Christine Matthews

Under her mystery pseudonym, “Christine Matthews,” and her real name, Marthayn Pelegrimas,  this author’s short fiction has been published in many  anthologies and magazines, including MICKEY SPILLANE’S VENGEANCE IS HERS, HOLLYWOOD & CRIME, CRIME SQUARE, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Her stories have been chosen 6 times  for inclusion in Ed Gorman and Martin H. Greenberg’s BEST OF THE YEAR collections.

She has published 7 novels, 2 short story collections, and  over 60 stories in the mystery, horror, science fiction, fantasy and western genres. In his introduction to her collection GENTLE INSANITIES AND OTHER STATES OF MIND John Lutz said  “. . .Matthews is an author who thinks outside the box.”

In the introduction to her collection PROMISES MADE AND BROKEN Ed Gorman said, “She writes ear perfect dialogue and her prose is as clean and resonant as good poetry.”

She is also an award winning poet and playwright. She has edited the anthologies DEADLY ALLIES II, LETHAL LADIES II, HEAR THE FEAR, MURDER IN THE MIDLANDS and DEADLY HOUSEWIVES.

Her historical novel, ON THE STRENGTH OF WINGS, has been reissued to great sales and high praise.

With Robert J. Randisi she has authored the “Gil & Claire Hunt” trilogy.  About the second book, THE MASKS OF AUNTIE LAVEAU, the Los Angeles Times said the book “could be a textbook on how to create a lively, accessible, smartly paced, entertaining suspense novel.”

In 2015 the first novel in a proposed jewelry maker mystery series, SAPPHIRES ARE FOREVER, was published.

As “Emily Barnes,” she has written DEATH IN THE ABTRACT (2016) and THE FINE ART OF MURDER (2017).

2016 also saw the publication of her psychological thriller BEATING THE BUSHES.