Virginia Lanier

Virginia Rudd Lanier ( - ) was an American mystery fiction writer, author of a series featuring bloodhound trainer Jo Beth Sidden.
Biography.
Lanier was born in Madison County, Florida in 1930. She was an orphan and was adopted by Ira and Mary Holt Rudd.
Death.
Lanier died in her home in October 2003 after a long illness.
Bibliography.
Lanier published her first book in 1995 at age 65 after having thrown a book across the room in disgust and attempting to write something better herself.
Awards.
Lanier's début novel "Death in Bloodhound Red" won the 1996 Anthony Award for "Best First Novel" and was also nominated for the same honour at the Agatha Awards the previous year. Her fourth novel, "Blind Bloodhound Justice", was nominated for the 1998 Agatha Award in the "Best Novel" category. Lanier's last novel, "A Bloodhound to Die For", was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award at the 2004 Edgar Awards.
Adaptations.
As of 1998, the "Jo Beth Sidden" series was optioned to be the basis for a Hollywood movie or a TV Mini-series. However, this project appears to have been scrapped.