CANR
WORK TITLE: The Library Game
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://gigipandian.com/
CITY: San Francisco
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: LRC Jan 2022
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1975; married.
EDUCATION:Graduated with honors from Pitzer College; attended the University of Washington and the University of Bath.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Cofounder of Crime Writers of Color.
AVOCATIONS:Cooking, traveling, reading.
MEMBER:Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime (Northern California chapter; board member).
AWARDS:William F. Deeck Malice Domestic Grant, for Artifact; Left Coast Crime Rose Award, 2015, for Pirate Vishnu; Agatha Award, for “The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn;” Derringer Award, for “The Cambodian Curse;” Anthony Award, for The Alchemist’s Illusion.
WRITINGS
Creator of two blogs, Gigi Pandian and Gargoyle Girl. Contributor of stories to publications, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.
SIDELIGHTS
Gigi Pandian is the author of the “Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt” mystery series, the “Accidental Alchemist” mystery series, and the “Secret Staircase” mystery series. Her debut mystery novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant, and her follow-up novel, Pirate Vishnu, was awarded the Left Coast Crime Rose Award. Pandian has served on the board of Sisters in Crime’s Northern California chapter and is a member of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a cofounder of Crime Writers of Color.
Pandian spent her childhood traveling around the world with her parents, who were cultural anthropologists. A graduate of Pitzer College, she also studied overseas at the University of Edinburgh and attended graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of Bath in England. However, she never completed her Ph.D., as eventually she realized that she was more interested in writing about the fictional adventures of academics than being one herself. A month after turning thirty-six, Pandian was diagnosed with breast cancer, and to get through her treatments, she decided to immerse herself in her writing.
In an interview with George Ebey for The Big Thrill website, Pandian discussed how her childhood inspired her to write tales involving history and treasure hunting: “My parents were cultural anthropology professors, and I started traveling abroad with them when I was ten years old. On that first trip abroad, I visited Scotland with my mom, who was doing research in the Scottish Highlands. I’m an only child, so I didn’t have any siblings to play with on those trips, so I made up my own adventures. Scotland was such an exciting, mysterious place, full of ancient castle ruins and sweeping landscapes that were nothing like my life outside Los Angeles. Traveling to far-off lands with long histories quickly captured my imagination.”
Artifact, the first novel in the “Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt” series, introduces readers to the protagonist of the series, historian Jaya Jones. Jaya receives a mysterious package containing a jeweled artifact from India. The package was sent by her former lover, who died the same day he sent it. Then Jaya discovers that clues to a long-lost Indian treasure may be hidden in an old Scottish legend. In search of the treasure, Jaya ends up at a remote archaeological dig in the Scottish highlands. After a member of the dig’s crew has been murdered, she must figure out who the killer is.
“Filled with suspense, rich history, and a variety of exotic locations, most of the action takes place in Scotland, near the magnificent coastline of St. Andrews,” related Leigh Neely in a review on CriminalElement.com. “Though the story depends on history, Pandian doesn’t let it bog down the plot. She plugs it in as necessary but doesn’t stop the action at all,” added Neely. In a review of Artifact on her blog, S. Krishna’s Books, Swapna Krishna also offered praise, writing that Pandian “seamlessly blends adventure, history, and a smart, witty heroine into a novel that cozy mystery fans absolutely should not miss.”
The next novel in the Jaya Jones series, Pirate Vishnu, was released in 2014. In this installment, Jaya tries to interpret a cryptic treasure map created over a century ago by one of her ancestors, then a recently arrived Indian immigrant in San Francisco. The attorney who has brought Jaya the map, Steven Healy, is soon murdered. Undaunted, Jaya sets out to find the treasure, uncovering her ancestor’s secrets as she puts herself in the path of Healy’s killer.
“Pandian never reveals too much, but lets us follow along as Jaya searches for clues, interprets them, then uses the information to find the next piece of the puzzle,” observed Auriette Lindsey in a review of Pirate Vishnu for the Fresh Fiction website. “The fun in this novel,” asserted Cynthia Chow in a review in Kings River Life, “comes in following Jaya as she rather impulsively journeys to India on a very fast-paced race to uncover the clues that will unlock the secrets of both the map and her family.”
Released in 2015, the third novel in the series is Quicksand. In this entry, Jaya ends up in Paris, where she helps an old love interest, Lane Peters, break into the Louvre in Paris. Jaya also collaborates with a brilliant magician and journeys to the beautiful quicksand-surrounded fortress of Mont Saint-Michel.
“Pandian writes a fast-paced mystery with plenty of excitement and colorful characters,” noted Jessica Greenlee in a review in Fangirl Nation, adding that Pandian “has a knack for recreating locations.” “The joy of the “Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt” mystery series is in unexpected and unpredictable plots that are as action-packed as any Indiana Jones movie,” remarked Chow, writing again for Kings River Life. “The historical lore is similarly fascinating, and Jaya’s love of history is contagious.”
Jaya’s adventures continue in Michelangelo’s Ghost and The Ninja’s Illusion, which were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The latter title follows Jaya as she heads from San Francisco to Kyoto. The protagonist is there to meet her friend, Sanjay Rai, a famous magician known as the Hindi Houdini. Sanjay will be opening for Japan’s most famous magician, Akira, and the headliner advertises that he will reveal the secret to the famous Indian Rope trick. After Jaya arrives, a body is found at the show’s venue, and Jaya tells Sanjay she will investigate. Her search eventually connects to an eighteenth-century explorer, the Dutchman of Dejima, linking both colonial history and the history of magic.
Discussing her inspiration for the book in the Big Thrill, Pandian told Don Helin: “There are two interwoven plots in The Ninja’s Illusion, both inspired by real historical events. The first is the Indian Rope Trick, a magic trick that captivated the world over a century ago and is known as ‘the world’s greatest illusion.’ The second is Japan’s Sakoku period, when the Dutch East India Company was the only European trading company Japan allowed to trade with them. No other foreigners could enter the country—the penalty for breaking the law was death.” Pandian went on to note that “these two fascinating pieces of history overlapped, and they gave me the idea for how a treasure connected to India’s colonial history could have ended up in Japan.” Praising the author’s efforts in Publishers Weekly, a critic remarked: “As usual, Pandian dishes up authentic history and cultural tidbits along with a first-class mystery.”
In The Glass Thief, Jaya travels between San Francisco, Cambodia, and France, as she attempts to solve a mystery related to the Delacroix family, whose ancestors were treasure looters. Meanwhile, she deals with trouble in her romantic relationship with her boyfriend, Lane. Lelia Taylor, review on the Buried Under Books website, praised the supporting characters in the book, asserting: “As always, Jaya’s friends are appealing and as well drawn as you could possibly want.”
Pandian’s first novel in the “Accidental Alchemist” mystery series, also titled The Accidental Alchemist, features herbalist and reformed alchemist Zoe Faust, who has picked up a stowaway on her move to Portland, Oregon, a gargoyle named Dorian Robert-Houdin who has been accidentally brought to life by a French stage magician. Dorian needs Zoe’s expertise to interpret an ancient alchemy book, but Zoe isn’t sure she wants to revisit her alchemical past—until she finds a dead man on her porch.
“What really makes this book stand out … is the originality, in both Zoe’s sidekick and his recipes,” stated Cyndy Aleo in a review in RT Book Reviews. The Accidental Alchemist “is mysterious, captivating, and infused with the rich history of the Northwest, along with scrumptious teases about tasty dishes, savory teas, and mouthwatering desserts!” lauded Portland Book Review contributor Wendy Stevens. A reviewer in Qwillery felt that “the three main characters are great,” adding that “Zoe is likeable and well-meaning although at times … a bit self-pitying.” Despite this small reservation, the Qwillery reviewer summed up The Accidental Alchemist as “a charming paranormal cozy with entertaining characters.”
Zoe appears again in The Masquerading Magician and The Elusive Elixir. She heads to Paris to save her friend, Dorian Robert-Houdin, in The Elusive Elixir. Dorian is a French gargoyle who is slowly turning back into stone, and he was brought to life by Houdini roughly a century ago. Zoe is desperate for answers. There’s another living statue in France, so Zoe hopes the second statue can offer guidance. Instead, she runs into Madame Blanche Leblanc, whom Zoe knew when she lived in France back in 1945. Madame Blanche recognizes Zoe instantly, but rather than reveal her immortality, Zoe pretends to be her own granddaughter. Zoe, however, isn’t altogether sure that Madame Blanche buys her story, and when she returns to Portland, it appears that someone is following her. Zoe tries to calm her fears by focusing on Dorian’s recovery and by reconnecting with her boyfriend Max Liu. Still, Zoe can’t shake her suspicions, and then a terrible murder rocks Portland.
Critiques of The Elusive Elixir were largely positive, and a Kirkus Reviews contributor found that “the unbelievable premise is no problem given the inventive powers of Pandian.” The contributor also praised the author’s “sharper focus on developing her characters’ back stories.” While a Publishers Weekly columnist stated that the story is not without flaws, they nevertheless advised that “fanciful creatures, paranormal doings, and a little romance will please those who like their cozies filled with magic.” Chow, writing once more in Kings River Life Online, was even more impressed, and she declared: “That author Pandian unfolds a complicated and logical explanation of alchemy is a stellar achievement in itself, so the multiple mysteries of past and present are a delightful bonus. This continues to be a saga that unravels naturally and steadily, and the next installment of these wonderful characters cannot come soon enough.”
Zoe is back in Portland and enjoying a quiet life with Dorian when The Alchemist’s Illusion begins. She is shocked to learn that her former mentor, Nicolas Flamel, is in jail. Zoe discovers that a clue that could help Nicolas is in a painting by a local artist. Before Zoe can find the clue, the painting vanishes, and the artist is killed. She seeks help from Tobias Freeman, a fellow alchemist, whom her boyfriend Max is investigating. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested that the book’s story may have been too convoluted, stating: “The vast storehouse of characters and interwoven subplots will challenge readers new and old to Pandian.” However, a contributor to Internet Bookwatch described the book as “a simply riveting and deftly crafted read that will have immense appeal for readers with affinity for fantasy mystery fiction.”
In the 2021 addition to the series, The Alchemist of Fire and Fortune, Zoe is reunited with her mentor, Nicolas. She also works to thwart a plot to reveal an alchemical secret. In an interview with a contributor to the Big Thrill website, Pandian discussed her writing process and the special features of this novel, stating: “I let my characters lead the way in this book. Dorian Robert-Houdin (alchemist Zoe Faust’s living gargoyle best friend) insisted on having his own point-of-view chapters for the first time, which were a lot of fun to write.”
Under Lock and Skeleton Key is the first book in Pandian’s “Secret Staircase” mystery series. In the volume, Pandian introduces its protagonist, an Indian- Scottish former magician named Tempest Raj. After years spent performing in Las Vegas, Tempest lives anonymously in the Bay Area with her rabbit, Abracadabra, and her grandparents. She reluctantly agrees to help her dad, a contractor and founder of Secret Staircase Construction, to install a hidden room in the mansion of Calvin Knight. There, she discovers the dead body of Cassidy Sparrow, her stage double. Tempest determines to find out who killed Cassidy. Meanwhile, she experiences visions of her dead mother. A writer in Kirkus Reviews noted that the book was full of twists and details, which could present a “problem.” The writer remarked: “All that nonstop enchantment makes magic seem pretty boring.”
(open new)In The Raven Thief, Tempest, her father, and grandfather are invited to Lavinia Kingsley’s home after completing a project there. She decided to remodel the house to symbolize new starts as she was in the process of divorcing writer Corbin Colt. She calls for a mock séance to mark Corbin’s figurative death to her in her new life. In the middle of the séance, Corbin materializes and suddenly dies. The police investigation points to Grandpa Ash, which frustrates Tempest, as all of them were holding hands during the séance when Corbin appeared. Tempest rushes into her own investigation to save her grandfather from going to jail.
Booklist contributor Sue O’Brien labelled it a “compelling locked-room mystery populated by well-drawn characters and framed by books, food, and magic.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly remarked that “this brilliant homage to classic golden age authors … augurs well for a long series run.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor stated: “Heavy dual concentrations on setup and illusion make this installment more tricky than substantive.”
With A Midnight Puzzle, Nicodemus the Necromancer is on his farewell tour but is not looking forward to retirement. Tempest sympathizes with him but is happy to no longer be doing magic shows any longer. While working on a difficult project at Julian Rhodes’ house, she discovers his dead body. There’s confusions as to whether he died as a result of a misfiring booby trap or something supernatural. Tempest’s immediate concern is making sure the police don’t suspect anyone in her family of the death.
Booklist contributor O’Brien commented that “plot twists abound in this mystery of misdirection … as Tempest resolves the long-standing mystery of” a family’s curse. A Kirkus Reviews contributor suggested that “now that this series is wrapping its multibook mystery, it may have a chance to really take off.” In a review in Library Journal, Sarah Sullivan mentioned that “this locked-room mystery is a fun read for cozy fans, especially those who have kept up with” the author’s series.
In The Library Game, Tempest is fully invested in her company’s project to change the cottagelike Gray House into the new Gray House Library of Classic Detective Fiction. Cameron Gray has taken over ownership and is happy to be involved in the conceptual design of the new library. Despite the library not being complete, a murder mystery play is already being scheduled for an upcoming evening. Ivy Youngblood, Tempest’s best friend, wrote the play. But the dress rehearsal goes all wrong, particularly when actor Lucas Cruz is a no-show. Tempest’s friend, Sanjay Rai, agrees to fill in for Lucas. Eventually, it is discovered that Lucas was murdered, having been shot in the chest. However, shortly after his body is found, it disappears. Tempest and her friends debate whether or not they should call the police, as reporting a murder without any evidence or a body would likely cause even more problems for them. They start with their investigation to figure out what happened. A Kirkus Reviews contributor observed that “there’s welcome character development and a plot that ends with a bang, all with a touch of whimsy.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly insisted that “this will enchant fans of Golden Age mysteries.”(close new)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 15, 2023, Sue O’Brien, review of The Raven Thief, p. 19; March 1, 2024, Sue O’Brien, review of A Midnight Puzzle, p. 27.
Internet Bookwatch, April 1, 2019, review of The Alchemist’s Illusion.
Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2014, review of The Accidental Alchemist; November 1, 2015, review of The Masquerading Magician; October 15, 2016, review of The Elusive Elixir; November 1, 2018, review of The Alchemist’s Illusion; January 1, 2022, review of Under Lock and Skeleton Key; January 15, 2023, review of The Raven Thief; February 1, 2024, review of A Midnight Puzzle; February 1, 2025, review of The Library Game.
Library Journal, February 1, 2024, Sarah Sullivan, review of A Midnight Puzzle, p. 57.
Publishers Weekly, October 13, 2014, review of The Accidental Alchemist, p. 42; August 22, 2016, review of Michelangelo’s Ghost; November 28, 2016, review of The Elusive Elixir; August 7, 2017, review of The Ninja’s Illusion; January 16, 2023, review of The Raven Thief, p. 55; January 20, 2025, review of The Library Game, p. 38.
ONLINE
Big Thrill, http://www.thebigthrill.org/ (February 28, 2015), George Ebey, author interview and review of Quicksand; (September 30, 2017), Don Helin, author interview; (September 30, 2021), author interview.
Buried Under Books, https://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/ (June 8, 2020), Lelia Taylor, review of The Glass Thief.
CriminalElement.com, http://www.criminalelement.com/ (August 5, 2013), Leigh Neely, review of Artifact.
Fangirl Nation, http://www.fangirlnation.com/ (March 31, 2015), Jessica Greenlee, review of Quicksand.
Fresh Fiction, http://freshfiction.com/ (February 1, 2015), Auriette Lindsey, review of Pirate Vishnu.
Gigi Pandian website, http://gigipandian.com (September 20, 2025).
Kings River Life, http://kingsriverlife.com/ (May 17, 2014), Cynthia Chow, review of Pirate Vishnu; (March 21, 2015), Cynthia Chow, review of Quicksand; (February 12, 2018), Cynthia Chow, review of The Elusive Elixir.
Midnight Ink, http://www.midnightinkbooks.com/ (August 21, 2015), brief author profile and synopsis of The Accidental Alchemist.
Mystery Tribune, http://www.mysterytribune.com/ (September 19, 2012), review of Artifact.
Oh, for the Hook of a Book, https://hookofabook.wordpress.com/ (April 25, 2015), Erin Al-Mehairi, author interview.
Portland Book Review, http://portlandbookreview.com/ (June 10, 2015), Wendy Stevens, review of The Accidental Alchemist.
Qwillery, http://qwillery.blogspot.com/ (January 6, 2015), review of The Accidental Alchemist.
RT Book Reviews, http://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (January 8, 2015), Cyndy Aleo, review of The Accidental Alchemist.
S. Krishna’s Books, http://skrishnasbooks.com/ (March 27, 2014), Swapna Krishna, review of Artifact.
Tea and a Book, http://teaandabook.com/ (March 23, 2015), author interview.
Hi, all! Here’s a little bit about me, including answers to some frequently asked questions. My official bios (short, medium, and long) are available on the press kit page.
I’m a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. I’m the child of academics from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, and I spent my childhood tagging along on their research trips around the world, which is what inspired my fiction. I now live outside San Francisco with my husband and a gargoyle who watches over the garden.
I write the Accidental Alchemist™ mysteries, Secret Staircase mysteries, Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, and locked-room mystery short stories. My debut novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine, and my fiction has received Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer Awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar Award. Along with Kellye Garrett and Walter Mosley, I’m one of the co-founders of Crime Writers of Color.
My two 2025 novel releases are The Library Game (Secret Staircase Mystery #4) and A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder (Accidental Alchemist Mystery #9).
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get in touch with Gigi?
I love hearing from readers. The best way to get in touch with me directly is to use the contact page.
Will there be more Accidental Alchemist books?
Yes! Book 9, A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder, comes out in October 2025, and I’m already at work on the follow-up that will be out in 2026. You can learn about whole series, including one novella, here.
What about jaya jones novels?
I’m not done with Jaya, but it’s taken me a while to fit the next book in the series into my schedule. I had a research trip planned for the spring of 2020, which was canceled when the pandemic began, so I switched gears. But I have notebooks filled with more Jaya ideas, and I’m making plans to get back to her soon.
ARE GIGI’S BOOKS AVAILABLE AS AUDIOBOOKS?
Yes! All of my novels are available as audiobooks. I’m so happy to have fabulous narrators.
I bought the audiobook. How do I find the recipes?
Audiobook listeners can download PDFs of the recipes from each book in the Accidental Alchemist Mystery Series here.
How can I best keep up with gigi’s new releases?
The best way to keep up on new releases and other news (plus fun bookish content) is to sign up for my newsletter. When you subscribe you’ll also receive a free novelette and a mini-cookbook. Note: If you don’t see a welcome email right away after signing up, please contact me because something has gone wrong!
You can also keep up with my new releases by following me on Amazon and BookBub.
Are gigi’s books appropriate for kids?
Though my books are traditional mysteries written for adults, they are kid-friendly and don’t include any graphic violence, sex, or bad language. I usually tell people that they’re appropriate for middle-schoolers and up.
Have Gigi’s books been translated into other languages?
Yes! The first two books of the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries have been translated into German and published in Germany, with the third and fourth books in the series coming out in German soon. And the first two Secret Staircase Mysteries have been translated into Japanese and published in Japan.
What’s a locked-room mystery?
A locked-room mystery is a crime that looks truly impossible, such as a large piece of art vanishing from a locked room that was being watched. The term is often confused with a “closed circle” mystery, where a small group of people are isolated so you know one of them must be the culprit. It’s a deviously fun type of mystery, and I’ve written a lot more about it here.
short (100-word) Bio
Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and locked-room mystery enthusiast. The child of academics from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood being dragged around the world on research trips, which inspired her fiction. She’s been awarded Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar. Gigi writes the Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times), the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous mysteries with a touch of magic), and the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history). She lives in northern California with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard garden.
Medium Bio
Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and locked-room mystery enthusiast. The child of academics from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood being dragged around the world on research trips, which inspired her fiction. She now lives in northern California with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the garden. Gigi writes the Secret Staircase mysteries, Accidental Alchemist mysteries, Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, and locked-room mystery short stories. Her debut novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine, and her fiction has received Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer Awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar Award. Along with Kellye Garrett and Walter Mosley, she’s one of the co-founders of Crime Writers of Color.
Gigi’s latest Accidental Alchemist novel, The Alchemist of Brushstrokes and Brimstone, was published in October 2024. Her first Secret Staircase mystery, Under Lock & Skeleton Key, was published by Minotaur Books in March 2022, garnering multiple starred reviews and called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times Book Review. Her 2025 releases are the forth Secret Staircase Mystery, The Library Game (March 2025), and the ninth Accidental Alchemist Mystery, A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder (October 2025).
LONG BIO
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Gigi Pandian is the child of academics from New Mexico and the southern tip of India. She spent her childhood being dragged around the world on research trips, which inspired her fiction. She now lives in northern California with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard vegetable garden. Gigi writes the Secret Staircase mysteries, Accidental Alchemist mysteries, Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries, and locked-room mystery short stories.
Gigi’s debut novel, Artifact, was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a “Best of 2012” Debut Novel by Suspense Magazine. Her subsequent fiction has received awards including the Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist, the Left Coast Crime Rose Award for Pirate Vishnu, the Agatha Award for “The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn,” the Derringer Award for “The Cambodian Curse,” and the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original for The Alchemist’s Illusion. In 2022, her novelette “The Locked Room Library” was a finalist for the Edgar Award.
Gigi began writing mysteries as a kid, when she’d entertaining herself on her parents’ academic trips. Many years later, while working on her own PhD, she realized that she was much better suited to writing about the fictional adventures of academics than being one herself. She left academia for art school and began writing the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mysteries about a globe-trotting Indian-American historian (Artifact, Pirate Vishnu, Quicksand, Michelangelo’s Ghost, The Ninja’s Illusion, and The Glass Thief).
A month after her 36th birthday, Gigi was diagnosed with breast cancer. To get through her treatments, she decided to throw herself into her writing. She came up with the idea for her Accidental Alchemist mysteries (The Accidental Alchemist, The Masquerading Magician, The Elusive Elixir, The Alchemist’s Illusion, novella The Lost Gargoyle of Paris, The Alchemist of Fire and Fortune, The Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin, The Alchemist of Monsters and Mayhem, and The Alchemist of Brushstrokes and Brimstone) while going through chemotherapy, her own Elixir of Life. She never imagined her agent would be able to sell the quirky paranormal mystery series about a centuries-old female alchemist and her impish gargoyle sidekick, but the series sold quickly, so there must have been something to the passion that flowed from her fingertips while battling cancer.
Gigi is now 12 years cancer free. On her post-cancer celebratory writing retreat, she began working on a novel about a character that wouldn’t stay out of her head—Tempest Raj—but it took her several years to figure out how to tell Tempest’s story. In 2020, Gigi signed a book deal with St. Martin’s Minotaur Books, at auction, to write her new Secret Staircase mystery series starring Tempest Raj. The series kicked off with Under Lock & Skeleton Key, published in March 2022, followed by The Raven Thief and A Midnight Puzzle. The Library Game will be out in March 2025.
Gigi has served on the National and Northern California boards of Sisters in Crime, the board of Mystery Writers of America’s Northern California chapter, was a Pitch Wars mentor, and is an avid participant in National Novel Writing Month. Along with Kellye Garrett and Walter Mosley, she’s one of the co-founders of Crime Writers of Color.
When not writing, Gigi can be found experimenting with new plant-based recipes in the kitchen, traveling, or curled up with a good book (her favorite authors include Elizabeth Peters, Aaron Elkins, John Dickson Carr, Juliet Blackwell, Andrew Mayne, and Deanna Raybourn).
Literary AWARDS
A Midnight Puzzle is currently nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel.
Anthony Award for The Alchemist’s Illusion
William F. Deeck Malice Domestic Grant for Artifact
“Best of 2012” Debut Mystery from Suspense Magazine for Artifact
Rose Award for Pirate Vishnu
Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist
“Best of 2016” Cozy Mystery from Suspense Magazine for Michelangelo’s Ghost
Agatha Award for “The Library Ghost of Tanglewood Inn”
Derringer Award for “The Cambodian Curse”
Finalist for Edgar, Agatha, Macavity, and Anthony Awards for “The Locked Room Library”
Nominations: Michelangelo’s Ghost was a finalist for both Left Coast Crime’s Lefty Award and Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion Award. The Ninja’s Illusion was long-listed for the ALA (American Library Association) 2018 Reading List. “The Hindi Houdini” was a finalist for Agatha and Macavity awards. The Alchemist’s Illusion was a finalist for the G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award.
Pandian, Gigi THE RAVEN THIEF Minotaur (Fiction None) $26.99 3, 21 ISBN: 9781250805010
A former magician uses her expertise to solve an impossible murder.
Call it magic, mentalism, or something else, but a love for all things illusory links Tempest Raj's family, from Tempest's past as a Vegas act to her current work with her dad constructing the Secret Staircase series' eponymous conveyances. After wrapping a job at Lavinia Kingsley's home, Tempest and her family, including her Grandpa Ash, are invited to the house to celebrate Lavinia's new beginnings: Her home renovation is going hand in hand with her recent separation from author Corbin Colt, whom she's divorcing. Lavinia is a bit of a personality, insisting on a full séance to mark the figurative death of Corbin from her life, but, as these things so often do, the figurative soon becomes literal as Corbin appears and dies midséance. How did he materialize, and who knew he'd be there and wanted him dead? Tempest is freaked out and frustrated: She wouldn't even have been there if her friend and fellow illusionist Sanjay hadn't been orchestrating the woo-woo action. Worse still is that Grandpa Ash appears to be the police's primary suspect, which makes no sense because all eight attendees were holding hands throughout the time of Corbin's murder. But then, things that look like they shouldn't make sense are really the specialty of illusionists, aren't they? Tempest applies her knowledge of the tricks of the trade to the puzzle of Corbin's death, highlighting the howdunit as much as the whodunit.
Heavy dual concentrations on setup and illusion make this installment more tricky than substantive.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Pandian, Gigi: THE RAVEN THIEF." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A733021541/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3cef07be. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
* The Raven Thief: A Secret Staircase Mystery
Gigi Pandian. Minotaur, $26.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-80501-0
In Pandian's excellent sequel to 2022's Under Lock & Skeleton Key, magician Tempest Raj, whose parents run Secret Staircase Construction, a company that builds houses with such accoutrements as secret passageways and sliding bookcases, witnesses a crime marked by multiple impossibilities at a seance. Lavinia Kingsley is seeking to eradicate all traces of her ex-husband, author Corbin Colt, from her California home. She retains a conjuror, the Hindi Houdini, to lead a fake seance. But in the middle of the proceedings, Colt's corpse is dropped onto the seance table, a knife sticking out of his chest and black raven feathers scattered about, an apparent reference to Colt's book, The Raven. But the knife is fake, Colt was on a livestream moments before and miles away from where his corpse landed, and there seems to be no rational way for his body to have reached irs destination. Pandian's clever solution matches the challenge she sets for her endearingly imperfect lead. This brilliant homage to classic golden age authors such as John Dickson Carr augurs well for a long series run. Agent: Jill Marsal. Marsal Lyon Literary (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"The Raven Thief: A Secret Staircase Mystery." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 3, 16 Jan. 2023, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A735452280/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1db41891. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
The Raven Thief. By Gigi Pandian. 2023.320p. Minotaur, $26.99 (9781250805010); e-book (9781250805027).
Former stage magician Tempest Raj is home in Northern California working for her family's company, Secret Staircase Construction. A client, Lavinia Kingsley, insists Tempest's friend Sanjay perform a seance to rid her home of the spirit of her ex-husband, author Corbin Colt. Sanjay reluctantly agrees, and during the seance, the candle goes out, then Corbin is found dead in the middle of the table, but no one has entered or left the room and the participants never broke hands. Also, Corbin was 55 miles away minutes before his death. Tempests beloved grandfather, a retired doctor and seance participant, becomes the chief suspect due to the blood on him from ministering to the victim and the restraining order the victim had against him. Tempest works to clear him, although her family's motive becomes more powerful with Corbin's found manuscript. She soon decides the perpetrator used trickery and misdirection to confuse them, and must rely on friends and family to solve the impossibilities in this compelling locked-room mystery populated by well-drawn characters and framed by books, food, and magic.--Sue O'Brien
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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O'Brien, Sue. "The Raven Thief." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 18, 15 May 2023, pp. 19+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A751443072/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5410f314. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
Pandian, Gigi. A Midnight Puzzle. Minotaur: St. Martin's. (Secret Staircase Mystery, Bk. 3). Mar. 2024.352p. ISBN 9781250880208. $28. M
What do a family curse, an old theater, and the Secret Staircase Construction crew have in common? Former stage magician Tempest Raj, returning for the third installment in Pandian's popular cozy series (following The Raven Thief), is about to find out. Tempest's home-renovation company is being blamed by former client Julian Rhodes for causing his wife's "accidental" death. Meanwhile, the theater that Tempest has rented for her final performance appears to be haunted by the ghost of her mother. After Tempest finds Julian's corpse at the theater, the body count climbs, and she and her friends must discover not only who is setting the deadly booby traps at the theater but also how these events are tied to the deaths of Tempest's mother and aunt. The story arc of the Raj family curse concludes in this book, but there is still an opening for the series to continue with more magical illusions and classic mystery references to charm readers. VERDICT This locked-room mystery is a fun read for cozy fans, especially those who have kept up with Pandian's series.--Sarah Sullivan
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
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Sullivan, Sarah. "A Midnight Puzzle." Library Journal, vol. 149, no. 2, Feb. 2024, p. 57. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782610180/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7d2abdc9. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
Pandian, Gigi A MIDNIGHT PUZZLE Minotaur (Fiction None) $28.00 3, 19 ISBN: 9781250880208
A magic-filled family seeks change to avoid a curse that seems unwilling to leave them alone.
Classic stage illusionist Nicodemus the Necromancer has always been something like a second father, or at least a mentor, to Tempest Raj. As his retirement tour begins, Nicodemus realizes that he finds it hard to say farewell to his persona and become just Gareth Nicodemus again. Tempest sympathizes with him but can't relate to his anxiety. She's been glad to leave the world of stage magic behind and transition to her role as an employee of her actual dad's company, Secret Staircase Construction, where she hones her skills crafting well-designed illusory works of architectural art. It's not just her love of the work that brings Tempest relief. She's all too aware of the curse that's haunted her father's family for years: "The eldest child dies by magic." In previous books in the series, Tempest has seen the curse devastate her relatives. Though construction work is meant to be less dangerous than magic, there are issues with Tempest's latest project for the difficult Julian Rhodes, and things get a lot more difficult when her client mysteriously winds up dead--though whether it's by a misfiring booby trap or something more supernatural remains to be seen. Tempest has to prove that Secret Staircase isn't responsible for what happened to Julian, all while finally unraveling the threads that connect his death to her family's curse.
Now that this series is wrapping its multibook mystery, it may have a chance to really take off.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Pandian, Gigi: A MIDNIGHT PUZZLE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A780841150/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7ad9f44e. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
A Midnight Puzzle. By Gigi Pandian. Mar. 2024. 352p. Minotaur, $28 (9781250880208); e-book (9781250880215).
In the third Secret Staircase mystery (after The Raven Thief, 2023), Julian Rhodes is suing Secret Staircase Construction, Tempest Raj's family business, for a faulty staircase installation that he says led to his wife's fall, leaving her in a coma. Or was the staircase sabotaged, as Tempest believes? When Tempest and her mentor, Nicodemus, find Rhodes dead, skewered by a sword through a booby-trapped door in the theater Tempest, a stage magician, is renting for her final performance, she believes she and her family may become suspects. However, the police center their investigation on Rhodes' wife, Paloma, who woke from her coma, left the hospital, and disappeared. Tempest fears that could change, so she investigates, with the help of her friends. Soon another death occurs, and Tempest begins to believe these deaths may be connected to her aunt's death and her mother's disappearance. Plot twists abound in this mystery of misdirection, including details of stage magic, framed by the importance of family and friends, as Tempest resolves the long-standing mystery of a reputed family curse.--Sue O'Brien
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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O'Brien, Sue. "A Midnight Puzzle." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 13, 1 Mar. 2024, p. 27. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786417401/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=473e0a75. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
The Library Game: A Secret Staircase Novel
Gigi Pandian. Minotaur, $28 (320p)
ISBN 978-1-250-88023-9
Pandian delights with her fourth whodunit featuring disgraced Las Vegas magician Tempest Raj (after A Midnight Puzzle). When her performing career ended in ruin, Tempest returned to her small California hometown to join the family business: a secret staircase construction firm. The firm's latest client, Harold Gray, hired the company to convert his home into a library focused on classic detective fiction just before he died. Now, Harold's heir and grandnephew, Cameron, has taken control of the project. He asks for his own living quarters above the library and goes ahead with his late uncle's plan to host an interactive murder mystery play, written by Tempest and her friend Ivy, to christen the new space. After one of the actors is killed while rehearsing a stunt with a toy gun, the bad situation turns truly bizarre. Not only had the victim somehow switched places at the last second with another actor, who's now missing, but then the body disappears altogether. Drawing on her expertise as an illusionist, Tempest sets out to solve the impossible crime, despite knowing she's up against a roomful of suspects who know their way around a murder mystery. Tempest remains an immensely likable heroine, and Pandian's shrewd puzzle plot arrives at a satisfying and surprising conclusion. This will enchant fans of Golden Age mysteries. (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"The Library Game: A Secret Staircase Novel." Publishers Weekly, vol. 272, no. 3, 20 Jan. 2025, p. 38. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828300074/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d9322c16. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
Pandian, Gigi THE LIBRARY GAME Minotaur (Fiction None) $28.00 3, 18 ISBN: 9781250880239
A theatrical murder mystery turns from entertainment to crime scene when an actor turns up dead and then disappears.
Transforming Gray House's cottagelike structure into the Gray House Library of Classic Detective Fiction is a labor of love for Tempest Raj. It's exactly the sort of clever and imaginative transformation her family's San Francisco Bay-area based Secret Staircase Construction company is known for. Gray House's late owner, Harold Gray, didn't live long enough to see his dream come to life, but his heir, Cameron, has ably taken his place in guiding the work. Though Tempest and her team haven't fully realized Harold's plan yet, there's already a murder mystery play evening in the works to celebrate and take advantage of the space. Written by Tempest's best friend, Ivy Youngblood, the play, set in the 1930s, is almost derailed from its dress rehearsal when actor Lucas Cruz doesn't show. Luckily, Sanjay Rai, Tempest's dear friend from her past career as a magician, willingly steps in to play Lucas' role. All goes well until the mystery gets a little too real-life (and death), and the reason Lucas couldn't turn up becomes all too apparent. Except it doesn't, because almost as soon as he shows up with a bullet hole in his chest, his body vanishes. Now Tempest and her friends aren't sure whether to call the police, especially since Tempest doubts that Hidden Creek Det. Blackburn will be amused by a case of a vanishing corpse.
There's welcome character development and a plot that ends with a bang, all with a touch of whimsy.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Pandian, Gigi: THE LIBRARY GAME." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A825128410/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d21deefb. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.