Dianne Day, who began writing relatively late in her life, has gained a devoted following and enthusiastic reviews for her "Fremont Jones" mystery novels. Set in northern California in the first decade of the twentieth century, they feature a former Boston debutante who leaves behind her prudish, conventional world to find adventure and economic independence in San Francisco. The half-dozen titles in the series have won high marks from reviewers for breaking many of the rules associated with the crime-fiction genre. "Fremont Jones is the epitome of the strong-minded, ahead-of-her-time woman," stated Emily Melton in Booklist. Publishers Weekly also had kudos for Day's heroine. "The strong-willed, intelligent Jones shines, whether she's helping her friend, fending off suitors or fleeing the clutches of ninja smugglers."

Day was born in Mississippi in 1938, but her father died when she was very young, and so she was sent to live with her...