Dana Cameron

Dana Cameron (born 1965) is an American archaeologist, and author of crime fiction.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Dana Cameron began her professional career as an historical archaeologist specializing in British and New English cultural history from 1607-1760. She presently lives in Beverly, Massachusetts.

It was her experiences in the field that led her to write the first of her Emma Fielding archaeology mysteries, Site Unseen, published in 2002. Five more novels followed in the series, and the sixth, Ashes and Bones, won the 2007 Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original.

The archaeology mysteries feature amateur sleuth Professor Emma Fielding and all are set in fictional towns in New England, with the exception of Grave Consequences, which takes place in the southeast of England. Each novel features some aspect of archaeological research and considers how the past and the present are enmeshed.

Her archaeological training also informs the world-building in her short stories. Her first short story, “The Lords of Misrule,” an historical mystery set in 1720s London, was also nominated for the 2007 Anthony for Best Short Story. “Femme Sole,” a noir story set in 1740s Boston, was nominated for the 2010 Edgar Award for Best Short Story. Two of her stories feature characters from her “Fangborn” world of vampires and werewolves. “The Night Things Changed” won the 2008 Agatha Award and 2009 Macavity Award and was nominated for 2009 Anthony Award. “Swing Shift” (2010) follows the Fangborn in Boston during World War II.

Cameron’s professional affiliations include the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime (she served on the board and as Vice President and President of the New England Chapter), The Femmes Fatales (a circle of writers including Donna Andrews, Charlaine Harris, Julie Wray Herman, Toni L.P. Kelner, Kris Neri, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Saums, and Elaine Viets), and the American Crime Writers League.