Libby Fischer Hellmann
Encyclopedia
Libby Fischer Hellmann (born 1949) is a mystery writer who currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.
, followed by the University of Pennsylvania
. After graduating with a BA in History, she enrolled in New York University
's Graduate Program in Film and Television, earning an MFA in 1972. She worked in television news as an assistant film editor for NBC
in New York, N.Y., then relocated to DC where she joined N-PACT, the Public Broadcasting Service
's public affairs unit that first paired Robert MacNeil
with Jim Lehrer
. Among other programs, she worked on the rebroadcast of the Watergate hearings in 1973. Hellmann also spent time at TVN, the news syndication service underwritten by Joseph Coors
, and NBC in Washington, DC. In 1978 she joined Burson-Marsteller
's Chicago creative department where she worked until 1985. She founded Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985, which specializes in video production, speech writing, and spokesperson training.
Hellmann's first crime fiction novel, An Eye For Murder, was published in hardcover in 2002 by Poisoned Pen Press
and in paperback by Berkley Books
. It was nominated for an Anthony
for Best First, and won the Best First Readers Choice Award at Chicago's Love is Murder conference. Its protagonist, video producer and single mother Ellie Foreman, was featured in three additional novels. In 2007 Hellmann edited Chicago Blues, a short story anthology featuring over 20 prominent Chicago crime fiction authors including Stuart Kaminsky, Sara Paretsky
, Barbara D'Amato, Sean Chercover, Marcus Sakey
, Joe Konrath, Max Allan Collins
, and others.
Her second crime fiction series, featuring Private Investigator Georgia Davis, debuted in 2008 with Easy Innocence. Its sequel, Doubleback (October, 2009, Bleak House Books
), features both Davis and Foreman as co-protagonists.
In 2010 she released Set the Night on Fire, published by Allium Press, a stand-alone thriller that goes back, in part, to the late Sixties in Chicago.
Hellmann has published over 15 short stories which are available in an e-collection called Nice Girl Does Noir. She has been nominated for several major mystery awards, including the Anthony (twice) and the Agatha
(once). She has won the Readers Choice/Lovey Award four times.
In 2006 Hellmann founded The Outfit Collective, a blog shared by eleven Chicago crime fiction authors.
Career
Raised in Washington D.C., she attended the National Cathedral SchoolNational Cathedral School
National Cathedral School is an independent Episcopal private day school for girls located on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C...
, followed by the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. After graduating with a BA in History, she enrolled in New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Graduate Program in Film and Television, earning an MFA in 1972. She worked in television news as an assistant film editor for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in New York, N.Y., then relocated to DC where she joined N-PACT, the Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
's public affairs unit that first paired Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil
Robert Breckenridge Ware MacNeil, OC, known sometimes as Robin MacNeil, , is currently a novelist and formerly was a television news anchor and journalist who had paired with Jim Lehrer to create The MacNeil/Lehrer Report in 1975.-Early life:MacNeil was born in Montreal, the son of Margaret...
with Jim Lehrer
Jim Lehrer
James Charles "Jim" Lehrer is an American journalist and the executive editor and former news anchor for PBS NewsHour on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections...
. Among other programs, she worked on the rebroadcast of the Watergate hearings in 1973. Hellmann also spent time at TVN, the news syndication service underwritten by Joseph Coors
Joseph Coors
Joseph Coors, Sr. , was the grandson of Adolph Coors and president of Coors Brewing Company. -Birth and education:...
, and NBC in Washington, DC. In 1978 she joined Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller is a global public relations and communications firm headquartered in the United States. Burson-Marsteller operates 67 wholly owned offices and 71 affiliate offices in 98 countries across six continents...
's Chicago creative department where she worked until 1985. She founded Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985, which specializes in video production, speech writing, and spokesperson training.
Hellmann's first crime fiction novel, An Eye For Murder, was published in hardcover in 2002 by Poisoned Pen Press
Poisoned Pen Press
Poisoned Pen Press is a publisher of hardcover mystery fiction in the United States. It is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Poisoned Pen Press typically publishes thirty-six new hardcover mysteries per year, thirty-six new large type editions of those hardcovers, and between thirty and forty new trade...
and in paperback by Berkley Books
Berkley Books
Berkley Books is an imprint of Penguin Group that began as an independent company in 1955. It was established by Charles Byrne and Frederic Klein, who were working for Avon and formed "Chic News Company". They renamed it Berkley Publishing Co. in 1955. They soon found a niche in science fiction...
. It was nominated for an Anthony
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 , one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America....
for Best First, and won the Best First Readers Choice Award at Chicago's Love is Murder conference. Its protagonist, video producer and single mother Ellie Foreman, was featured in three additional novels. In 2007 Hellmann edited Chicago Blues, a short story anthology featuring over 20 prominent Chicago crime fiction authors including Stuart Kaminsky, Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky is a modern American author of detective fiction.-Life and career:Paretsky was born in Ames, Iowa and raised in Kansas, graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in political science. She did community service work on the south side of Chicago in 1966 and returned in...
, Barbara D'Amato, Sean Chercover, Marcus Sakey
Marcus Sakey
Marcus Sakey is an American author.-Personal life:Sakey was born in Flint, Michigan, and settled in Chicago with his wife after marriage. Before becoming a writer, Sakey used to run a graphic design company in Atlanta.-Novels:...
, Joe Konrath, Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...
, and others.
Her second crime fiction series, featuring Private Investigator Georgia Davis, debuted in 2008 with Easy Innocence. Its sequel, Doubleback (October, 2009, Bleak House Books
Bleak House Books
Bleak House Books is an imprint of Big Earth Publishing. Before being acquired by Big Earth in 2005, Bleak House began as an independent publisher, releasing its first book in 2001...
), features both Davis and Foreman as co-protagonists.
In 2010 she released Set the Night on Fire, published by Allium Press, a stand-alone thriller that goes back, in part, to the late Sixties in Chicago.
Hellmann has published over 15 short stories which are available in an e-collection called Nice Girl Does Noir. She has been nominated for several major mystery awards, including the Anthony (twice) and the Agatha
Agatha Award
The Agatha Awards are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write via the same method as Agatha Christie...
(once). She has won the Readers Choice/Lovey Award four times.
In 2006 Hellmann founded The Outfit Collective, a blog shared by eleven Chicago crime fiction authors.
The Ellie Foreman Mysteries
- An Eye for Murder (2002)
- A Picture of Guilt (2003)
- An Image of Death (2004)
- A Shot to Die For (2005)
Anthologies/Collections
- Chicago Blues (editor, 2007)
- Nice Girl Does Noir, Pt. 1 (2010)
- Nice Girl Does Noir, Pt. 2 (2010)
Short Stories
- "The Day Miriam Hirsch Disappeared" (Amazon.com)
- "Dumber Than Dirt" (Once Upon A Crime anthology)
- "The Rainforest Messiah" (Mysterical-E)
- "The Last Radical" (Futures Magazine)
- "Common Scents" (Blondes in Trouble anthology)
- "A Berlin Story" (Show Business is Murder anthology)
- "House Rules" (Murder in Vegas anthology)
- "A Winters' Tale" (Techno-Noir anthology)
- "Josef's Angel" (Amazon.com)
- "Detour" (These Guns for Hire anthology)
- "Your Sweet Man" (Chicago Blues anthology)
- "The Whole World is Watching" (Sisters on the Case anthology)
- "High Yellow" (A Hell of A Woman anthology)
External links
- http://www.libbyhellmann.com Official site
- http://www.theoutfitcollective.com The Outfit Collective blog
- http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/springbooks08/hellmann/ Chicago Reader interview, 2008
- http://www.newmysteryreader.com/libby_fishcer_hellmann.htm New Mystery Reader interview, 2008
- http://www.thrillerwriters.org/2008/03/gritty-noir-from-libby-fischer-hellmann.html International Thriller Writers interview, 2008
- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/us/18cncoutfit.html?_r=1 New York Times article on Libby Hellmann and The Outfit blog, 2010