Atkinson, Deborah Turrell

PERSONAL:

Born in OH; married; children: two sons. Education: University of Michigan, graduated. Hobbies and other interests: Surfing, scuba diving, singing, reading.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Honolulu, HI. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Worked for ten years as a pharmaceutical representative for Eli Lilly and Co., HI.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Myrle Clark award, University of Hawaii, for creative writing.

WRITINGS:

Women and Fatigue, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Long Gray Line: Nature's Answer to Drugs, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1991.

"STORM KAYAMA" SERIES; MYSTERY NOVELS

Primitive Secrets, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2002.

The Green Room, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2005.

Contributor to Island Scene Magazine. Editor, 'Elele (newsletter).

SIDELIGHTS:

Deborah Turrell Atkinson blends Hawaiian legend with contemporary crime suspense in her novel Primitive Secrets. The story's protagonist, Storm Kayama, is shocked to find her adoptive uncle dead in his law office. He apparently had a heart attack, but Storm suspects foul play. Top secret files have vanished from her uncle's office, and Storm herself soon comes under attack. Her investigation leads her to confront her own painful past as well as the bitter conflicts that are a part of Hawaii's highly diverse culture. "Storm is a strong and appealing character," reported Sue O'Brien in a Booklist review. O'Brien also praised the story's fast pace and "vividly described settings."

Storm's adventures continue in Atkinson's next book, The Green Room. In this story, Storm has passed her bar exam and is setting up a law practice with her boyfriend, Ian Hamlin. A case involving her cousin, a famed surfer named Noahoa Pi'ilani, draws Storm into the world of professional surfing. Noahoa is killed in an apparent surfing accident, but Storm wonders if her cousin's mishap is related to another recent fatality, and if they were both arranged. The story explores Hawaiian history and the world of competitive surfing. A Kirkus Reviews writer found the novel's resolution somewhat disappointing, but advised that, overall, the book delivers "enough thrills, chills and tastes of Hawaiian surfing to create an exciting adventure." The Green Room was also praised by a Publishers Weekly reviewer, who enjoyed the "surfing terms, Hawaiian dialect and gorgeous descriptions" of the island setting in this "quick and fun" read.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 1, 2002, Sue O'Brien, review of Primitive Secrets, p. 302; September 15, 2005, Jenny McLarin, review of The Green Room, p. 34.

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2002, review of Primitive Secrets, p. 1265; August 1, 2005, review of The Green Room, p. 816.

Library Journal, November 1, 2002, Rex E. Klett, review of Primitive Secrets, p. 132.

Publishers Weekly, October 28, 2002, p. 55; August 15, 2005, review of The Green Room, p. 38.

ONLINE

Books 'n' Bytes,http://www.booksnbytes.com/ (December 2, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of Primitive Secrets.

Debby Turrell Atkinson's Home Page,http://www.debbyatkinson.com (December 12, 2006).

MyShelf,http://www.myshelf.com/ (February 3, 2003), Beverly Rowe, interview with Deborah Turrell Atkinson; Nancy Mehl, review of Primitive Secrets.