Becka, Elizabeth 1963–

PERSONAL: Born 1963, in Cleveland, OH; married. Education: Attended John Carroll University; Cleveland State University, B.S.

ADDRESSES: Home—FL Agent—c/o Author Mail, Hyperion Editorial Department, 77 W. 66th St., 11th Fl., New York, NY 10023.

CAREER: Cape Coral Police Department, Cape Coral, FL, forensic specialist. Worked at Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office, Cleveland, OH.

MEMBER: American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Southern Association of Forensic Scientists, Florida Division of International Association for Identification.

WRITINGS:

Trace Evidence (novel), Hyperion (New York, NY), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: Elizabeth Becka wrote her first novel, Trace Evidence, with her first-hand knowledge of forensic science. Having worked as a forensic specialist in a county coroner's office in Ohio, dealing specifically with trace evidence and DNA analysis, Becka imbues her heroine, Evelyn James, with the professional knowledge she herself accumulated over the years. Not only does Becka include the details of a medical examiner's profession, such as analyzing fibers, hairs, and gunshot residue, she also paints a larger portrait of life in the coroner's office, including both the politics and the personal issues that arise on the job. These are "the kind of authentic details that have launched the careers of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs," wrote Oline H. Cogdill in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

In Trace Evidence, single mother Evelyn James becomes involved in the case of a woman drowned in the Cuyahoga River with her feet embedded in cement. When the killer's second victim is revealed to be the daughter of Cleveland's mayor, whom Evelyn once dated, she is compelled to leave her laboratory and investigate the crimes herself. As the plot thickens, Evelyn realizes her own teenaged daughter may have a connection to the murders. Though the book is rich with crime lab details, Becka "has created a frank, honest protagonist who loves what she does," wrote a reviewer for Publishers Weekly. Joe Hartlaub, writing for Bookreporter.com, also praised Evelyn's characterization as "first-rate" and complimented the author on her deft portrayal of Cleveland: Becka "pulls off the Herculean task of capturing the essence of the city … while effectively utilizing it as a backdrop for a tightly written, suspenseful story."

Becka's interest in solving crimes dates back to her childhood, when she watched as many cop shows as she could. These days, television offers even more graphic portrayals of forensic work, but Becka is quick to point out the liberties they take with reality. For instance, a crime scene can be a confusing place, she told Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub, and Wiley Saichek in an interview posted on Bookreporter.com. "Is stuff trailing out of a drawer because the burglar was looking for something … or is it just lax housekeeping? And at the lab, did you not get any fingerprints on a piece of evidence because there weren't any, or because you handled the evidence too roughly…. On TV they always answer every question down to the tiniest detail, and that very rarely happens in real life."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Publishers Weekly, May 30, 2005, review of Trace Evidence, p. 33.

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), August 28, 2005, Oline H. Cogdill, "A Promising Debut."

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com, http://bookreporter.com/. (August 5, 2005), Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub, and Wiley Saichek, interview with Elizabeth Becka; (October 7, 2005) Joe Hartlaub, review of Trace Evidence.

Elizabeth Becka Home Page, http://www.elizabethbecka.com. (October 7, 2005).