About the Author
Dora Bornschein is a Colorado native and has lived in Southern Colorado for most of her life. Dora's first four novels take place in Colorado, where she finds inspiration in the rugged, natural beauty juxtaposed against the sometimes harsh and desolate conditions. Dora loves spending time in the mountains and exploring the history of the area.
Dora has four grown children and has been married to her husband, Herb, for 60 years. Dora has always been a fan of murder mysteries, particularly those of Agatha Christie and P.D. James, which inspired her to begin writing murder mysteries of her own based on interesting people and events she's observed throughout her eventful life.
Dora’s most recent novel, Into the Deep, occurs during the 1921 flood in Pueblo, Colorado and the wealth of history encompassing this tragic event, was a story she felt needed to be told. Not only was it the worst disaster to ever hit the town, but the heroic deeds performed by ordinary citizens were numerous and often unsung. The backdrop of this event combines with an intriguing mystery in this story.
Don’t Look Behind You is Dora’s first novel that takes place primarily outside of Colorado. When Dora was a young teenager, she moved to Los Angeles with her ailing mother. The inspiration for this novel comes from a real life event, when Dora and her mother were stalked by a peeping tom who tried to break into their house. Dora paints a vivid picture of what it was like to live in Los Angeles during war time, providing a perfect backdrop for the mystery. The book transports readers back to when windows had to be covered and street lights were few and far between for fear of the Japanese bombing Los Angeles. Rationing was a way of life, and black marketing was prevalent.
Dora's fourth novel, Red Creek Road, brings back Detective Gene Statton, of The Volunteer: Murder at Willow Brook, who is newly married to Jenny. The two stumble upon what appears to be a murder from decades earlier, in which Gene's own family may have been involved. Gene struggles to deal with the demons of his past and solve the murder, which puts his and Jenny's life in jeopardy.
Dora released her first mystery in 2005, The Volunteer: Murder at Willow Brook. This story takes place in a Victorian mansion museum and introduces the sleuth, Detective Gene Statton, a lovable but shrewd investigator.
Dora's second novel, The Cattail Mystery, was released in the fall of 2006. This haunting story takes place in the Depression years and involves the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl.
Death Haunts the Tunnels, a sequel to the The Cattail Mystery, followed in 2007. In it, Detective Charlie Hatcher investigates a murder at an insane asylum. As a child during the Depression years, Dora attended elementary school in Pueblo, Colorado across the street from the state mental institution. Death Haunts the Tunnels, takes place in this hospital in 1940. Dora conducted extensive research on this particular hospital, learning how mental illnesses were treated at the time and how police work and the courts were conducted in those days. This story brings to life the reality of the mental hospitals of the past.
Dora has found great enjoyment and solace from her writing, and she hopes that her readers will enjoy her mysteries, too.
Dora with her twin brothers, Kale (left) and Dale (right) Milberger.