Libby Fischer Hellmann

writes the Ellie Foreman mysteries, the Georgia Davis thrillers, and several stand-alone thrillers. Her Ellie books are a cross between “Desperate Housewives” and “24”, but the Georgia Davis PI thrillers are more hard-boiled. Her stand-alones include a “trilogy” of thrillers set during the revolutions of Iran, Cuba, and the turbulent late Sixties in Chicago.

2015’s Top 7 Thriller Movies (according to IMDb)

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Thriller films are incredibly popular right now. In fact for every thriller that is released, there are probably ten more in development or, at least, requested by Hollywood. (I’ve been offering mine to the film-making universe as we speak). It’s a genre that fascinates, keeps us riveted, and then makes us come back for more. … Read more

It’s the Neighborhoods, Stupid…

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There’s something about Chicago-based authors. Darkness is part of the scenery. Take the brilliant Chicago resident Gillian Flynn, whose super-dark thrillers have spooked millions of readers all over the world. Or the legendary Silver Dagger award winner Scott Turow. Goodreads reports an impressive 136 thrillers set in Chicago with works by myself, Hugh Holton, Andrew M. … Read more

Spy Tradecraft: A Baker’s Dozen

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As some of you know, World War Two has always called to me, and the research I did for An Incidental Spy was a journey of discovery into the creative ways spies communicated with each other and their spymasters. Here in the US, well before we joined the war, Nazi spies were active on our … Read more

The Incidental Spy — Where It Came From

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Hi, all. Now that the The Incidental Spy is out in print and ebook, I thought I’d tell you where I got the idea. This segment is part of an interview that I will excerpt all week on the blog. In addition, there’s a summary of wartime spies in the US that you might not know about … Read more

A Discussion About Great Writing in the Mystery Genre

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57th Street Books 10-4-15

57th Street Books 10-4-15

I hope you’ll join me along with Michael Harvey and Lori Rader-Day for a discussion about Great Writing in the Mystery Genre.

Here’s the info:

Genre fiction is widely read, even admired, but seldom considered the equal of its literary counterparts. The mere label “mystery” acts as a sort of downgrade.

Panelists Michael Harvey, Lori Rader-Day and Libby Fischer Hellmann will explore the whos, whats, whys and hows of great mystery fiction. Don Evans will moderate.

Join us Sunday, October 4, 5 pm at 57th Street Books. 1301 E. 57th Street, Chicago. Hope to see you there!

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Is It OK To Mix Fictional And Non-fictional Characters?

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Purists probably disagree. But I think it’s OK to bring a mix of fictional and ‘real’ characters into a story. TV has been doing it for a while with docu-dramas that blend real footage and eyewitness accounts with dramatized content played by actors. It has proven to be a popular format, and it works equally well for … Read more

The Manhattan Project — Chicago Style

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Everyone’s heard about Los Alamos, where they built and tested the first nuclear weapon. But few people seem to know about the role that Chicago played in the development of nuclear fission and its ultimate military application. That fascinated me when I set off on a voyage of discovery into the dark days before the bomb. … Read more

Late Summer Mini-Series Binge

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Last time I talked about late summer movies. This time it’s TV, which is where all the good stuff is, as you’ve probably noticed. I’ve been binge-watching my way through August and I’ve seen some great mini-series. As an author my stock-in-trade is storytelling, so I’m delighted to recommend these—some are mini-masterpieces.     Rita … Read more

The Incidental Spy — Giveaway

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It’s getting close to the official launch of the print version of The Incidental Spy — A Novella (September 20), so I’m giving away a couple of copies on Goodreads. Check them out here:   Goodreads Book Giveaway The Incidental Spy by Libby Fischer Hellmann Giveaway ends September 25, 2015. See the giveaway details at … Read more