that the haunted bookshop mysteries are issued in mass-market paperback format. That's just one in a long list of reasons, however, to read these book. They're just plain fun ... and possibly the only mystery series (that I can come up with, anyway) set in Rhode Island.

*Alice Alfonsi writes as Alice Kimberly with her husband, Marc Cerasini

Books:

Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

Coffeehouse Mysteries as Cleo Coyle

Author Profile

Alice Kimberly is the pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini, a popular husband-and-wife writing team. Both Alice and Marc were born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, met in New York, and married in Las Vegas. They presently live in New York City, where they work very happily in the same townhouse (sans any ghosts—with the exception of Jack Shepard, of course).

Together and separately they've authored a number of bestselling books. As Alice Kimberly they co-author The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, including The Ghost and Mrs. McClure, The Ghost and the Dead Deb, and The Ghost and the Dead Man’s Library, with more titles under way. As Cleo Coyle they co-author The Coffeehouse Mysteries, including On What Grounds, Through the Grinder, Latte Trouble, and Murder Most Frothy, with more books in the works.

Under their own names, they’ve written two original Pink Panther mysteries, putting the zany Inspector Clouseau back to work on new cases in The Pink Panther Gets Lucky and The Pink Panther’s Just Desserts. Also under their own names, they’ve written 24: The House Special Subcommittee’s Findings at CTU, a fictional work based on the groundbreaking, Emmy Award-winning Fox television show 24.

Separately Ms. Alfonsi, a former newspaper reporter and editor of adult and children’s books, has written dozens of original and media tie-in novels for adults and children, including The New York Times and USA Today bestseller Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox, an original novel based on the offbeat NBC daytime drama Passions. Mr. Cerasini, who has ghostwritten for Tom Clancy, has authored over thirty books for adults and children, including The New York Times bestseller O.J. Simpson: American Hero, American Tragedy, the original novel Wolverine: Weapon X for Marvel Press, and three original thrillers in the 24: Declassified series—Operation Hell Gate, Trojan Horse, and Vanishing Point.

Alice and Marc enjoy cooking, befriending and sheltering homeless cats, brewing and tasting coffees of the world, ghost hunting, and shopping at Costco (no kidding, you should see the Long Island City store). They grew up in blue collar, working class neighborhoods and are thrilled that their dream of writing for a living is finally coming true. (So far, anyway. Otherwise, there’s always that part-time gig at Starbucks.) They can be contacted through their literary agent John Talbot of The Talbot Fortune Agency.

Author website: www.coffeehousemystery.com

Profile and photo courtesy of the author.