Sandra Neily

I've been chased by moose, river otters, and mad mother partridges. And I forgive them all. My seriously unsupervised childhood exploring clam flats, deep forests, and secret streams grew into my Mystery In Maine series with my first award -winning novel, "Deadly Trespass" and most recently, "Deadly Turn."

"Deadly Trespass" has received the national Mystery Writers of America McCloy award, was named a national finalist in the Women’s Fiction Writers Association “Rising Star” contest, a finalist in the international Mslexia novel competition, and in Maine, received Honorable Mention in the Joy of the Pen competition.

"Deadly Turn" (already) wins praise as a page-turning adventure from some of Maine's most accomplished outdoor professionals and advocates.

My novels are infused with the drama and laughter of various outdoor careers, the sadness of loss, and close encounters with dogs and wildlife. I’ve been a whitewater river outfitter, licensed Maine Guide, co-founder of a coalition to protect the Penobscot River from a dam, and I am the author/editor of “Valuing the Nature of Maine,” and ‘Watching Out for Maine’s Wildlife” (reports that document nature's economic value).

My ValueNature blog shares research and documentation useful to those who want to prove that the natural world has impressive economic might.

I live on Moosehead Lake with my husband and 'rescued' Lab and would rather be fly fishing, skiing, paddling, or just generally “out there”—unless I’m writing stories that draw readers into disappearing worlds.