Barbara Parker, 62, a lawyer-turned-author who wrote 12 mystery novels, died Saturday (Mar. 9, 2009)  in Boca Raton, Fla., after a long illness.

Her first novel, Suspicion of Innocence, was a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the best first mystery novel by an American author. It was made into a TV movie.

Many of her novels were set in Miami and illustrated the changing demographics of South Florida. At least two landed on the New York Times best-seller list. She was also a lawyer, but she quit her practice and took a job as a paralegal so she could concentrate on writing.

Order signed Barbara Parker novels at www.vjbooks.com

(Philly.com, Mar. 10, Associated Press)