Green, Christine 1944-

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Green, Christine 1944-

PERSONAL:

Born 1944, in Luton, England.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Wolverhampton, England. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Mystery novelist. Worked as a nurse in Hampstead, England, and the Royal National Throat, Nose, and Ear Hospital in London, England. Worked as a teacher and midwife.

WRITINGS:

"CHIEF INSPECTOR CONNOR O'NEILL AND DETECTIVE SGT. FRAN WILSON" SERIES

Death in the Country, Headline (London, England), 1994.

Die in My Dreams, Crimeline (New York, NY), 1995.

Fatal Cut, Severn House (New York, NY), 1996.

"KATE KINSELLA" SERIES

Deadly Errand, Walker (New York, NY), 1992.

Deadly Admirer, Walker (New York, NY), 1993.

Deadly Practice, Walker (New York, NY), 1995.

Deadly Partners, Walker (New York, NY), 1996.

Deadly Bond, Severn House (New York, NY), 2002.

Deadly Echo, Severn House (New York, NY), 2003.

Deadly Choice, Severn House (Sutton, England), 2004.

Deadly Night, Severn House (Sutton, England), 2004.

Deadly Web, Severn House (Sutton, England), 2005.

Deadly Retreat, Severn House (Sutton, England), 2007.

"DETECTIVE INSPECTOR THOMAS RYDELL AND SERGEANT DENISE CALDECOTE" SERIES

Fire Angels, Severn House (New York, NY), 2001.

Vain Hope, Severn House (New York, NY), 2002.

OTHER

Coronation Street: The Way to Victory, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 2000.

Coronation Street: The War Years, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 2001.

Author's works have been translated into Japanese.

SIDELIGHTS:

British mystery novelist Christine Green has published numerous books, beginning in 1991 with Deadly Errand, the first installment in her "Kate Kinsella" series. After receiving her medical training in London, Green started her nursing career at a hospital north of the city and subsequently spent thirty years in the profession before turning her full attentions to writing in 1998. Much of her writing is based on her experiences during the years she spent as a nurse, and most of her novels are set in hospitals or other medical facilities.

During her career, Green has developed three series of novels. Most of her books, including Deadly Errand, feature protagonist Kate Kinsella, a English nurse turned private detective who solves crimes of a medical nature. In Deadly Errand, the thirty-something Kinsella is hired to solve the murder of nurse Jacky Byfield, who is stabbed to death while working at an English hospital. In addition to being lauded by the Crime Writers' Association, the book received its share of positive critical reviews. For example, a contributor to Publishers Weekly called it a "lively and impressive debut." Other books in the "Kate Kinsella" series include Deadly Admirer, Deadly Practice, Deadly Partners, and Deadly Bond. Many literary critics felt the fourth installment in the series, Deadly Partners, was one of Green's strongest novels. The story finds Kinsella running the Medical and Nursing Investigation Agency, but having trouble paying the rent. She accepts a case in which she must solve the disappearance of Nigel Carter, a rich hotel owner, who is despised by many and missed by few. Green's other major series begins with Death in the Country, featuring Detective Sergeant Fran Wilson and Chief Inspector Connor O'Neill. The pair is an unlikely duo: Irishman O'Neill is a veteran and likes his libations, whereas Wilson is young and toes the line. Other novels in the series include Die in My Dreams and Fatal Cut.

With her 2001 effort, Fire Angels, Green began a new series featuring Detective Inspector Thomas Rydell and Sergeant Denise "Denni" Caldecote, who work together to solve a series of rapes in a rural English village. Although the book received mixed reviews, critic Jenny McLarin of Booklist called it "another in a long line of successful British procedurals starring mismatched but oddly complementary cops."

The author has also continued to contribute to her "Kate Kinsella" series. In Deadly Echo, published in 2003, Kinsella is walking her dog, Jasper, when the dog discovers a frightened woman out in the rain. Kinsella brings the drenched woman back to her apartment and soon finds herself trying to determine who is after Megan Thomas and why. She eventually discovers that Thomas's enemy, and now hers as well, is police detective Michael Whitby, who got Thomas pregnant and is involved in some type of racket that perhaps involves the pregnancy and the supposedly stillborn baby. "Kate's sixth is heartfelt and even heart-rending," wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Emily Melton commented in Booklist: "A spirited and unorthodox heroine, inventive plot, and … humor make this an enjoyable and intriguing read."

Writing in Booklist, Jenny McLarin noted that in the next installment in the series, Deadly Choice, "Kinsella, her landlord and colleague Hubert Humberstone, and her … terrier Jasper make an entertaining Nora-Nick-Asta trio." This time Kinsella is concerned about an old friend's impending marriage to a dashing man whose first wife supposedly committed suicide after killing their two children. In addition, the mansion Timberlake, where Kinsella's friend is staying, may be haunted.

Deadly Night finds Kinsella and her landlord and undertaker Humberstone on the case of women who are being raped and sometimes murdered after Humberstone discovers bruises on an elderly woman he is readying for burial. Emily Melton wrote in Booklist that "this … entry in the series is perhaps the best so far." A Kirkus Reviews contributor referred to Deadly Night as "a solid, old-fashioned connect-the-dots puzzler with a surprisingly creepy underside."

Deadly Web was called "a fine addition to the entertaining ‘Kate Kinsella’ series" by Booklist contributor Emily Melton. Kate is investigating the death of Victoria Decker-White's husband. Decker-White doubts that her husband died accidentally, as the police have declared. As a result, Kate hires on at the Fair Acres private house where the man worked to discover if he was really murdered. In the meantime, Kinsella is also dealing with the shock of discovering that her friend Humberstone is planning to marry an American woman he met on the Internet.

Kinsella's boyfriend has been murdered and the detective is deeply depressed as Deadly Retreat begins. At the suggestion of a friend, Kinsella goes on a retreat where she is cut off from the outside world without phones, newspapers, or television. Once there, she meets another guest, an ex-lawyer named Fran Rowley who has just served six years in prison for killing her infant child. Kinsella becomes convinced that Rowley is innocent, even though the lawyer confessed despite the fact that she had no recollection of committing the crime. In addition, Kinsella thinks the real murderer of the child is still running free. Emily Melton wrote in Booklist that "Kate is definitely charismatic."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Detecting Women 2, Purple Moon (Dearborn, MI), 1996.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 1997, Emily Melton, review of Deadly Partners, pp. 824-825; August, 2001, Jenny McLarin, review of Fire Angels, p. 2096; January 1, 2003, Emily Melton, review of Deadly Echo, p. 855; June 1, 2004, Jenny McLarin, review of Deadly Choice, p. 1707; January 1, 2005, Emily Melton, review of Deadly Night, p. 827; November 1, 2005, Emily Melton, review of Deadly Web, p. 28; January 1, 2007, Emily Melton, review of Deadly Retreat, p. 62.

Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2003, review of Deadly Echo, p. 187; May 15, 2004, review of Deadly Choice, p. 474; March 15, 2005, review of Deadly Night, p. 319; February 1, 2007, review of Deadly Retreat, p. 101.

Library Journal, July, 1995, Rex E. Klett, review of Deadly Practice, p. 127; January, 2000, Patsy E. Gray, review of Fatal Cut, p. 159; March 1, 2002, Rex E. Klett, review of Deadly Bond, p. 144.

Publishers Weekly, June 15, 1992, review of Deadly Errand, pp. 88-89; November 1, 1993, review of Deadly Admirer, p. 70; June 19, 1995, review of Deadly Practice, p. 53; November 11, 1996, review of Deadly Partners, p. 60; August 6, 2001, review of Fire Angels, p. 65; February 18, 2002, review of Deadly Bond, p. 79.