Ellen Byron (born 1956 in New York) is an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer.
As a novelist, she has written the Cajun Country Mystery series and Vintage Cookbook Mystery series, as well as the Catering Hall Mystery series under the pseudonym Maria DiRico. She has won two Agatha Awards for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Best Humorous Mystery Lefty Awards. Bayou Book Thief, her first Vintage Cookbook Mystery, was nominated for an Anthony Award.
As a screenwriter, she has written for Wings, Just Shoot Me!, and The Fairly OddParents.
Biography Byron was born in the borough of Queens, New York City.
She attended Tulane University. Her experiences in Louisiana inspired her Cajun Country Mystery series.
Byron has written over 200 articles for national publications. She relocated from New York to Los Angeles to pursue a television career that spanned twenty-five years. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog.
Awards and honors +Awards for Byron's writingYearTitleAwardResult2015Plantation ShuddersAgatha Award for Best First NovelFinalist2016Lefty Award for Best Humorous MysteryFinalistBody on the BayouAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelFinalist2017Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelWinnerA Cajun Christmas KillingAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelFinalist2018Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelWinnerMardi Gras MurderAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelWinner2019Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelFinalistFatal Cajun FestivalAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelFinalist2020Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelFinalistMurder in the Bayou BoneyardAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelFinalist2021Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelWinnerCajun Kiss of DeathAgatha Award for Best Contemporary NovelWinner2022Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery NovelFinalist
Publications
Cajun Country Mystery series
Plantation Shudders (2015) Body on the Bayou (2016) A Cajun Christmas Killing (2017) Mardi Gras Murder (2018) Fatal Cajun Festival (2019) Murder in the Bayou Boneyard (2020) Cajun Kiss of Death (2021)
Catering Hall Mystery series (as Maria DiRico)
Here Comes the Body (2020) Long Island Iced Tina (2021) It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder (2021) Four Parties and a Funeral (2023)
Plays
Graceland and Asleep on the Wind (1998) Election Year and So When You Get Married.... Two Short Plays. (1998)
Vintage Cookbook Mystery series
Bayou Book Thief (2022) Wined and Died in New Orleans (2023)
Television +Byron's television creditsYear(s)ShowEpisodes (No.)Role1992-1993Flying Blind3Writer1993Joe's Life3Writer1994-1997Wings50 Co-producer Executive story editor Supervising producer Writer1997-1998Jenny 17 Supervising producer Writer2000Young Americans1Writer2000-2001The Weber Show8 Consulting producer Writer2001-2002Maybe It's Me21 Co-executive producer Writer2002-2003Just Shoot Me!24 Consulting producer Writer2003-2004It's All Relative20 Supervising producer Writer2004-2006Still Standing6 Co-executive producer Consulting producer Writer2009Rita Rocks2Writer2010Sonny with a Chance8Consulting producer2011Good Luck Charlie11 Consulting producer Writer20141Writer2017Bunsen is a Beast10 Developer Writer2013-201722Writer
References
External links
Official website