Janet Dawson Add a review

Janet Dawson (born October 31, 1949) is an American writer of mysteries. Thirteen of her novels comprise the Jeri Howard series, featuring a private eye of the same name, and three make up the California Zephyr series featuring private eye Jill McLeod. Dawson's work has included many short stories and a mystery novel, What You Wish For, that is not part of either series. Dawson's Kindred Crimes was named a "best first private-eye novel" by St. Martin's Press and the Private Eye Writer's Association in 1990, and in 2004, her short story, "Voice Mail", won a Macavity Award.

Dawson, a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder (B.S. in journalism), began her writing career as a reporter for the Daily News of Lamar, Colorado (1972–74). She served in the United States Navy (1975–83), where she rose to the rank of lieutenant. During these same years, she completed work for an M.A. in history at California State University, Hayward, graduating in 1983. From then through 1995, she was a legal secretary for Safeway Inc., thereafter becoming a full-time writer.