Meet Susan Budavari
Award-winning author Susan Budavari has always loved reading mysteries. After years as a scientific writer/editor and information specialist in the pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey, she moved to Arizona and began to write fiction.
Her Merano & Bell novels feature a small-town, Arizona Private Investigator (an ex-New Jersey cop) and his physician wife, who team up to uncover the bad guys. To date, the series includes five books, the first being DEADLY LISTING,
which impressed a variety of reviewers, including on Amazon. “This was a fun read! Very well written. I really enjoyed the plot twists and the ‘medical detective’ aspects of the book. I am looking forward to getting the next book in the series!”THE PAST REMAINS, the latest in the series, also received praise: “The Past Remains will keep you guessing through every intriguing turn. A fine addition to the engaging Merano & Bell mystery series.”
In addition to this series, Susan is a prolific short story writer. Her work has been published in ten of the Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter’s anthologies, and she co-authored the award-winning short story anthology, BEYOND THE BROKEN DOOR, with Merle McCann.
Stepping into a new genre, Susan is currently working on a novel featuring an unemployed fitness instructor who inherits a mansion in Scottsdale, Arizona, along with stipulations. “It’s the first novel I’ve written that is not really a mystery. It has romantic vibes, and puppies play a significant role in the story.”Susan’s journey as an author involved poetry in addition to scientific articles, and her love of mysteries. “My mother told me that, at nine-years-old I began writing poems, set at well-known sites in Europe. The poems were about my imaginary visions of what those places must be like—based on their names, not on any actual knowledge of the locations.”
The next big influence on Susan’s writing occurred with her career in the science and medical fields. “After completing Masters degrees in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Marketing, I worked in Pharma in New Jersey. My positions (following the lab) included scientific writing, and I served as editor/contributing writer of an encyclopedia of drugs, chemical and biologicals, wherein I wrote monographs.”However, Susan did take some time out to read crime fiction along with science. “I enjoyed reading mysteries to relax after long days at work. While reading, I thought of potential plots for books I could write one day.
“After a move to Arizona, I decided to try to write the ‘kind of books’ I liked reading. I started with mystery short stories, a couple of dozen of which have been published. I was especially interested in writing stories with medical content, including toxins, stimulated by my former day job and encyclopedia research.
“Sometimes I’d wake in the morning with an idea and sit down at my computer and write a draft of a short story from beginning to end.
“My first novel was inspired by an interesting toxin I had monographed in my role as the editor of the one-volume encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs and biologicals.”
One author who influenced Susan is immensely popular with thousands of mystery readers. “I enjoyed reading Mary Higgins Clark, and some of her books appealed to me as the type I could write.”
As an author, Susan benefited from working with the writing community. In addition to being a member of the Sisters in Crime Grand Canyon Writers chapter since the year it began, she’s participated in multiple writers’ organizations.
She served on the board of directors of another Sisters in Crime chapters and on the board of the former Arizona Publishers Association.
“I was one of four people on the committee that established the annual WRITENOW! Conference. I also served as lead editor for the first Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter anthology and as a co-editor of several subsequent volumes. My experience in publishing came from my Pharma job, and many years of co-ownership of a small mystery press, Red Coyote Press, that published anthologies and novels.”
In January 2025, Susan utilized her experience as an editor when she appeared on a panel presented by Sisters in Crime Grand Canyon Writers addressing, “The Key to Successful—and Exceptional—Self-Editing.”
Susan has been recognized for her extensive work in the anthology field. “I received awards for several anthologies I co-edited and contributed to.” She and her co-author Merle McCann received the prestigious New Mexico/Arizona Book Award for Best Anthology, for BEYOND THE BROKEN DOOR.
“Three of the anthologies that I co-edited/contributed to for Red Coyote Press won awards. I am proud to say those anthologies featured short stories from a number of new authors who went on to become best-selling novelists.”
When not writing, Susan keeps herself busy with art projects. “I have painted in oil for years, and have knit dozens of sweaters for children.” She designed many of the sweaters. “Recently I’ve attended fused glass workshops and pottery classes and have created some interesting works.”
Susan’s decision to include puppies in her newest novel was influenced by furry family members. “I have had three Hungarian pulis (black sheep dogs) as pets over the years. They provided the inspiration for the pups in my novel in progress.”
Learn more about Susan and her work, or contact her on her website at: https://susanbudavari.com
