Mary Keliikoa is the author of the Shamus finalist and multi-award nominated PI Kelly Pruett mystery series, and the Misty Pines mystery series featuring former Portland homicide detective turned small-town sheriff. Her short stories have appeared in Woman's World and in the anthology Peace, Love and Crime.A Pacific NW native, she spent years working around lawyers and admits to being that person who gets excited when called for jury duty. When not in Washington, you can find Mary on the beach in Hawaii. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she's plotting her next murder-novel that is.