A month-long trip to England during her college years introduced Jo to the joys of Things British.  Since then, she has been lured back nearly a dozen times, and lived there during her professional folk singing stint.  This intimate knowledge of Britain forms the backbone of the McLaren mystery series.

Jo graduated from Webster University in 2001 with a BA degree in English and departmental honors.

    The McLaren mysteries ‘Black Moon’, ‘Hide and Seek’, ‘Haunted Water’, and ‘Christmas at Corbie Hall’ received N.N. Light’s Best Mystery Novel of the Year award for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024. ‘Hide and Seek’ won Best Audiobook award for 2022, also winning narrator Callum Hale the Best Narrator award that same year. 

She founded the Greater St. Louis Chapter of Sisters in Crime, serving as its first president.  Besides her love of mysteries and early music, she also enjoys photography, reading, creating recipes, and her backyard wildlife.  She lives in the St. Louis, Missouri-area but wishes she lived in Britain.