Dumas, Margaret

PERSONAL:

Education: Holds a master's degree.

ADDRESSES:

Home—San Francisco, CA. E-mail—margaret@margaretdumas.com.

CAREER:

Writer, novelist, and technical writer. Former executive at a major software company in San Francisco, CA.

MEMBER:

Crime Writers' Association.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Debut Dagger Award shortlist, Crime Writers' Association, 2003, for Speak Now.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

Speak Now, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2004.

How to Succeed in Murder, Poisoned Pen Press (Scottsdale, AZ), 2006.

The Balance Thing, Harper (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Margaret Dumas is a technical writer and novelist who once served as an executive in a software company. In her debut mystery novel, Speak Now, Dumas introduces Charley Fairfax, nee Van Leeuwen, a wealthy woman in her mid-thirties who runs an independent repertory theater company in San Francisco. During the previous year, Charley sold her apartment and went to England to learn as much as she could about running a theater company. While there, she married a handsome and dashing military meteorologist, Jack Fairfax, after a whirlwind romance that lasted only six weeks. Charley realizes there are some things about Jack she does not really know or understand, such as why he was stationed in the desert, but she passes it all off as secrets she will learn when and if necessary. When the two return to America, they take up temporary residence in a luxury hotel, but their stay is ruined when a dead body is discovered in the bathtub. Soon after, Charley's life begins to get more and more complicated, as she deals with the repercussions of the murder, struggles to keep her theater company together while staging a new show, reacts to friends and family who are curious about her sudden marriage, and begins to realize that Jack conceals many more secrets that even she had suspected. Charley recognizes that the mystery surrounding the murder somehow involves Jack, and soon it becomes apparent that someone from his past has definite intentions to ruin their future. Christine E. Menefee, writing in the School Library Journal, observed: "This humorous if unlikely tale will entertain readers who like a light mystery with an urban attitude." A Publishers Weekly reviewer concluded that "Dumas's sparkling debut should appeal to both cozy and chick-lit fans."

Charley returns in How to Succeed in Murder, Dumas's second mystery. Long-delayed honeymoon plans for Charley and husband, Jack, are once again put on hold when software company CEO Morgan Stokes ap- proaches Jack to seek his help. Stokes is searching for a corporate spy and saboteur who has planted a fatal flaw in the company's flagship product. If the bug is activated, Stokes fears that the repercussions could wipe him out. The danger of the case is intensified by the death of Stokes's fiancee, who died late at night in a health club steam room. Charley undertakes an investigation into the murder and looks for additional assistance from her friends in the theater, while Jack calls on his computer geek colleagues to assist in the investigation of the software bug. To get at the saboteur more easily, Jack and Charley assume the identities of high-powered corporate consultants, nosing around Stokes's company during business hours. While Charley laments the need for her to dress, act, and rise in the morning like her workaday friends, Jack turns up as much information as he can while his assistants corroborate findings. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented favorably on the novel's "charming setting, not-so-serious tension," and "cozy clique of appealing characters."

With The Balance Thing, Dumas steps away from the mystery genre and into chick lit. Rebecca "Becks" Mansfield is a career-driven woman in San Francisco whose fortunes have taken a downward turn with the dot-com bust. Unemployed and growing ever more frantic about her situation, Becks finds it difficult to locate an appropriate job to match the one she lost in software marketing. She does work as the voice of an animated character, a female vampire named Vladima who is beloved by tech geeks everywhere. However, voicing Vladima is not what she wants to do. As she seeks other opportunities, Becks realizes that there is a definite attraction between her and Josh, Vladima's creator, who is a bit nerdy but cute. Library Journal reviewer Andrea Y. Griffith noted that "both fans of her earlier novels and general chick-lit readers will be more than satisfied" with Becks's adventures.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 2004, Barbara Bibel, review of Speak Now, p. 68; September 1, 2006, Aleksandra Kostovski, review of The Balance Thing, p. 54.

Bookwatch, December 1, 2004, review of Speak Now.

California Bookwatch, August 1, 2006, review of How to Succeed in Murder.

Library Journal, June 1, 2004, Ann Kim, review of Speak Now, p. 109; September 1, 2006, Andrea Y. Griffith, review of The Balance Thing, p. 135.

Publishers Weekly, September 6, 2004, review of Speak Now, p. 50; March 20, 2006, review of How to Succeed in Murder, p. 40; July 31, 2006, review of The Balance Thing, p. 50.

School Library Journal, January 1, 2005, Christine C. Menefee, review of Speak Now, p. 159.

ONLINE

Armchair Interviews,http://www.armchairinterviews.com/ (April 24, 2007), Carrie Padgett, review of Speak Now.

BookLoons,http://www.bookloons.com/ (April 24, 2007), Mary Ann Smyth, review of Speak Now; Mary Ann Smyth, review of How to Succeed in Murder.

Margaret Dumas Home Page,http://www.margaretdumas.com (April 24, 2007).

MyShelf.com,http://www.myshelf.com/ (April 27, 2007), Sheila Griffin, review of Speak Now.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (April 24, 2007), Cindy Harrison, review of Speak Now, and Lauren Spielberg, review of The Balance Thing.