West Virginia Women Writers: Carlene Thompson

State Library Services
1900 Kanawha Blvd. E.
Culture Center, Building 9
Charleston, WV 25305

Phone: (304) 558-2045
Email: wvlcref@wv.gov

Carlene Thompson was born in West Virginia and most of her books are set in West Virginia. All of the characters in her books are fictional, except for the four legged ones. The cats and dogs that appear on her pages share the same characteristics and quirks as those who live with her.

When she was nine years old she saw 101 Dalmatians and was inspired by the combination of animals and mystery to start writing. Her first published mystery Black for Remembrance originated while she and two dogs walked in a wooded area. They continued walking until Thompson had the framework for the book in her head.

After graduating from Marshall University with a degree in English, she received a PhD from Ohio State University and taught the University of Rio Grande from 1983-1989, before becoming a full time writer.  She lives in Point Pleasant and most of her books are set in real West Virginia locations unless the situations or settings of her book do not easily fit into a specific West Virginia place, she invents a new West Virginia town.

Black for Remembrance, Little, Brown, 1990

All Fall Down, Avon Books, 1993

The Way You Look Tonight, St. Martin's Press, 1997

Tonight You're Mine, St. Martin's Press, 1998

In the Event of My Death, St. Martin's Press, 1999

Don't Close Your Eyes, St. Martin's Press, 2000

Since You've Been Gone, St. Martin's Press, 2001

If She Should Die, St. Martin's Press, 2004

Share No Secrets, St. Martin's Press, 2005

Last Whisper, St. Martin's Press, 2006

Last Seen Alive, St. Martin's Press, 2007

If You Ever Tell, St. Martin's Press, 2008

You Can Run..., St. Martin's Press, 2009

Nowhere to Hide, St. Martin's Press, 2010

To the Grave, St. Martin's Press, 2012