Diane A.S. Stuckart Books In Order

Publication Order of Black Cat Bookshop Mystery Books

Publication Order of Leonardo da Vinci Mystery Books

Publication Order of Tarot Cats Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Georgia B&B Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Diane A.S. Stuckart

Coming from Texas, the American writer of historical romance and mystery thriller novels Diane A.S. Stuckart has been successfully writing for a long time now. Creating engaging and highly compelling stories with in-depth characters who almost leap off the page for the reader, she really worked at drawing them in on an intimate and personal level. A clear proponent of her genre and form, she definitely has a love of her craft, something which becomes self evident through her work. Whether it’s creating somewhat flawed characters with realistic learning arcs, or intricate stories that keep the reader guessing right until the end, she is clearly a master of the form. Writing under a variety of different pseudonyms as well, she has been producing work since the mid-nineties and has come a long way since.

Fully utilizing her chosen genres, she writes historical and romance fiction that uses the many tropes, whilst creating a style that is all of her very own. With a talent for writing mysteries that are both intriguing and surprising in equal measure, she manages to dig right down to some very real fundamental human truths. This has allowed her to produce work that has gone on to become appreciated worldwide on a universal level globally. Evidence of this can be seen through the many critics who have sung her praises through a number of reviews, along with the general public also greatly appreciating her work. Showing no signs of stopping any time soon either, she appears to have a lot more books planned in the pipeline as well, something which will carry on for a long time to come.

Early and Personal Life

Born on the 28th of January in Lubbock, Texas, in the United States, Diane A.S. Stuckart would go on to nurture a passion for literature in every form. Whether this be reading or writing, she would refine and hone her style over the following years to come, something which she’d continue into her adult career. With a strong creative streak running throughout her many hobbies and pastimes, it would be writing the one that she would continually come back to. Her ideas would also transform and evolve over the years too, as she would come to focus herself largely on character driven plots and stories. This would then be transposed over into her love of history and mystery stories, as they would begin to take shape during her later career.

Previously gaining a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma, she would learn a great deal about her craft through her higher education. This can clearly be seen through her work itself, with its precise factual style and heavy attention to detail showing up in her novels. It would also allow her to find her own voice as a writer in the process, whilst also lending a high degree of authenticity to her material. Being a native of Texas for many years would also come to shape much of her outlook too, something which can also be seen in her books. Now currently living in West Palm Beach in Florida, where she has resided for over a decade, she continues to write to this present day.

Writing Career

It would be 1994 when Diane A.S. Stuckart would write and publish her first full novel, as she would quickly rise in prominence within the public eye. Writing ‘Masquerade’, she would write under the name of Alexa Smart, as it would be a stand-alone romance novel with thriller and action elements as well. Using a number of different pen-names, such as Alexa Smart and Ali Brandon, she would go on to become a publishing sensation in the literary world. Over the years whilst growing up, many of her experiences would come to inform a lot of her work, including her time living in Oklahoma after her father’s work took them north of the river there. With a strong and perceptive ear for the world around her, she has used her insight to create work that resonates worldwide, regardless of where the readers are from.

The many settings featured within her work are also brilliantly realized too, as she manages to bring them to life for the reader. This can be seen as they really feel deep and immersive, all thanks to her rich and evocative use of inventive language throughout. Over the years she has managed to build upon this for her readers, really allowing her work to speak for itself, becoming highly idiosyncratic and unique in the process. An active member of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America too, she currently serves as their Chapter President there as well. All of this has lead to her becoming one of the most prominent voices currently working within her field to date, as she has plenty more titles set on the horizon.

A Bolt From The Blue

First published in 2009 on the 18th of December, this would be the third book in the ongoing ‘Leonardo da Vinci Mysteries’ series of novels. Brought out through the Berkley publishing house, it would continue the story in much the same vein as before, using historical facts to underpin it all. It would also develop the central characters, such as Leonardo da Vinci, along with the world of Milan too.

Currently positioned as the court engineer serving the Duke of Milan, Leonardo da Vinci balances his time between designing intricate contraptions to solving murders. That’s when he’s called upon by the duke to create a flying machine that will serve Italy as a weapon in the impending war. Calling in someone who he believes to be a craftsman to his star apprentice Dino, who soon learns that she’s actually a craftswoman, as Delfina seeks to hide her gender, whilst someone is murdering apprentices, something which they must both prevent from occurring any more. Will they keep her secret? Can they find the real killer lurking out there before they strike again? What will become of them as they suffer a bolt from the blue?

Roses at Midnight

A stand-alone work, this wasn’t to be a part of any other series as such, with it being published through the ‘BookSmart Publishing’ imprint this time. Coming out on the 13th of December in 2014, it would be a historical novel again, this time set in London with a more romantic thriller angle. Following one Amaryllis Meeks, a highly talented painter, it sees her falling under the seductive charms of Victor Saville, the Earl of Blackstock. Did he really murder a young actress? Can she escape the wild passion that he has unlocked inside of her? What will become of the roses at midnight?