Barbara Mertz began her fiction-writing career in 1968. Since that time she has published sixty-four mystery and suspense novels under the pseudonyms of Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters. As Barbara Michaels, she creates romantic tales that involve suspense and the supernatural, and as Elizabeth Peters she is noted for humorous mysteries that often have a historical basis. During her career Mertz has remained one of the most prolific and best-loved writers of popular romance and suspense fiction. Dulcy Brainard commented in Publishers Weekly that all of Mertz's books feature "female protagonists who survive danger and solve mysteries with wit, intelligence, good humor and, usually, good fortune in romance." Deirdre Donahue noted in USA Today that "Few heroines are more bold--or hilarious--than the ones created by Barbara Mertz." Although Barbara Michaels is the more widely read of the two "authors," Elizabeth Peters has the most ardent following. In an interview...