J A Jance

J. A. Jance, born Judith Ann Jance on October 27, 1944, in Watertown, South Dakota, and raised in Bisbee, Arizona, is a prolific American author of mystery novels. She is best known for her three main series: the J. P. Beaumont police procedurals starting with Until Proven Guilty (1985), the Joanna Brady sheriff mysteries beginning with Desert Heat (1993), and the Ali Reynolds thrillers from Edge of Evil (2006). After overcoming early career obstacles including gender discrimination and personal hardships as a single mother, she became a New York Times bestselling author with over 30 novels and more than 10 million copies in print.