An American author of detective fiction, she is famous for her Mary Russell and Kate Martinelli mystery series. Her stand-alone titles include Califia's Daughters and Keeping Watch.
She earned a degree in comparative religion from the University of California, Santa Cruz and went on to study at the Graduate Theological Union.
She received both the
She married Noel Quinton King in 1977; together, they had two children.
Her Mary Russell books feature appearances by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous character, Sherlock Holmes.
