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Maria DiRico
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Also writing as Ellen Byron
Maria DiRico (the pen name of award-winning author Ellen Byron) was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Queens and Westchester County. She is first-generation Italian-American on her mother’s side. On her father’s side, her grandfather was a low-level Jewish mobster who disappeared in 1933 under mysterious circumstances.
While growing up in Queens, Maria/Ellen's cousins uncles ran the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls. MARDI GRAS MURDER, the fourth book in Ellen Byron's bestselling Cajun Country Mystery series, won the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel. The series has also won multiple Best Humorous Mystery Lefty awards from Left Coast Crime. Fun fact: she worked as cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. Maria/Ellen loves to translate what she learned from Martha into recipes for her books.
Bibliography
Series
Catering Hall Mysteries
This series is for you if you're into...
- Queens catering hall mysteries with big Italian family energy
- Cozy sleuthing steeped in Astoria family drama
- Italian recipes folded into festive whodunits
Little Stacks of Mystery
Best Mystery Books for Summer That Will Keep You Hooked on the Beach
Six irresistible crime thrillers packed with twists and tension for your summer escape.
Midsummer Mysteries for the Longest Day of the Year
Seven gripping titles where the sun stands still and nothing is as it seems.
Mind-Boggling Mysteries By LGBTQ+ Authors
Filled with mystery and suspense, these books deliver unforgettable stories with deeply complex characters.
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