Norma Tadlock Johnson

Norma Tadlock Johnson is a writer of novels, nonfiction and books for younger readers. She was born March 27, 1929, and graduated cum laude from Washington State College. She also pursued graduate studies at Mexico City College. She has lived in Washington, Oregon, California (with summers in Wyoming) and Mexico, and currently resides in Burlington, Washington.

Johnson first published a series of romances written with her daughter Janice Kay Johnson under the joint pseudonym Kay Kirby. Among those titles were SUMMERTIME LOVE, AUTUMN BEGINNING and WINTER INTERLUDE. Writing solo, Johnson then produced two romantic suspense novels, INCA GOLD, published in 1984, and TOO HOT TO HANDLE, published in 1985.

Johnson subsequently moved into juvenile books. BATS ON THE BEDSTEAD, published in 1987, describes an eleven-year-old boy named Ricky. When his family moves into an old house, Ricky has to fight a flock of evil bats. Though he tries to warn the family of the danger, they do not believe him, and Ricky must try to convince them bother of their peril and of his sanity. In 1987, Johnson also published WITCH HOUSE, another juvenile book.

In 2004, Johnson published DONNA ROSE AND THE SLUG WAR, inspired in part by Johnson's own experiences serving on a local water board and battling slugs in her garden. Donna Galbreath, a retired schoolteacher, discovers the body of the water board chair while she is out digging for clams. Soon the chair's widow is poisoned, and Donna herself becomes the victim of an attack. With the help of her neighbor Cyrus Bates, Donna sets out to find the murderer and solve the mystery. Rex E. Klett, writing in Library Journal, praised the book, noting that, "Outspoken, smart and caring, Donna makes a perfect sleuth."

Johnson's next project was a foray into wartime history entitled SOLDIERS OF THE MOUNTAIN: THE STORY OF THE 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION OF WORLD WAR II, published in 2005. The book describes the experiences of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, which fought in the mountains of Italy. The men of the 10th were much celebrated in their day, and photographs of their preparations for fighting in the wintery Alps became well-known in the United States. The division's most famous battle ended in a defeat of the Germans at Mount Belvedere. Johnson, whose later husband Elvin won the purple heart and the bronze star while serving as a platoon leader in the 10th, interviewd a number of veterans for this book. She uses their stories and correspondence to flesh out her history of the 10th.

In 2009, Johnson published a sequel to DONNA ROSE AND THE SLUG WAR entitled DONNA ROSE AND THE ROOTS OF EVIL. The story begins with the death of incompetent police Chief Donniker, who collapses while dining at a banquet given in his honor. Further investigation reveals that he has been poisoned with monkshood, a flowing plant used to deadly effect in the first Donna Rose mystery. Donna's friend, officer Jake Santorini, is accused of the crime, so once again, it is up to Donna and her neighbor Cyrus to find the real killer.

A reviewer in Kirkus Reviews greeted this sequel with enthusiasm, commenting that "the burgeoning romance between Johnson's older sleuths is likely to make them even more popular with the cozy crowd." Judy Coon writes in Booklist, "It has been over four years since the first enjoyable Donna Rose mystery was published. The second one is equally entertaining; let's hope Johnson steps up her pace."

Norma Tadlock Johnson's next mystery HAZARDS OF THE GAME is due in August 2010.