Jeri Westerson worked in a bevy of careers prior to setting her sights on becoming a novelist. Would-be actress, graphic artist, theology teacher, tasting host and tour guide for a winery, and newspaper reporter were among them. She wanted to create her own brand of medieval mystery, and combined the concept of medieval mystery with hard-boiled detective fiction into what she calls "Medieval Noir." Her novel Veil of Lies, garnered nominations for the Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel, the first medieval mystery to be so honored. She has lectured around the country about the Middle Ages, demonstrating her cache of medieval weaponry, and is vice president for the southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a member of Private Eye Writers of America and the Historical Novel Society. She is married to a commercial photographer, has a screenwriter son, and herds two cats, a tortoise, and the occasional tarantula at her home in southern California.
