O'Connell, Catherine 1955-

PERSONAL:

Born 1955. Education: University of Colorado, graduated.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Aspen, CO.

CAREER:

Writer. Once worked as a sales executive for Taittinger Champagne and Louis Jadot (wine importers).

MEMBER:

Aspen Writers Association (board member).

WRITINGS:

Skins (mystery novel), D.I. Fine (New York, NY), 1993.

Well Bred and Dead: A High Society Mystery, Harper (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Catherine O'Connell is the author of Skins and Well Bred and Dead: A High Society Mystery. The former concerns the murder of a model, but a Publishers Weekly writer felt that "hazily sketched characters and a prologue that reveals the killer's identity" make for a weak debut. O'Connell's second effort features wealthy socialite Pauline Cook. Pauline looks into the suicide of her friend Ethan Campbell, discovering that he is not who he claimed to be. Her investigation takes her to England and the U.S. East Coast before hypothesizing that her friend may have killed the real Ethan. Along the way she is harassed by estate hunters, finds romantic flings, and still has time for shopping despite her financial troubles. A Kirkus Reviews critic described the mystery as "a wry look at the lifestyles of the rich and an amusing mystery with a twist in its tail," while a reviewer for Publishers Weekly described it as both "frank" and "funny." Midwest Book Review contributor Gloria Feit observed that the writing style is "lighthearted, witty, and fast-paced." She concluded that Well Bred and Dead is "a quick and enjoyable read."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 1993, Emily Melton, review of Skins, p. 794.

Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2006, review of Well Bred and Dead: A High Society Mystery, p. 1104.

Midwest Book Review, February, 2007, Gloria Feit, review of Well Bred and Dead.

Publishers Weekly, November 16, 1992, review of Skins, p. 48; November 27, 2006, review of Well Bred and Dead, p. 35.

ONLINE

Catherine O'Connell Home Page,http://www.catherineoconnell.net (June 26, 2007).