Katherine Kovacic was a veterinarian but decided hanging out with dogs was much more fun than taking their temperatures. She left her stethoscope behind to earn a Masters and PhD in art history and in the process, rediscovered her love for writing. Since then, she has written short stories, true crime and crime fiction. Her debut novel, The Portrait of Molly Dean, was shortlisted for the 2019 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction, and is the first of three books in the Alex Clayton art mystery series. In addition to writing, Katherine works in the heritage sector, co-manages an online business and teaches dog training classes, but still finds time to read a lot and occasionally dance tango. Katherine frequently lives in her head with her characters but generally maintains a physical presence in Melbourne.