About the Author

Francine Mathews was born in Binghamton, New York, the last of six girls. She attended Princeton and Stanford Universities, where she studied history, before going on to work as an intelligence analyst at the CIA. She wrote her first book in 1992 and left the Agency a year later. Since then, she has written thirty books, including six previous novels in the Merry Folger series (Death in the Off-Season, Death in Rough Water, Death in a Mood Indigo, Death in a Cold Hard Light, Death on Nantucket, and Death on Tuckernuck) as well as the nationally bestselling Being a Jane Austen mystery series, which she writes under the pen name Stephanie Barron. She lives and works in Denver, Colorado.

Reviews

Praise for Death on a Winter Stroll

“Multi-generational characters, two violent deaths and the author’s compelling prose all contribute to the appeal of a first-rate murder mystery.”
—Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal

“[Death on a Winter Stroll] is an intriguing mystery, but even more captivating are her descriptions of the island and ocean in winter.”
—The Denver Post

“[Barron] excels at the triad on which successful fiction must rest: plot, people and place . . . A Christmas treat, Mathews’ latest offers joy to the world for fans of classic — and classy — whodunits.”
—The Free Lance-Star

“The juxtaposition of a murder mystery with the merriment of the holidays is a fiction-lover’s delight.”
—5280 Magazine

“A captivating whodunit.”
—Shelf Awareness

“Absorbing . . . It's quite a juggling act to manage such a large cast of characters living in different worlds, but Mathews pulls it off . . . Readers of Dame Ngaio Marsh's "golden age" Roderick Alleyn series would find themselves at home on Mathews' Nantucket.”
—Reviewing the Evidence

“A fun, quick read, perfect for the season!”
—Crime Fiction Lover

“Matthews imbues the setting with atmosphere and offers stellar characterizations and telling details as she alternates viewpoints between characters . . . Further kudos to the author for her sensitive handling of ongoing Covid concerns.”
—Criminal Element

“This fast-moving mystery packs in a lot, but never too much, and will work for fans of coming-of-age stories, police procedurals, and romance.”
—First Clue

“The perfect Christmas gift for the mystery lover in your life . . . [A] superb holiday mystery.”
—Gumshoe Review

“Francine Mathews is a smooth and expert crafter of murder investigations that honor the warmth of affection, love, and friendship, even as they showcase tight plots with well-built twists . . . This is one to read and savor multiple times.”
—Kingdom Books

“Twists and turns, mysterious motives, and surprising subplots [lead] to a satisfying ending that won’t spoil your holiday spirit. This is an ideal quick read to escape the pressures of the holiday season—a well-plotted, gripping novel that you won’t want to put down once you start.”
—Yesterday's Island/Today's Nantucket

“An immersive escape to festive Nantucket, as well as a poignant exploration of grief as a result of parental absence. A thoroughly entertaining mystery.”
—Midwest Book Review

“Fans of Katherine Hall Page’s Faith Fairchild mysteries will appreciate the careful way this investigation unfolds in the atmospheric Nantucket-set story.”
—Library Journal

“Fresh, well-wrought prose brings the setting of Nantucket to life. Mathews consistently entertains.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Christmas and death come to Nantucket . . . Plenty of fascinating characters and myriad motives make for an exciting read.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the Merry Folger Mysteries

"A mystery that’s so suspenseful it’s hard not to skip a chapter to see if certain deeply likable characters are still alive . . . The novel lives and breathes New England island life, with a plot brimming with the best kinds of rude surprises."
—The Washington Post 

"A story of murder and mayhem set against a chilling storm that threatens all of New England . . . what makes Death on Tuckernuck so riveting is Mathews' description of the storm and turbulent sea." 
—The Denver Post
 
“An admirable, well-written series, with Folger evolving into an ever more complex character as love and loyalty collide with her professional pride and ethics.”
—The Orlando Sentinel
 
“What a treat to have a new addition to one of my very favorite series! Francine Mathews’s prose is elegant, her heroine appealing, her setting vivid, and her characters shine. For mystery lovers, the Merry Folger books hit every note.”
—Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author of Garden of Lamentations