Menu Close

Our History

Tucson Sisters in Crime was founded in January 2012 by Mary Ball, Alicia Johnson, Marilyn Johnson, Kilian Metcalf, Mikaela Quinn, Helen Strand and Jackie Tresler.  Our first Chapter meeting was held in February 2012 at the Old Pueblo Grill in Tucson, Arizona.  Susan Cummins Miller was our guest speaker.  About 20 people attended that first meeting, and by December of that year we had grown to 45 members.  Elaine A. Powers joined the board in February 2012.

We are the recognized Tucson Chapter of the international organization Sisters in Crime Inc.  The founders of that group included best-selling mystery author Sara Paretsky and Kate Mattes, owner of the former Cambridge literary fixture, Kate’s Mystery Books. Today, Sisters in Crime promotes the professional development and advancement of both women and men who write all genres of mystery fiction, and includes more than 3,600 members in 48 chapters around the world – authors, writers, readers, publishers, agents, editors, booksellers, librarians and others who love mysteries.

In 1986, women wrote 40 percent of all mystery novels but only received about 15 percent of the book reviews in the New York TimesSisters in Crime was founded to "… combat discrimination against women in the mystery field, to raise awareness of the contributions of female authors, and to promote the professional advancement of women who write mysteries."

Join Us!