About

In writing her debut mystery "Death Stalks Door County," Patricia Skalka bridged the gap between the worlds of fiction and nonfiction. The book, which "Publishers Weekly" called a tight, lyrical first novel, was short-listed for the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award and nominated for Best First Novel at the Love is Murder Mystery Writers Conference. She has written three more books since. "Death At Gills Rock" (2015) -- named "One of the Year's Best" by Chicago Book Review; "Death In Cold Water" (2016) --which received the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers; and, Death Rides the Ferry (2018) -- hailed as "a page-turning read" by the New York Journal of Books and "a deftly-crafted gem" by Midwest Book Review.

Skalka is a former "Reader’s Digest" Staff Writer and freelancer with articles in national print and online publications and nonfiction books published by Random House, St. Martin’s, Avon and Rodale. She lives in Door County WI and Chicago.

Other Works

  • Death Rides the Ferry

    2018
  • Death in Cold Water

    2016
  • Death At Gills Rock

    2015
  • Death Stalks Door County

    2014

Awards and Recognition

  • Death At Gills Rock -- One of the Year's Best -- Chicago Book Review
  • Death Stalks Door County -- Finalist: Book of the Year Award, Chicago Writers Association
  • Death in Cold Water --Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award -- Council for Wisconsin Writers