David A. Kaufelt Books In Order

Publication Order of Wyn Lewis Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

David A. Kaufelt is a published American novelist. He passed away May 9, 2014. His wife and his son Jackson survive him. He is best recognized for his work as the author of the Wyn Lewis series.

Kaufelt was born September 8, 1939. He was known for founding the Key West Literary Seminar. His efforts helped to make this island city known nationally as part of the literary scene.

The author moved from New York to Key West in 1974. At the time, he was riding high with the success of his first published novel. The book was titled Six Months with an Older Woman. The novel did very well and was adapted into a movie made for television in 1982 that starred John Ritter.

Married to his wife, Lynn, David quickly discovered a fellowship with the community of local writers. The notable writers included John Hersey, a journalist, James Merrill, a poet, Tennessee Williams, a playwright, and fellow author of novels Thomas McGuane.

This was where he came up with the idea for his literary seminar, an inspiration coming mainly from an experience in New York. There with Dick Duane, a literary agent, he was unable to convince some publishers to send some notable writers to go south to attend The Council for Florida Libraries’ literary conference. The reason was that the publishers did not believe that people in Florida were all that interested in books.

Kaufelt disagreed, thinking personally that there were such a great variety of writers already in Key West that the interest was merited. However, he knew that the scene was there and the foundation for a literary festival could be built. Within several years, the writer decided to create the event himself. For decades after, the event continued, giving audiences a chance to hear from esteemed authors for themselves.

Kaufelt would continue to write even as working on the board of directors as president for this event. He would put out several stand alone novels throughout the seventies and the eighties, including Souvenir in 1983 and American Tropic in 1986. This novel was historical fiction and focused on the development of the state of Florida.

The author would follow those up with a murder mystery series all about Wyn Lewis. The main character first surfaced in the debut novel, The Fat Boy Murders, which was published in 1993. The sequel, titled The Winter Women Murders, would be published in 1994. The third book would be released in 1997, titled The Ruthless Realtor Murders.

Kaufelt not only created a literary event but is also known for coming up with and leading a walking tour all about the literary world. The popular tour offered tourists the chance to see writers’ homes in Key West and was partially so well-liked because the author as a guide was so enthusiastic about the places that he was taking them to and the topic in general. The tour was profiled by NPR in 1990 and features David talking about what it is about the island that was so attractive to himself and other authors.

The author explained that Key West is the perfect setting for writers because it mimics the time of early youth when Freud theorized people are at their most creative points. He points out that they can have that same freedom of childhood there, wearing shorts, riding bicycles, with the water nearby and no one telling them what they must do.

The Fat Boy Murders is the first novel in the Wyn Lewis mystery series. In this engaging debut, readers get to meet Wynsome Lewis for the first time.

This main character is a female attorney and real estate lawyer. She’s always been independent and with a wry sense of humor, but she’s even more independent now that she has been divorced. Coming off of the dissolution of her marriage, she’s decided to go back to Long Island.

Waggs Neck Harbor will always be her home town, and she thinks to herself that there’s no better place to start her own practice focusing on real estate. But she is surprised when she finds out that there’s a killer in town. Even less happy to hear the news is the local club known as the Fat Boys Society.

The club is so elitist that one could argue that they had it coming. But no one would want to be in their position. Can Wyn figure out what’s going on in her hometown before it’s too late? Pick up a copy of this thrilling mystery to find out!

The Winter Women Murders is the second book to come out in the Wyn Lewis series. Sophie Noble is a local older woman that dies suddenly when she falls down the stairs. Her legacy is the literary symposium that she founded and leaves behind.

The symposium had been for the purposes of enriching the cultural lives of the women that lived in town. Dubbed ‘winter women’, these were ladies that stayed in the town all year and were older and upper class. Now Rhodie, her daughter, is taking the reins. Under her leadership, the group is taking on a more feminist role.

Wyn has decided to become the host as well as volunteer to be the driver and watch over Keny Blue. Keny is one of the speakers that will be featured and used to live in Waggs Neck Harbor before going out in the world to write romance novels. The best selling books all feature love and a bit of feminism as well.

Even though she’s done so well, Ms. Blue is not going further in her career. Wyn discovers the writer’s body in her hotel room bed, unmistakably dead. Wyn has a few individuals that she suspects could be responsible. There’s the ghostwriter for Keny who was let go, Dickie French, now working as an interior designer.

Then there’s the director of her symposium, Peter Robalinski, rumored to be a gentleman for hire and with ties to a private life with the writer. Or could it be Sondra Mercy Confrit, the rival of Keny and another speaker lined up at the symposium? Wyn must sort through the suspects if she wants to find out what’s going on. What will happen? Pick up this book to find out!