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When not writing thrillers, I make my living as a university professor of dentistry, focusing on forensic dentistry. In this capacity, my team and I work on cases in which teeth are evidence. My team consists of my husband Peter (a university scientist) and Dr. Ray Miller (another forensic dentist). We’ve been ‘partners in crime’ for fifteen years and have experienced everything from plane crash victims to bitemarks on murder victims.
I’ve has also testified as an expert witness in murder trials and before the United States Congress on the need for scientific rigor in the courtroom. My experiences have shown how truth is stranger than fiction. As an invited speaker, my talks center on forensic evidence and the cases we’ve been involved with.
With regard to writing, I’ve always loved creating stories. Initially, I refused to let my forensic side mesh with my writing side and I wrote in other genres besides crime and thriller, all to no avail. It wasn’t until I gave in to ‘the dark side’ did I complete a work of fiction, and get an amazing publisher.
My debut novel, A Simple Lie, was published by Bloodhound Books in November 2019. Is my main character Val a little like me? Yes, a little. Though maybe, I live life vicariously through a fictitious alter ego.
You can reach out to me on Facebook or check out what I (and the team) have been up to. I love to hear from readers.
Reviewed by Karen Hesson for Readers' Favorite
A Simple Lie by Mary Bush is a fantastic thriller that kept me guessing and turning the pages until the very end. The main character, Valentina Knight, gets a job as a death scene investigator after she can no longer practice dentistry due to an “accident” with a former patient. The position comes with many challenges, and her qualifications are often called into question by herself and others. Val struggles to learn the ropes of her new job while also finding herself caught in the middle of a puzzling and dangerous case.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a murder mystery/thriller, but I’ve always enjoyed them. A Simple Lie did not disappoint! It jumped right into the action on the first page and continued moving at a fast pace to pull me through the story. I found myself following all of the twists and turns with fascination and wanting to know what happened next. The characters were well written, and each one was introduced at just the right time in the story. The descriptions were vivid — keep that in mind if you don’t have the stomach for crime scene depictions. I found that all of the details and descriptions helped to make the story more real. Mary Bush managed to tie up the clues and loose ends nicely and create an ending that was both surprising and satisfying. A Simple Lie was a captivating and thrilling read, and I look forward to more from Mary Bush.
