Jane K. Cleland is a contemporary American author of

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 ...

. She is the author of the Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries, a traditional mystery series set in

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

and featuring antiques appraiser Josie Prescott, as well as books and articles about the craft of writing. Cleland has been nominated for and has won numerous awards for her writing.

Early years

Jane K. Cleland was born in Boston and reared in

Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...

, graduating from Newton High School. She then attended the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...

, graduating with a B.A. in English and Theatre. She obtained an M.B.A in Marketing and Management from

Babson College Babson College is a private business school in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Established in 1919, its central focus is on entrepreneurship education. It was founded by Roger W. Babson as an all-male business institute, but became coeducational i ...

, and an M.F.A. in Playwriting and Speechwriting from

Western Connecticut State University Western Connecticut State University (WCSU and WestConn) is a public university in Danbury, Connecticut. It was founded in 1903 as a teacher's college and is part of the Connecticut State University System. WCSU consists of four schools: the Anc ...

Works

Josie Prescott novels

* ''Consigned to Death'' (2006). This, the first Josie Prescott book, was an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association bestseller and was nominated for the Agatha,

Macavity Macavity the Mystery Cat, also called the Hidden Paw, is a fictional character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 poetry book ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats''. He also appears in the Andrew Lloyd Webber 1981 musical ''Cats'', which is based on Elio ...

, and David Awards for Best First Novel. A Reader’s Digest Book Club selection. Selected by the

New Hampshire State Library The New Hampshire State Library is a library in Concord, New Hampshire, and also a state agency, overseen since 2017 by the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). The physical building is located across the street from ...

as a Book of the Week. Translated into Russian and Hungarian. Editions published in the UK and in large print. Selected by ''Library Journal'' as a "core title" for librarians seeking to build a cozy collection. * ''Deadly Appraisal'' (2007), won the David Award for Best Novel of 2008. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Antiques to Die For'' (2008), nominated for the David Award for Best Novel of 2009. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Killer Keepsakes'' (2009). Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Silent Auction'' (2010), a Harlequin Book Club selection and nominated for the David Award for Best Novel of 2010. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Deadly Threads'' (2011), a Harlequin Book Club selection. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Dolled Up for Murder'' (2012), a Harlequin Book Club selection and winner of the David Award for Best Novel of 2013. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Lethal Treasure'' (2013), a Harlequin Book Club selection and nominated for the David Award for Best Novel of 2014. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Blood Rubies'' (2014), a Harlequin Book Club selection and nominated for the David Award for Best Novel of 2015. Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Ornaments of Death'' (2015), a LibraryReads pick (January, 2016). Editions published in the UK and in large print.

Shelf Awareness Shelf Awareness is an American publishing company that produces two electronic publications/newsletters focused on bookselling, books and book reviews. Overview With offices in Seattle, Washington, and Montclair, New Jersey, ''Shelf Awareness' ...

Starred Review (December 22, 2015). Nominated for the David Award for Best Novel of 2016. * ''Glow of Death'' (2016). Editions published in the UK and in large print. * ''Antique Blues'' (2018). Starred review from Library Journal. Editions published in the UK and in large print. *''Hidden Treasure'' (2020). *''Jane Austen's Lost Letters'' (2021).

Short stories

* "Killing Time" - ''

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine ''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television. History ''AHMM'' ...

'', November, 2008. A Josie Prescott Antiques mystery story. Nominated for

Agatha Award The Agatha Awards, named for Agatha Christie, are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write in the traditional mystery subgenre: "books typified by the works of Agatha Christie . . . loosely defined as mysteries that contain no expli ...

s and

Anthony Awards The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Among the m ...

for Best Short Story, 2008; also named one of the Best Short Stories of 2008 by critic and scholar, Michael E. Grost. * "Designed To Kill" - ''Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine'', June 2009. A Josie Prescott Antiques mystery story. * "Last Supper", ''

'', June 2012. Features Laney, a 12-year-old orphan. * "Booked for Murder", ''

'', January 2015. A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery story. * "Night Flight to Bali", ''

'', September 2017. Features a woman who will do anything for love.

Non-fiction books

* ''Business Writing for Results'',

McGraw Hill McGraw Hill is an American educational publishing company and one of the "big three" educational publishers that publishes educational content, software, and services for pre-K through postgraduate education. The company also publishes referenc ...

* ''Putting First What Matters Most'' NAL/Penguin Putnam * ''Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot'',

Writer’s Digest Books ''Writer's Digest'' is an American magazine aimed at beginning and established writers. It contains interviews, market listings, calls for manuscripts, and how-to articles. History ''Writer's Digest'' was first published in December 1920 under ...

, 2016. Winner of

and 2017

Macavity Award The Macavity Awards are a literary award for mystery writers. Nominated and voted upon annually by the members of the Mystery Readers International, the award is named for the " mystery cat" of T. S. Eliot's ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' ...

Finalist for Best Nonfiction * ''Mastering Plot Twists'',

, 2018. Winner of

and nominated for 2019

for Best Nonfiction or Critical Work.

Affiliations

Cleland served as a director of the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

and served a two-year term as president of the group's New York chapter. She has chaired the Literary Awards Committee of

The Wolfe Pack The Wolfe Pack is a literary society devoted to Rex Stout's character Nero Wolfe. History As publicity for William S. Baring-Gould's book ''Nero Wolfe of West 35th Street'', Viking Press ran a "Mammoth New Nero Wolfe Contest" in ''The New York T ...

, an association of fans of the

Nero Wolfe Nero Wolfe is a brilliant, obese and eccentric fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe was born in Montenegro and keeps his past murky. He lives in a luxurious brownstone on West 35th Street in Ne ...

novels by

Rex Stout Rex Todhunter Stout (; December 1, 1886 – October 27, 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and ...

which confers the annual

Nero Award The Nero Award is a literary award for excellence in the mystery genre presented by The Wolfe Pack, a society founded in 1978 to explore and celebrate the Nero Wolfe stories of Rex Stout Rex Todhunter Stout (; December 1, 1886 – October 27, ...

, as well as the Black Orchid Novella Award (BONA) in partnership with ''Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine''. Cleland is also a member of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs,

Sisters in Crime Sisters in Crime is an organization that has 4,500 members in 60+ regional chapters worldwide, offering networking, advice and support to mystery authors. Members are authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians bound by their ...

, and the

Dramatists Guild of America The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active Mem ...

. Cleland is on the faculty of

Lehman College Lehman College is a public college in the Bronx borough of New York City. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within CUNY in September 1967. The college is named after Herbert H. Lehma ...

, part of the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

(CUNY).

Honors and awards

, Best Nonfiction 2019 Finalist, Malice Domestic: Mastering Plot Twists *

, Best Nonfiction 2018, Malice Domestic: Mastering Plot Twists *

, Best Nonfiction 2016
Malice Domestic
Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories that Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats * Bestseller, Independent Mystery Bookseller Association: Consigned to Death *

Anthony Award The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Among the m ...

, Nominated Best Critical or Non-Fiction Work 2019, Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories that Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats *

, Best Short Story, Bouchercon 2009: "Killing Time" *David Award, Best Novel 2016 Finalist, Ornaments of Death *David Award, Best Novel 2015 Finalist, Blood Rubies *David Award, Best Novel 2014 Finalist, Lethal Treasure *David Award, Best Novel 2013, Dolled Up for Murder *David Award, Best Novel 2010 Finalist, Silent Auction *David Award, Best Novel 2009 Finalist, Antiques to Die For *David Award, Best Novel 2008, Deadly Appraisal *David Award, Best First Novel 2006 Finalist, Consigned to Death *

, Best Nonfiction 2017 Finalist: Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot: How to Write Gripping Stories that Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats *

, Best First Novel 2007 Finalist: Consigned to Death * “Core Title” Consigned to Death selected by Library Journal as a “core title” when building a cozy collection, one of only 22 titles listed, along with novels by Agatha Christie & Dorothy L. Sayers

References

External links

Official website of Jane K. Cleland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleland, Jane American mystery writers 21st-century American novelists Living people Writers from Newton, Massachusetts University of Denver alumni Babson College alumni Western Connecticut State University alumni Writers from Boston Women mystery writers American women novelists 21st-century American women writers Agatha Award winners Novelists from Massachusetts Year of birth missing (living people) Lehman College faculty