Kathleen George

Kathleen George is the editor of Pittsburgh Noir and the author of Taken, Fallen, Afterimage, The Odds (Edgar finalist, best novel), Hideout, and Simple. Her latest book, A Measure of Blood, is her seventh Richard Christie novel.

From George's Q & A with Don Helin at The Big Thrill:

Is there anything special you’d like to tell us about A MEASURE OF BLOOD?

I started it in 2008. At that time, I was researching foster care in New York City. Wow, that was one of my toughest research assignments. I was told the system was tough, almost inflexible. I thought, why am I setting this in New York? More and more, as I thought about it, it became a Pittsburgh story. The sense it made to me—Commander Christie’s emotions, my own work in theatre, the Pittsburgh locations—I can’t even remember now why I thought I was going to set it somewhere else. It’s quite an emotional story about longing and family.

Did any particular event inspire the plot?

Well you know how one idea morphs into another . . . I know a woman, a distant relative, who was thrilled to have a child by artificial insemination. When he was still small (I think, seven) she became seriously ill. All of us who know her were devastated. What would the child’s life be like? She couldn’t care for him any longer. What was going to happen? I began wondering and concocting a plot. In my story, a woman, Maggie Brown, who has had a child by artificial insemination is murdered. The murderer is a man who is furious because he believes the child is his and that she has kept the child from him. He has to run from the scene before he can snatch the child. But he’s not done. He wants that boy.

I love the way...[read on]

Learn more about the book and author at Kathleen George's website.

The Page 99 Test: Afterimage.

The Page 99 Test: The Odds.

The Page 69 Test: Hideout.

My Book, The Movie: Hideout.

The Page 69 Test: Simple.

Writers Read: Kathleen George.

The Page 69 Test: A Measure of Blood.

--Marshal Zeringue