Barbara Taylor Sissel writes issue oriented, upmarket women's fiction that is threaded with elements of suspense and defined by its particular emphasis on how crime affects the family. She is the author of five novels, SAFEKEEPING, EVIDENCE OF LIFE, THE VOLUNTEER, THE NINTH STEP AND THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she was raised in various locations across the US and once lived on the grounds of a first offender prison facility, where her husband was a deputy warden. The experience, interacting with the inmates and staff, provided a unique insight into the inmate's lives, the circumstances behind the crimes they committed, and the impact on the families that were affected. Her novels focus on the family at the heart of the crime. An avid gardener, Barbara has two sons and lives on a farm in the Texas Hill Country, outside Austin.