About Us
Everything we do as a club — from gathering subject matter experts to fostering friendships — is for the professional development and advancement of women crime and mystery writers in order to achieve equality in the industry.
Our History
Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime was originally First Coast Sisters in Crime and then became Florida Sisters in Crime. We had our beginnings in 2004, when Margee Howe Bugbee called a meeting with locals interested in starting a Florida chapter of Sisters in Crime. The group continued meeting at various locations around the Jacksonville region, and our current home is at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library on Library Boulevard.
Our presidents have been:
2004 – Margee Howe Bugbee
2005 – Beverly Kiesel
2006 – Jean Osborn
2007 – Margie Sauls
2008 – Darlene Myers
2009 – Sherry Czerniezewski
2010 and 2011 – Kathy Bain
2012 and 2013 – Pam Wells
2014 – Audrey O’Neil
2015 – Susan Keirnan-Lewis
2016 – Janet Kuchler
2017 – Debbie East
2018 and 2019 – Rebecca Sims
2020 – Rainy Kirkland
2021 – Karen Higgins (interim)
2022-2023 – Janet Kuchler
In 1987, Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski books, helped form Sisters in Crime, the national organization, of which we are a chapter. The purpose at that time, and still remains, is to promote and support women mystery writers.
For a detailed history of the national organization, please click here.
Click here for a local membership form
Click here for more information about joining the national chapter
Stay in the Know
To stay up-to-date on our programs, events and even the latest books written by our members, complete the following info. We promise that we will not send more than a couple emails per month and will not sell or give your address to others.
Reach Us
Do you have a specific question? Send us a short message and please give us no more than 24 hours to respond.
P.O. Box 24141
Jacksonville, FL 32241-4141