Lisa Unger (néeMiscione; born April 26, 1970) is an American author of contemporary fiction, primarily psychological thrillers.[1][2]
Biography
Miscione was born in New Haven, Connecticut but grew up in the Netherlands, England and New Jersey. She spent her teens in the Long Valley section of Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey.[3][4] Miscione moved to New York City after high school, where she graduated from the New School for Social Research and spent a decade working in publishing in New York. During a vacation in Florida, she met her future husband Jeff Unger, who was vacationing from Detroit. After marrying Unger, she resigned her job, moved to Florida and gave herself a year to sell her first novel. Fairly quickly, she found an agent and sold a deal to produce four crime novels.[2] Her first four books were published in her maiden name of Lisa Miscione.[4]
In 2002, she published Angel Fire, the first book featuring Lydia Strong. The book received mixed reviews. Publishers Weekly described it as "gripping and terrifying right through the carnage of its final scene" and commended the novel's depictions of grisly scenes.[5] Rex Klett, writing for Library Journal, praised the Unger's writing style and the book's suspense.[6] However, Kirkus Reviews called it "predictable" and "flatly written", criticizing Lydia's characterization.[7]
In June 2006, Unger published Beautiful Lies, her first novel under her married name,[2] through Crown Publishing Group. It became a New York Times Best Seller the week it was released.[8]
In the Blood won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best Novel (Crime Thriller)[13] and was a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller 2014.[14]
Novels
Writing as Lisa Miscione
Re-released in 2011 by Crown Publishing Group.
Angel Fire (2002) – Lydia Strong #1
The Darkness Gathers (2003) – Lydia Strong #2
Twice (2004) – Lydia Strong #3
Smoke (2005) – Lydia Strong #4
As Lisa Unger
Beautiful Lies (2006) – Ridley Jones #1
Sliver of Truth (2007) – Ridley Jones #2
Black Out (2008) – Standalone
Die for You (2009) – Standalone
Fragile (2010) – Jones Cooper #1 (The Hollows book 1)
^Franze, Anthony (January 1, 2014). "A Between The Lines Interview with Lisa Unger". The Big Thrill. Delaware: International Thriller Writers. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017. A Between The Lines Interview with Lisa Unger by Anthony J. Franze"], The Big Thrill, January 1, 2014. Accessed May 18, 2016. "My teen years were spent in a small town in New Jersey called Long Valley. When I turned eighteen, I left for college in Manhattan and spent the next thirteen years in New York City. My brother swears that Long Valley was my inspiration for The Hollows.
