Dana Cameron
Encyclopedia
Dana Cameron is an American
archaeologist
, and author of crime fiction
.
Born and raised in Massachusetts
, Dana Cameron began her professional career as an historical archaeologist
specializing in British and New English cultural history from 1607-1760. She presently lives in Beverly, Massachusetts
.
It was her experiences in the field that led her to write the first of her Emma Fielding archaeology mysteries, Site Unseen, published in 2002. Five more novels followed in the series, and the sixth, Ashes and Bones, won the 2007 Anthony Award
for Best Paperback Original.
The archaeology mysteries feature amateur sleuth Professor Emma Fielding and all are set in fictional towns in New England
, with the exception of Grave Consequences, which takes place in the southeast of England
. Each novel features some aspect of archaeological research and considers how the past and the present are enmeshed.
Her archaeological training also informs the world-building in her short stories. Her first short story, “The Lords of Misrule,” an historical mystery set in 1720s London, was also nominated for the 2007 Anthony for Best Short Story. “Femme Sole,” a noir story set in 1740s Boston, was nominated for the 2010 Edgar Award
for Best Short Story. Two of her stories feature characters from her “Fangborn” world of vampires and werewolves. “The Night Things Changed” won the 2008 Agatha Award
and 2009 Macavity Award and was nominated for 2009 Anthony Award. “Swing Shift” (2010) follows the Fangborn in Boston during World War II.
Cameron’s professional affiliations include the Mystery Writers of America
, Sisters in Crime
(she served on the board and as Vice President and President of the New England Chapter), The Femmes Fatales (a circle of writers including Donna Andrews
, Charlaine Harris
, Julie Wray Herman, Toni L.P. Kelner
, Kris Neri, Hank Phillippi Ryan
, Mary Saums, and Elaine Viets
), and the American Crime Writers League.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
archaeologist
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, and author of crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
.
Born and raised in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Dana Cameron began her professional career as an historical archaeologist
Historical archaeology
Historical archaeology is a form of archaeology dealing with topics that are already attested in written records. These records can both complement and conflict with the archaeological evidence found at a particular site. Studies tend to focus on literate, historical-period societies as opposed...
specializing in British and New English cultural history from 1607-1760. She presently lives in Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
.
It was her experiences in the field that led her to write the first of her Emma Fielding archaeology mysteries, Site Unseen, published in 2002. Five more novels followed in the series, and the sixth, Ashes and Bones, won the 2007 Anthony Award
Anthony Award
The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher , one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America....
for Best Paperback Original.
The archaeology mysteries feature amateur sleuth Professor Emma Fielding and all are set in fictional towns in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, with the exception of Grave Consequences, which takes place in the southeast of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Each novel features some aspect of archaeological research and considers how the past and the present are enmeshed.
Her archaeological training also informs the world-building in her short stories. Her first short story, “The Lords of Misrule,” an historical mystery set in 1720s London, was also nominated for the 2007 Anthony for Best Short Story. “Femme Sole,” a noir story set in 1740s Boston, was nominated for the 2010 Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Short Story. Two of her stories feature characters from her “Fangborn” world of vampires and werewolves. “The Night Things Changed” won the 2008 Agatha Award
Agatha Award
The Agatha Awards are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write via the same method as Agatha Christie...
and 2009 Macavity Award and was nominated for 2009 Anthony Award. “Swing Shift” (2010) follows the Fangborn in Boston during World War II.
Cameron’s professional affiliations include the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
, Sisters in Crime
Sisters in Crime
Sisters in Crime is an organization that has 3,600 members in 48 chapters world-wide, offering networking, advice and support to mystery authors. Members are authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians bound by their affection for the mystery genre and their support of women...
(she served on the board and as Vice President and President of the New England Chapter), The Femmes Fatales (a circle of writers including Donna Andrews
Donna Andrews (author)
Donna Andrews is an American mystery fiction writer of two award-winning amateur sleuth series. Her first book, Murder with Peacocks , introduced Meg Langslow, a blacksmith from Yorktown, Virginia. It won the St...
, Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing mysteries for over twenty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area of the United States. She now lives in southern Arkansas with her husband and three children...
, Julie Wray Herman, Toni L.P. Kelner
Toni Kelner
Toni LP Kelner is an award-winning author of two mystery series: the eight Laura Fleming novels, which include: Wed and Buried, Death of a Damn Yankee, Tight as a Tick, and several others; and the Where Are They Now? series, which debuted in January 2008 with Without Mercy. She has also edited...
, Kris Neri, Hank Phillippi Ryan
Hank Phillippi Ryan
Born Harriet Ann Sablosky, Hank Phillippi Ryan is an American investigative reporter for Channel 7 News on WHDH-TV, the NBC-affiliate station for Boston, Massachusetts. She is also an author of mystery novels.Ryan is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Mary Saums, and Elaine Viets
Elaine Viets
Elaine Viets is a Midwestern American newspaperwoman and mystery writer.A native of the working-class white southside of St. Louis, Missouri, the statuesque Viets has a degree in journalism and became a long-time popular media figure in St. Louis. She was a regular columnist for the St...
), and the American Crime Writers League.
Published works
- Site Unseen (2002)
- Grave Consequences (2002)
- Past Malice (2003)
- A Fugitive Truth (2004)
- More Bitter Than Death (2005)
- Ashes and Bones (2006)
Short stories
- “The Lords of Misrule,” in Sugarplums and Scandal (2006)
- “The Night Things Changed,” in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (2008)
- “Femme Sole,” in Boston Noir (2009)
- “Swing Shift,” in Crimes By Moonlight (2010)