Deb Baker (born 1953) is an American

mystery writer Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a reas ...

from the

Upper Peninsula of Michigan The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by t ...

, who has created three

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

series.

Biography

Baker was born in

Escanaba, Michigan Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...

. She lived in the Upper Peninsula until she was 10. Baker lived in

Gladstone, Michigan Gladstone is a city in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. First settled in 1877, Gladstone's original name was Minnewasca. The population was 4,973 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highways 2 and 41 run concurrently t ...

before moving to

De Pere, Wisconsin De Pere ( ) is a city located in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 25,410 according to the 2020 Census. De Pere is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. History At the arrival of the first European, Je ...

where she graduated from

De Pere High School De Pere High School (DPHS) is a public high school located in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in 1870, it serves students in grades 9 through 12. It is the only high school in the Unified School District of De Pere. History Until 1870, schooling f ...

. She earned a degree in English with emphasis on creative writing from the University of Wisconsin and began her writing career. She currently resides in North Lake, Wisconsin. Baker writes American

mystery fiction Mystery is a genre fiction, fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains wiktionary:mysterious, mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually prov ...

, especially in the cozy subgenre. She has written two series under her own name. The Dolls To Die For series features a

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

doll collecting club and member Gretchen Birch, who solves murders with her new age Aunt Nina while sharing a doll restoration business with her mother. Baker is an "avid doll collector herself." Baker also wrote the humorous Yooper mysteries centering on a fictitious town in the Michigan Upper Peninsula where Gertie Johnson, mother of the local sheriff, solves murders the old fashioned way with friends Cora Mae and Kitty. The Yooper series was called a "quirky, very appealing series" by ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

''. Using the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

Hannah Reed, she writes the Queen Bee mystery series about Story Fischer, a Wisconsin beekeeper. Baker’s first novel, ''Murder Passes the Buck'' (2006), was based on her personal experience in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. The colorful characters she created won her the Authorlink International First Novelist Award in the mystery category, then went on to win Best of Show.

Bibliography

As Deb Baker

Gertie Johnson

#''Murder Passes the Buck'' #''Murder Grins and Bears It'' 2007. Llewellyn/Midnight Ink. #''Murder Talks Turkey'' May 2008. 264p. Llewellyn/Midnight Ink, #''Murder Bites the Bullet'' #''Cooking Can Be Murder'' #''Gertie Johnson Boxed Set''

Gretchen Birch Murder Mysteries

#''Dolled Up For Murder'' #''Goodbye Dolly'' #''Dolly Departed'' #''Guise and Dolls (originally published as Ding Dong Dead)'' #''Gretchen Birch Boxed Set'

As Hannah Reed

Queen Bee Mysteries

#''Buzz Off (2010)'' #''Mind Your Own Beeswax (2011)'' #''Plan Bee (2012)'' #''Beeline to Trouble (2012)'' #''Beewitched (2013)''

References

External links

Berkley Prime CrimeDeb Baker Official WebsiteHannah Reed Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Deb 1953 births Living people 21st-century American novelists American mystery writers American women novelists Novelists from Michigan Women mystery writers 21st-century American women writers