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Nancy Pickard

b. 1945

American writer

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About Nancy Pickard

Born 1945. Nancy Pickard is an American writer.

Nancy Pickard (born September 19, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri ) is an American crime novelist. She has won five Macavity Awards, four Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, and a Shamus Award. She is the only author to win all four awards. She also served on the board of directors of the Mystery Writers of America. She received a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and began writing when she was 35 years old.

She is frequently a panelist at the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave, a convention for mystery writers and mystery fans in Manhattan, Kansas.

In 2017 her novel The Scent of Rain and Lightning was adapted into a film of the same name.

Published works

Jenny Cain series

1984 Generous Death 1985 Say No to Murder 1986 No Body 1987 Marriage is Murder 1988 Dead Crazy 1990 Bum Steer 1991 I.O.U. 1993 But I Wouldn't Want to Die There 1994 Confession 1995 Twilight

Eugenia Potter Series

1992 The 27-Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders (w/Virginia Rich) 1998 The Blue Corn Murders 2001 The Secret Ingredient Murders

Marie Lightfoot series 2000 The Whole Truth 2001 Ring of Truth 2002 The Truth Hurts

Non-series novels

2001 Naked Came the Phoenix (serial novel) Marcia Talley, ed. (with Nevada Barr, Mary Jane Clark, Diana Gabaldon, J. A. Jance, Faye Kellerman, Laurie R. King, Val McDermid, Perri O'Shaughnessy, Anne Perry, J. D. Robb and Lisa Scottoline) 2006 The Virgin of Small Plains 2010 The Scent of Rain and Lightning

Short stories

1981 "A Man Around the House" 1987 "I, Witness" 1989 "Afraid All the Time" 1989 "The Dead Past" 1990 "Storm Warnings" 1991 "Dust Devil" 1991 "Lazy Susan" 1991 "The Scar" 1992 "Every Wednesday" 1992 "Fat Cat" 1992 "Sex and Violence" 1994 "Sign of the Times" 1995 "Speak No Evil" 1995 "Valentine's Night" 1996 "A Rock and a Hard Place" 1997 "Dr. Couch Saves a Cat" 1997 "It Had to Be You" 1997 "Lady Finch-Waller Regrets" 1997 "Love's Cottage" 1997 "The Potluck Supper Murders" 1998 "Dr. Couch Saves a Bird" 1998 "The Private Life of a Private Eye" 1999 "The First Ladies' Secret" 1999 "Nine Points for Murder" 1999 "Out of Africa" 1999 "Verdict" 2000 "Afraid of the Dark" 2001 "Lucky Devil" 2001 "Tea for Two" 2002 "Dr. Couch Saves a President" 2002 "Old Eyes" 2005 "There is No Crime on Easter Island"

Short story anthologies

1994 Nancy Pickard presents Malice Domestic 3 1999 Storm Warnings 1999 The First Lady Murders 1999 Mom, Apple Pie, and Murder

Non-fiction

2003 Seven Steps on the Writer's Path (with Lynn Lott)

Awards and recognition

1986 Anthony award winner, best paperback original, Say No to Murder 1987 Anthony award nominee, best novel, No Body 1988 Anthony award nominee, best novel, Marriage is Murder 1989 Agatha award nominee, best short story, "Afraid All The Time" 1990 Agatha award winner, best novel, Bum Steer 1992 Anthony award nominee, best novel, I.O.U. 1992 Macavity award winner, best novel, I.O.U. 2001 Macavity award nominee, best mystery novel, The Whole Truth 2006 Agatha award winner, best novel, The Virgin of Small Plains 2006 Anthony award nominee, best novel, The Virgin of Small Plains 2006 Edgar award nominee, best novel, The Virgin of Small Plains 2006 Macavity award winner, best short story, "There Is No Crime on Easter Island" 2007 Macavity award winner, best mystery novel, The Virgin of Small Plains 2008 Agatha award nominee, best short story, "A Nice Old Guy" 2011 Macavity award nominee, best mystery novel, The Scent of Rain and Lightning

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Missouri
Awards
Macavity Awards; Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original; Anthony Award for Best Short Story; Agatha Award for Best Novel; Barry Award for Best Short Story

People in Nancy Pickard's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Nancy Pickard's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Nancy Pickard?

American writer

When was Nancy Pickard born?

Nancy Pickard was born on 19 September 1945 in Kansas City.

What is Nancy Pickard's occupation?

Nancy Pickard is a writer.

What nationality is Nancy Pickard?

Nancy Pickard is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Nancy Pickard

· Wikidata: Q509515

· DBpedia: Nancy Pickard

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Nancy Pickard. https://biography.guide/nancy-pickard/

MLA: "Nancy Pickard." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/nancy-pickard/.

Chicago: "Nancy Pickard." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/nancy-pickard/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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