Barbara Parker

Barbara Parker (January 28, 1947 – March 7, 2009) was a New York Times bestselling American mystery writer and former prosecutor whose legal background lent deep authenticity to her acclaimed thrillers. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, she initially majored in theatre arts before earning her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. After spending years as a prosecutor in the state attorney's office in Dade County, Florida, she transitioned to private practice and later earned a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Florida International University. Her master's thesis became the basis for her 1994 debut novel, Suspicion of Innocence, which was an Edgar Award finalist for Best First Novel and adapted into an ABC Movie of the Week. Parker is best known for her eight-book Suspicion series featuring the intertwined professional and personal lives of Miami attorneys Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana, which includes the gripping 2000 legal thriller Suspicion of Malice. Over her distinguished career, she published 12 novels, hit the New York Times bestseller list multiple times, and served on the national board of the Mystery Writers of America.