Carolee Russell was born and raised in and near Baltimore, Md. Painfully shy throughout her childhood and years at school, she slowly began to discover her self-worth in her senior year of high school. She has a talent for art and crafts which she has shared freely whenever an occasion has had a need for it, whether it be drawing paper doll clothes for the neighborhood children, designing posters and flyers for office social functions, teaching calligraphy, or creating three dimensional animals, half an ocean liner, carousel horses and Cinderella’s coach for country club social functions. Her creative abilities are only constrained by her imagination.

She married a man who she respected and who made her laugh and became stepmother to his daughter and son who have no idea what a tremendous impact they have had on her life.

While living in Pittsburgh in the early to mid 1980′s, she, along with eight others, had the opportunity to play a character in a murder mystery play performed amongst a group celebration at a local pub and eatery. Based on a short character description and specific instructions, each player created their character, dressed the part and acted and reacted during the evening as they perceived their character should. Not being especially comfortable as a center of attention in large crowds, the anticipation of the event was extremely stressful but the actual live experience of transforming ones self into another entity was a revolutionary breakthrough experience for her and changed her entire perspective of social interaction.

Inspired to share that illuminating experience, she promptly began her first murder mystery party play, Murder in the Haunted House. The success of the first play encouraged her to follow up with three more . . . A Race to Murder, Murder By Magic and  A Wake For Murder.

She is pleased to have the courage and opportunity to share these stories and party play experiences with others through the publication of her first book…and others to follow.