Lea Wait was an American author of historical novels and mysteries, many set in Maine. She has written historical and contemporary books for children aged 7 and up, two books of nonfiction, and the Shadows Antique Print Mystery series and Mainely Needlepoint series for adults.

Biography

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she grew up in a family where books were an important part of life. Her family summered in Maine.Lea Wait She did her undergraduate work at Chatham College - now

Chatham University Chatham University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally founded as a women's college, it began enrolling men in undergraduate programs in 2015. It enrolls about 2,110 students, including 1,002 undergraduate students an ...

- in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, and her graduate work at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

, completing all requirements for a doctorate except for the dissertation, a 'DWD', and joining AT&T as a manager. Her grandmother was an antiques dealer, and in 1976 she started an antique print business and decided she should become a writer. She also, as a single parent, adopted four “older” girls born in Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, and India. In 1998, she left corporate life and moved to live in

Edgecomb Edgecomb is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,188 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of East Edgecomb, North Edgecomb, and Pools Landing. The town was named for George Edgcumbe, 1st Earl of Mount Edgc ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

. She wrote and spoke about writing full-time. She married artist Bob Thomas in October 2003. Lea Wait passed away in August 2019.

Publications

Antique Print Mysteries

Featuring Maggie Summer, antique dealer and community college professor. *''Shadows at the Fair'', 2003, nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. *''Shadows on the Coast of Maine'', 2003, a

Mystery Guild Bookspan LLC is a New York–based online bookseller, founded in 2000. Bookspan began as a joint endeavor by Bertelsmann and Time Warner. Bertelsmann took over control in 2007, and a year later, sold its interest to Najafi Companies, an Arizon ...

Editor's Selection. *''Shadows on the Ivy'', 2004. *''Shadows at the Spring Show'', 2005. *''Shadows of a Down East Summer'', 2011 *''Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding'', 2013 *''Shadows on a Maine Christmas'', 2014 *''Shadows on a Morning in Maine'', 2016

Mainely Needlepoint Mysteries

*''Twisted Treads'', 2015 *''Threads of Evidence'', 2015 *''Thread and Gone'', 2016 *''Dangling by a Thread'', 2016 *''Tightening the Threads'', 2017 *''Thread the Halls'', 2017 *''Thread Herrings'', 2018 *''Thread on Arrival'', 2019 *''Thread and Buried'', 2019

Children's Books

*''Stopping to Home'', 2001, named a Notable Book for Children in 2001 by

Smithsonian magazine ''Smithsonian'' is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The first issue was published in 1970. History The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' mag ...

. *''Seaward Born'', 2003. *''Wintering Well'', 2004, named one of "The Best Children's Books of 2004" by The Children's Book Committee at the

Bank Street College of Education Bank Street College of Education is a private school and graduate school in New York City. It consists of a graduate-only teacher training college and an independent nursery-through-8th-grade school. In 2020 the graduate school had about 65 full ...

.http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_w/wait.html . *''Finest Kind'', 2006. *''Uncertain Glory'', 2014 *''Pizza to Die For'', 2017

Non-fiction

*''The Only Writing Series You'll Ever Need: Writing Children's Books'' with Lesley Bolton, 2007 *''Living and Writing on the Coast of Maine'', 2015

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wait, Lea American mystery writers American children's writers Novelists from Maine People from Edgecomb, Maine 1946 births Living people Chatham University alumni American women novelists Women mystery writers 21st-century American women