Holly West

Holly West

ABOUT

Holly West (she/her) is the acclaimed author of the Mistress of Fortune series, set in late 17th century London and featuring amateur sleuth Isabel Wilde, a mistress to King Charles II who secretly makes her living as a fortuneteller. The first in the series, Mistress of Fortune, was nominated for the Left Coast Crime Rosebud Award for Best First Novel.

Holly’s short stories appear online and in numerous anthologies, including The Big Book of Jack the Ripper, Florida Happens, and, most recently, The Eviction of Hope. Her short fiction has been honored with Anthony Award nominations three times, and her novella, The Money Block, about a pair of grifters who set up a cryptocurrency con, is out now from Down & Out Books.

Holly edited Murder-A-Go-Go’s, an Anthony Award-nominated crime fiction anthology inspired by the music of The Go-Go’s. Net proceeds from the collection benefit Planned Parenthood of America. More recently, she edited Killin’ Time in San Diego, the 2023 Bouchercon anthology.

Before devoting herself to writing fiction full-time, Holly was an accomplished goldsmith and jewelry designer. Prior to that, she worked as a foreign credentials analyst and published several nonfiction monographs on international educational systems throughout the world.

Holly lives in Northern California with her husband, Mick, and dogs, Stella and Brando. She’s a member of the Mystery Writers of America, for which she edits the Southern California chapter’s newsletter. She’s also a member of Sisters in Crime and was formerly on the Local Organizing Committee of Bouchercon 2020 Sacramento, where she served as registrar and website manager.

SHORT BIO (80 WORDS)

Holly West (she/her) is the author of the Mistress of Fortune historical mystery series. She’s written numerous short stories and edited the Anthony Award-nominated anthology, Murder-A-Go-Go’s: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of the Go-Go’s. Her novella, The Money Block, is available now from Down & Out Books. Most recently, she edited Killin’ Time in San Diego, the 2023 Bouchercon anthology. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two spoiled dogs. More at hollywest.com.

SUPER SHORT BIO (50 WORDS)

Holly West (she/her) is the author of the Mistress of Fortune historical mystery series. She also edited Murder-A-Go-Go’s: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of the Go-Go’s and Killin’ Time in San Diego, the 2023 Bouchercon anthology. Her novella, The Money Block, is available now from Down & Out Books.