A winning contestant on seven television game shows—including Jeopardy!—Noreen later worked for Goodson-Todman and Merv Griffin Productions, helping to develop television game show pilots. She has lectured at the Smithsonian, the CIA, the National Press Club and aboard the QE II. She taught at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD and at the Florida Center for the Book in Fort Lauderdale.  

noreen

WALD

GHOSTWRITER ANONYMOUS (#1)

cozy, humorous mysteries, women sleuths

Jake O'Hara Mysteries

With her books sporting other people’s names, ghostwriter Jake O’Hara works behind the scenes. She signed on to secretly write for a grande dame of mystery fiction whose talent died before she did. The author’s East Side residence was impressive. But her entourage—from a Mrs. Danvers-like housekeeper to a lurking hypnotherapist—was creepy. Still, it was all in a day’s work, until a killer started going after ghostwriters, and Jake suspected she was chillingly close to the culprit. Attending a séance and asking the dead for spiritual help was one option. Some brilliant sleuthing was another—before Jake’s next deadline turns out to be her own funeral.

“The characters are charmingly kooky and fun. We will be looking for more of Jake O’Hara.” – TheMysteryReader.com

THE LUCK OF THE GHOSTWRITER (#2)

Jake O’Hara and her colleagues are looking forward to a complimentary weekend in Manhattan’s swanky Plaza Hotel, the venue for the Greater New York Crime Writers’ Conference. The conference kicks off on St. Patrick’s Day, making the atmosphere a bit more festive—and chaotic—than usual. But things get way out of hand when Senator-turned-writer Charlie Fione and actress-turned-writer Holly Halligan partake of some green beer—that leaves them permanently green around the gills. Now Jake’s Irish eyes are far from smiling as she delves into a mystery and tries to rewrite a murderer’s plot—as only New York City’s finest ghostwriter can.

“[Wald] writes with a light touch.” – New York Daily News

A GHOSTWRITER TO DIE FOR (#3)

A summer in the sun has sent Jake O’Hara out of her beach house and into the poorhouse. But help is about to come from an unlikely place. Acerbic book critic Richard Peter, voted the man most Americans love to hate, has written himself into a corner by accepting a whopping advance for a murder mystery he can’t deliver. With his publisher on the warpath, Peter’s willing to share a generous slice of the pie with a discreet wordsmith like Jake. The problem is, plenty of people would love to stab Peter in the back. And before long, one of them does—literally. Now Manhattan’s gutsiest ghostwriter is left ghosting for the dead—and chasing down clues to a murder that hasn’t seen its final chapter.

“The author keeps the plot airy and the characters outlandish.” – South Florida Sun-Sentinel

GHOSTWRITER FOR HIRE (#5)

Jake O’Hara has a lot to celebrate. Not only will she be her mother’s maid of honor at her forthcoming wedding, but she has been offered her most lucrative ghostwriting work yet—punching up the script for the Broadway musical Suzy Q. Unfortunately, the star of the show is Elaine Eden, the award-winning actress of stage and screen, and a Titanic tinseltown twit in Jake’s eyes. Elaine’s enemies include her ex-husband, an up-and-coming actress, and the play’s author, who happens to be the producer’s boyfriend. When she falls to her death during a stunt, no one is surprised to learn the ladder was tampered with. Now, it’s up to Jake to discover which one of Elaine’s critics chose to drop the curtain on her.

“Infectious fun!” – For the Love of Books

REMEMBRANCE OF GHOSTWRITERS PAST (#4)

Manhattan ghostwriter Jake O’Hara has been meaning to get her so-called love life—and her career—back on track. But it hasn’t been easy. Especially now that her soon-to-be-married mother has witnessed a murder—in a confessional, no less. Shortly after Maura O’Hara arrived at the church, Father Billy Blake—controversy-plagued priest, anti-death penalty activist, and spiritual advisor to a notorious hit man—was shot dead. Coming up with a list of suspects isn’t the problem. Jake’s more worried about keeping her mother out of harm’s way. For she’s unknowingly stepping into a tangled web of mystery and murder—one that ties into the deadly sins of the past.

“A light, fun cozy mystery that made me laugh and kept me engrossed until the end.” – Books Galore

DEATH WITH AN OCEAN VIEW (#1)

Nestled between fast track Ft. Lauderdale and nouveau riche Boca Raton, the once sleepy beach town of Palmetto is plagued by progress. The latest news has Ocean Vista condo board president Stella Sajak and other residents in an uproar. Developers plan to raze the property and put up a glitzy resort. But when Stella says she’ll go to City Hall and fight this to the death, no one thinks to take her statement literally. And when Kate begins to investigate the murder, she discovers that this little corner of the sunshine state is cursed with corruption, unsavory characters, and a very dark cloud overhead.

“Sparkles like the South Florida sunshine...Kate Kennedy is a warm and funny heroine.” – Nancy Martin, Author of the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries

DEATH OF THE SWAMI SCHWARTZ (#2)

At a dinner for Swami Schwartz, the founder of the Palmetto Beach Yoga Institute, the food is fabulous and the dancing is delightful. That is, until Swami two-steps all over Kate Kennedy’s new shoes and then keels over dead after someone spikes his double espresso with cyanide. Who could have poisoned the yogi? Now Kate has to team up with her best friend Marlene to sort through suspects, including a shady business partner and a pretty yoga student—who may have shared more than a lotus position with Swami.

“Miss Marple with a modern twist...[Wald] is a very funny lady!” – Donna Andrews, Author of the Meg Langslow Mysteries

DEATH IS A BARGAIN (#3)

Kate and her best friend Marlene are attending the Palmetto Beach Flea Market in hopes of selling Marlene’s collection of 1950s memorabilia. Fortunately, a table has become available in the busy corridor just outside the circus tent. Unfortunately, the vacant table’s previous occupant died from electrocution when a television set took a dive into his bathtub. The police suspect foul play. And Kate suspects nearly every seller who had a table near the victim—and a motive to put him out of business.

“Death is a Bargain is another top-notch entry in a great series.” – Carolyn Hart, Author of the Death on Demand Mysteries

DEATH STORMS THE SHORE (#4)

He forecasts the weather on TV to the delight of his many fans. But the residents of Ocean Vista Condominiums are less fond of Uncle Weatherwise—the newest arrival at the condo—especially when a hurricane that he predicted would bypass Palmetto Beach instead heads straight for their town. The morning after a frantic evacuation, Kate is blown away when she stumbles upon his corpse with a sharpened weather vane pointed in the direction of his heart. Suddenly Kate’s neighbors are suspects, from a retired Rockette to a former federal prosecutor to a man dressed mysteriously in crisply pressed pajamas. Now Kate is hot on a trail of clues that may lead back to the Cold War.

“A stylish and sophisticated Miss Marple, seeking justice in sunny South Florida instead of a rainy English Village.” – Victoria Thompson, Author of the Gaslight Mysteries

DEATH RIDES THE SURF (#5)

Tired of college, Kate Kennedy’s granddaughter, Katharine, drops out and heads for Florida, landing in the apartment of Kate’s best friend. In her quest for a new life, she takes up with a gang of surfers that go by the name “The Four Boardsmen of the Apocalypse.” But catching waves can be a dangerous pastime. When Katharine’s surfer crush is killed in a shark attack, foul play is suspected, especially by the police. Fingers are pointing at Katharine—including, to Kate’s disappointment, those of her friend Detective Nick Carbone. It’s up to Kate to prove her beloved granddaughter’s innocence or else Katharine’s “new life” will be spent behind bars.

“Kate Kennedy’s wry wit, genuine kindness, and openness to adventure make her a sleuth to cherish.” – Carolyn Hart, Author of the Death on Demand Mysteries

coastal, cozy, humorous mysteries, senior sleuths, women sleuths

Kate Kennedy Mysteries