Marni Graff is the Award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries.
The Nora Tierney English Mysteries feature American Nora living in England. THE BLUE VIRGIN received First Prize in the Mystery and Mayhem Award for Best British Cozy from Chanticleer Review and is set in Oxford. THE GREEN REMAINS takes Nora to the Lake District and murder follows and won the same award for Best British Cozy. THE SCARLET WENCH, shortlisted for the same award, finds Nora involved in finding the murderer from a visiting theatre troupe living amongst her and her son at the lodge where she’s staying. A copy of SW is in the archives of the estate of Noel Coward, as all of the chapter epigrams are lines from his farce, “Blithe Spirit” which figures in the action. The fourth, THE GOLDEN HOUR, finds Nora visiting Brighton, Cornwall, and her beloved Oxford, with key action in Bath. The entire series has been narrated for Audible books by British actress Nano Nagle and are available on Kindle.
The fifth in this series, THE EVENING’S AMETHYST, finds Nora in Oxford again, with several scenes in Cambridge. Publication is slated for the end of May 2021, Covid notwithstanding!
The first Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery, Death Unscripted, is based on Graff’s real-life work as a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. Trudy has that job, too, but in her case, murder follows. This is the book P. D. James insisted Graff write and is dedicated to her. The book was named a finalist for the IAN Awards and was shortlisted as Best Mystery from Chanticleer Media. Book 2 in that series, DEATH AT THE DAKOTA, debuted in 2019 and also made the shortlist for Chanticleer’s Mystery and Mayhem award. Actress/director Lucinda Gainey narrates both Trudys on Audible, and these are also on Kindle.
Graff is also nominated for an Anthony Award for her story “Quiche Alain” as part of the Malice Domestic Anthology Murder Most Edible.
Graff is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, an author’s cooperative based out of Baltimore, MD. Until December 2020, she wrote the popular crime review blog, Auntie M Writes.
Also known as Auntie M, MK and Marnette, Marni grew up in Floral Park, NY. She currently resides in rural North Carolina, and lives on the Pungo River, part of the coast’s Intracoastal Waterway with her husband and two Aussie Doodles.
She is the author of screenplays, stories, essays and poetry, in addition to the two mystery series. Her creative nonfiction was most recently seen in the book of collected essays The Who, The What and the When; Southern Women’s Review; Fine Line Anthology ;and Shelf Pleasures. Her poem about Amelia Earhart is part of an anthology of poems dedicated to the pilot that is on display in Earhart’s hometown museum.
Marni’s background as a registered nurse always encompassed her love of writing. She was a feature writer for Nursing Spectrum for six years and editor of a nursing journal for three. Her favorite nursing position was as a medical consultant for television and motion pictures, working on scripts from home and medical scenes on set in Manhattan.
She also wrote interview articles for seven years for Mystery Review, an opportunity to interview and learn from many of her favorite mystery authors, including Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, and her mentor and friend for many years now, the Queen of British Mystery, P D James, who remained a mentor and friend until the Baroness’ death in 2014. Graff later attended her memorial service in London’s Inner Court.
Leaving nursing to pursue writing full time has taken Marni to study literature six times at the University of Iowa and one summer at Oxford University, as well as courses at New York University, Harvard, and Radcliffe. She has taught Creative Writing and Memoir in North Carolina, and has done book reviews for Raleigh’s largest paper, The News and Observer. Marni edits manuscripts, conducts writers workshops, and has twice been the recipient of month-long writing residencies at the Vermont Studio Center.
One of the founders of the ground-breaking Screw Iowa! Writers Group, Marni is a member of Sisters in Crime and of Mystery People in UK, and has twice attended St Hilda’s Mystery and Crime Conference In Oxford, England.
UK: You can order all books through Bridle Path Press or Amazon.com.UK . The Blue Virgin is also available as an eBook for other ereaders through Smashwords.com;and in Washington, NC at RiverWalk Gallery. All of the novels are available on Kindle and on Audible books.
Contact Marni at: bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com. Twitter: @GraffMarni Facebook: bluevirgin.graff or Marni Graff.
Dear Marni, thanks for the lovely review of BLEED FOR ME. I tried to email a reply but it bounced back. I’ll ask my US publicist to send an ARC of the new one SAY YOU’RE SORRY when it becomes available. Best, Michael.
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I just finished The Blue Virgin, and I can say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is part of my review:
There’s a genteel consistency to this beautifully-written mystery in both the story, English setting, and in the well-defined characters.
I stand by that.
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Polly thank you for your generous comments!
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OMG, we are living opposite lives! I am here today for Marilyn’s blog post on her tour and wanted to find out more about you. I live in Floral Park, having grown up on Long Island, but having moved back from North Carolina (Wilson, NC to be exact) in 2007. I would love to hear from you via email and will be checking out both your series!
Thanks,
Maureen
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Maureen, was at the NC Writers Network conference in Greensboro since Thursday and just got home to see this! Too Funny!
Where in Floral Park? I grew up on Mayfair Ave in the west end near Fl Pk-Bellerose School. Actually, I’ll be back there in Sept. doing a program at the library. We have to meet!!!
EM me at : bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com
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Dear Marni,
thank you so much for the lovely, and perceptive review of SANCTUS. Eco was indeed an inspiration for the novel. Hope you have got your hands of an ARC of THE KEY in advance of the launch on June 19th.
Warm regards,
Simon Toyne
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I just received THE KEY and look forward to the read!
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Exceptional review of an exceptional Trilogy – x
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Hi Marni, I’ve been trying to send a reply to your e-mail query about the August mystery tour but my message keeps bouncing back. Will keep trying but wanted you to know that I have replied! Thanks, Kathy Ackley
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You both look happy and obviously love what you’re doing. Thanks for giving writers a platform.
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Hello Marni!! Can’t wait to see and meet you in NYC in July. I don’t know about you but I am super excited. Peter is my favorite author, what are you going to wear?
Deirdre Anderson
deirdre9232@gmail.com
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[…] a post I wrote originally for the lovely and talented Marni Graff, who runs the Auntie M Writes Blog – don’t tell her I borrowed this, okay? It’s […]
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[…] Author info (from her website) […]
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[…] You can find more about the author and her works on her WordPress site @ https://auntiemwrites.com/about/ […]
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Hello Marni,
I love your blog, it is so informative!
Plenty to read and great suggestions.
All the best,
Owen
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Beautiful writing! I would love to read your books! It’s so inspiring to see stories such as yours. I’m so excited to be following your blog and see what other amazing stories you have to review!
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[…] Death at the Dakota, is due soon. For more information on all Marni’s work, visit her at Auntie M Writes, where she reviews contemporary crime […]
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[…] two bookmarks, a personal note, and she signed the book. I appreciate that very much. Thank you, Marni. I will be looking for Nora Tierney from now on in book […]
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