Arthur, Keri

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Arthur, Keri

PERSONAL: Married; husband's name Pete; children: Kasey.

ADDRESSES: Home—Melbourne, Australia. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Bantam Publicity, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Dessert and function cook; writer.

MEMBER: RWAustralia.

WRITINGS:

PARANORMAL ROMANCES

Dancing with the Devil, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2001.

Circle of Fire, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2001.

Hearts in Darkness, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2001.

Circle of Death, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2002.

Chasing the Shadows, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2002.

Beneath a Rising Moon, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2003.

Kiss the Night Goodbye, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2004.

Circle of Desire, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2004.

Memory Zero, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2004.

Generation 18, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2004.

Beneath a Darkening Moon, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2005.

Penumbra, ImaJinn Books (Canon City, CO), 2005.

Full Moon Rising, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Kissing Sin, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2007.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Tempting Evil, Dangerous Games, and Destiny Kills, all for Bantam.

SIDELIGHTS: A cook by profession, Keri Arthur has also begun to draw attention for her books that combine horror and romance elements. A native Australian, her first novel to earn critical attention in the United States is her 2006 title, Full Moon Rising. This story features Riley Jenson, a woman who is part werewolf and part vampire. She and her twin brother, Rhoan, work in Australia for the Directorate of Other Races, an agency whose mission is to stem crime among the various nonhuman species. Intended as the first installment of a new series, Full Moon Rising introduces Riley as she investigates the disappearance of Rhoan. With the help of an attractive vampire named Quinn, she discovers a nefarious plot to clone werewolves and vampires.

While some critics of Full Moon Rising found flaws in the writing, other reviewers considered it an exciting read. Patricia Altner warned in her Library Journal assessment that the story "begins well enough but deteriorates into a series of contrived, convoluted events," while a Publishers Weekly critic similarly felt that Arthur "occasionally loses control of her plot." On the other hand, Booklist contributor Kristine Huntley described the paranormal romance as a "suspenseful, colorful debut" to a "fresh, sexy series," and a Kirkus Reviews writer called it a "fun and feisty urban fantasy."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2006, Kristine Huntley, review of Full Moon Rising, p. 72.

Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2005, review of Full Moon Rising, p. 1304.

Library Journal, October 1, 2005, "Science Fiction & Fantasy," review of Full Moon Rising, p. SI3; January 1, 2006, Patricia Altner, review of Full Moon Rising, p. 105.

Publishers Weekly, November 28, 2005, review of Full Moon Rising, p. 28.