Just how far will an author go to find inspiration for her mystery novel? Clinical psychologist Roberta Isleib paid to play in the ShopRite LPGA Classic’s pro-am tournament in Atlantic City as research for her second golf mystery, A BURIED LIE (Berkley Prime Crime, May 2003). "Playing alongside professional golfers was a golf nut’s dream," says Isleib. "And how could I help but find intrigue and murder in the gambling capitol of New Jersey?"

As the book opens, up-and-coming golfer Cassie Burdette has survived LPGA qualifying school, now she’s found pro-am tournament hell. Placed on a team with four scientists from the pharmaceutical company Meditron, she hopes she can survive their oversized egos. But when one of them turns up dead, Cassie suspects they are playing a game of their own – now she just wants to survive.

Isleib was introduced to the game of golf by her husband-to-be in 1991 and hooked not long after. She took up writing articles about golf psychology in order to justify the time spent maintaining a whopping handicap. Her articles have been published in several golf magazines. Isleib’s debut novel, SIX STROKES UNDER (Berkley Prime Crime, June 2002) was nominated for a Malice Domestic "Agatha Award" for Best First Mystery.

For more information, see www.robertaisleib.com.

Click on the book cover to see all of Roberta's books on Amazon.com.

from Ladies Golf Journey - Sept/Oct 2003