Releasing October 13 2026 Killer Headline, Rachel Ryder book 13 — preorder now
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Press kit

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

USA Today bestselling author of cozy mysteries and thrillers. Everything media, bloggers, podcasters, and event hosts need is on this page: bios in three lengths, approved photos, fast facts, and praise. For anything else, email directly.

USA Today bestseller · 9 series · Thrillers and cozy mysteries · North Georgia

Biography

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

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One line

USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson writes cozy mysteries and thrillers with strong, snarky female leads.

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Short bio (about 75 words)

USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson writes cozy mysteries, thrillers, and paranormal women's fiction with strong female leads. Her debut, Unfinished Business, was a RONE Award finalist and hit number one on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Her Rachel Ryder thriller series became an Amazon bestseller, and Overkill was named one of the best thrillers of the year by Thrillerfix. A former Atlanta-area journalist, she lives in the North Georgia mountains with her husband, a feisty cat, and her dog.

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Full bio

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is a USA Today bestselling author who weaves cozy mysteries, thrillers, and paranormal women's fiction with strong female leads. Readers single out her dialogue, calling it realistic and compelling, and critics describe her thrillers as "intense" and "edge-of-your-seat" reads you'll want to finish in one night.

Her debut, Unfinished Business, earned a five-star rating from Readers' Favorite, was a finalist in the RONE Awards, and rose to number one on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In 2021 she introduced detective Rachel Ryder in Damaging Secrets, which quickly joined Amazon's bestseller ranks; several books in the series have reached number one in their categories. The third Rachel Ryder novel, Overkill, was hailed as one of the best thrillers of the year by Thrillerfix. Her Jenna Wyatt series is published by Severn River Publishing.

Before her publishing career, Carolyn worked as a journalist in the suburbs of Atlanta, contributing to newspapers and magazines and writing a popular monthly column for Northside Woman.

When she's not writing, she's spoiling rescue dogs. She lives in the mountains of North Georgia as an empty nester with her husband, a feisty cat, and her beloved dog.

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Fast facts

Lives in
North Georgia mountains
Writes
Thrillers and cozy mysteries
Series
Nine, plus a weekly online serial
Before books
Atlanta-area journalist and columnist
Publisher
Severn River Publishing (Jenna Wyatt)
Available for
Interviews, podcasts, panels, book clubs
Next release
Killer Headline, October 13, 2026
Find her
carolynridderaspenson.com

Awards and recognition

Unfinished Business

RONE Award finalist, Paranormal · Readers' Favorite five-star review · #1 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Unbreakable Bonds

RONE Award finalist, Paranormal, 2015 · Readers' Favorite five-star review

Uncharted Territory

Readers' Favorite five-star review

Overkill

Named one of the best thrillers of the year by Thrillerfix

Praise

"Carolyn writes strong women with incredible relationships. Everything a woman wants for herself!"

Caroline Fardig, USA Today bestselling author

"What a fantastic read! I couldn't put it down! I had to keep reading just to see what twist life was going to throw at Angela next!"

Chicklit Plus

"The writing was strong and the dialogue, which many people simply cannot write, was terrific."

Christie Giraud, editor, Editingpro.com

"Carolyn Ridder Aspenson's dialogue reads like a transcript of a conversation between me and my bestie. It's this skillful and realistic dialogue that propels her narrative and captures her readers' interest."

Clarice Joos, editor

From her journalism career

"Carolyn writes as though she is talking to a best girlfriend, in a style both witty and wise. Her personal voice shines through her work."

Katie VanBrackle, editor, Northside Woman

"She makes her subjects come alive in what she writes about them. She's an editor's dream writer!"

Judy Le Jeune, publisher, Countyline Magazine

"As a city council member, I know I can count on Carolyn to report the truth and not sensationalize it."

Matt Kunz, Milton, Ga. City Council member and author

"Carolyn is the real deal, a professional through and through."

Ron Wallace, former president, UPS International

Photos

High-resolution author photos approved for editorial use. Please credit Carolyn Ridder Aspenson. Click any image to download the full-size file.

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Primary headshot · colorDownload
City, trench coatDownload
City, camel blazerDownload
Boat, denim 1Download
Boat, denim 2Download
Boat, full lengthDownload
Boat, smilingDownload

Logo

Wordmark
Wordmark, black on whiteDownload

The books

Rachel Ryder Thrillers

Detective series · 13 books · Killer Headline coming October 13, 2026

Jenna Wyatt Series

Thrillers · Severn River Publishing · The Dead Don't Tell coming October 27, 2026

Midlife Psychic Medium

Paranormal cozy · Unknown Entities coming December 5, 2026

Antique Echo Mysteries

New cozy series · Murder in the Mirror coming August 2027

Chantilly Adair

Paranormal cozy mystery

Holiday Hills Witch

Cozy mystery

Lily Sprayberry

Realtor cozy mystery

Pooch Party

Cozy mystery

Midlife in Castleberry

Paranormal cozy mystery · Séance and Sensibility serialized weekly online now

Full book list

Media inquiries

Interviews, review copies, guest posts, podcast bookings, and the full downloadable media kit.