Noir and hard-boiled fiction seem to be in Jeri Westerson's blood. She was born and bred on the mean streets of Los Angeles, inhaling smog and enduring earthquakes.

Raised in a household that not only embraced history, but medieval English history specifically, Jeri came by her interest in all things medieval honestly. She worked in a bevy of careers prior to setting her sights on becoming a novelist. Would-be actress, graphic artist, theology teacher, tasting host and tour guide for a winery, and newspaper reporter were among them.

She wanted to create her own brand of medieval mystery, and combined the concept of medieval mystery with hard-boiled detective fiction into what she calls "Medieval Noir." Hard-boiled detective Crispin Guest, is a disgraced knight turned PI, solving crimes on the mean streets of fourteenth century London. The critically acclaimed series began with VEIL OF LIES, which garnered nominations from the Mystery Reader's Journal Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award for Best First PI Novel, the first medieval mystery to be so honored.

The next in the series, SERPENT IN THE THORNS, garnered more mystery award nominations.

The third, THE DEMON'S PARCHMENT, took yet more nominations from awards committees, including RT (Romantic Times) Reviewers' Choice Award.

The fourth Crispin Guest mystery, TROUBLED BONES, was released in October 2011 and out of the gate received a nomination for the RT Reviewer's Choice Award. It finaled for the Agatha, the Bruce Alexander Award, and the Macavity, giving it four nominations.

Publisher's Weekly said of the fifth in the series BLOOD LANCE; "Clever twists and convincing period detail make Westerson's fifth 14th-century historical featuring disgraced knight Crispin Guest one of her best."

Jeri looks forward to the sixth, SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST scheduled for release October 15, 2013, for which author CW Gortner said, "Lively action and heart-stopping suspense, twisting plot turns and a compelling cast of characters easily make this one of Jeri Westerson's best books yet!"

Jeri also has short stories in several anthologies: "Noodle Girl" in SHAKEN: STORIES FOR JAPAN, edited by Tim Hallinan; "Universal Donor" in MURDER AND MAYHEM IN MUSKEGO anthology, edited by Jon and Ruth Jordan; "Mesmer Maneuver" in 2013"s Operator #5 serial anthology NIGHT OF THE INSURGENTS edited by Gary Phillips, and "Marked" written by her alter ego Haley Walsh for the upcoming anthology ANYTHING FOR A DOLLAR, edited by Todd Gregory (Greg Herren).

Jeri has done talks around the country about the Middle Ages, demonstrating her cache of medieval weaponry. She has been a featured guest on the radio talk show Writers on Writing with host Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and on "My Awesome Empire" on her local NPR station, and a guest lecturer at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.

Jeri is president of the southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is also vice president of the Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She is married to a commercial photographer, has a screenwriter son, and herds two cats, a tortoise, a bevy of bees, and the occasional tarantula at her home in southern California. See a series book trailer, Crispin's blog, and discussion guides on her website at www.JeriWesterson.com .