Kate Martel
Written for today's readers
My writing style is unique, making it easy for readers to pick up the story, set it aside, and return without feeling lost.
Now Available on Audible:
"Backdrop: Serial Killer"
Backdrop Serial Killer is set in Utah and Wyoming, during the time Ted Bundy was killing Utah women and girls. Bundy’s shadowy presence profoundly affects the characters in the book, confuses and complicates investigations into all kinds of things, and disrupts budding romances.
The author thoroughly develops her characters and settings, so that the reader feels they are there, fifty years ago.
"This is a really fun book that kept me guessing until the end. The story is a thriller, but it’s also about vulnerability and what it’s like to move to a new place, start a new job, and try to integrate yourself while feeling like you need to hide part of yourself or your past. It’s about the fear of having a killer on the loose and being suspicious of those around you.
But my favorite part of the book is the way each page pulls me back into my childhood. I grew up in Utah, and the author definitely did her research into what it was like to live there during the 70s. There were lots of nostalgic drops, like shopping at D.I. or Smiths Food King, that make the book especially fun for me and worth reading again and again."
-L.J.
"I really enjoyed Backdrop Serial Killer. It was suspenseful and engaging without relying on gore, foul language, or shock value. The characters were interesting, the narration was excellent, and the story kept my attention throughout.”
-Craig
Reader Reviews
Coming Soon
Book 4
Fish, Frogs, and Murder
Amanda Simmons turned down the reasonable, career-building path to take on a high-risk venture, hoping to rebuild the family fishing camp into a paying resort. Then, murder claimed her strongest ally, and the funds she counted on were not where she thought they would be.
Sabotage is stalking her. Vandals shut off an important income by poisoning frogs. Those closest to her have been hiding more than money. The men in her life are squabbling, and she does not know their true intentions. It is hard to tell which friendships are genuine and who might want her defeated—or dead.
On top of this, Amanda fears that this venture will rob her of more than her safety. Has she set herself up for a life without true romance? Or is there still a chance at happiness?
She’s chasing a childhood dream, but at so many levels, is it all a fool’s game?
Book 5
Peach Perfect Murder
No one planned to buy a house, certainly not one that required massive remodeling, and certainly not when Blake was new to his first engineering job, Julia was deep in graduate school coursework, and the two of them were planning a wedding.
But this house is intriguing—a 1928 guest house built by descendants of Civil War era plantation owners—full of history and mystery. And it’s right down the road from Julia’s project at Peach Perfect Farm and Test Kitchen.
Then things start to go wrong. A risky venture turns more so, and stress takes its toll. Blake and Julia are at odds.
There’s something disquieting going on around the neighboring historic plantation house, and evil seems determined to spread—even to Blake and Julia’s relationship. As an appalling history begins to leak into the present, can they save their great romance and make sense of what is going on right next door?
Or will murder derail them?
Book 6
Christmas Mystery at White Deer Lodge
Matt and Giselle’s friends in Minnesota are fighting for the survival of their business. Excitement abounds as they plan a unique Grand Victorian Christmas in the glorious century-old White Deer Lodge.
Amid all this, Louise finds herself distracted by a compellingly charming man, who carefully keeps his past from her. She determines to keep this relationship casual, for the fun of knowing him. But can she resist his charms? Can she somehow discover what it is in his past that is so horrible that he will seemingly do ANYTHING to keep it from her?
Then, there are suspicious deaths very close to this mysterious man.
Is Louise headed for heartache and danger? What’s going on with her friends Chet and Sharon, who seemed like the perfect couple? And will everyone's hopes be torpedoed by murderous plots?
About the Author
Kate Martel moved to Logan, Utah with her family when she was just a kid. With her siblings, she explored the area by bicycle, swam at Laguna Plunge, and marveled at the architecture on the classic West Center Street. She frequented the Cache County Library, graduated from Logan High School and Utah State University, then took additional classes at various state colleges and universities, including Weber State. Yes, she was in Utah during the Ted Bundy era.
She completed advanced studies as a reading specialist and clinician, so is an expert in what makes reading under various conditions easier and more satisfying, and she used this to create a new style of writing for the books.
Writing for the Way People Read Today
Reading has changed.
Today, we steal a few minutes while waiting in line, listen during a commute, switch from paperback to eBook to audiobook, then pick up the story days later.
Most novels weren't written for this way of reading.
Kate Martel's are.
Her stories are crafted to make it easy to jump back in, stay immersed, and enjoy the experience whether you're reading on the page or listening through your headphones. The result is a fast-moving, satisfying read that fits modern life—without sacrificing rich characters, suspense, or unforgettable storytelling.
Curious? Intrigued? Want to give it a try? Start with the Backdrop Serial Killer—set in Utah and Wyoming during one of the most unsettling periods in the region's history.
Once you begin to read this way, you'll see what all the buzz is about.
Companion Recipes for Each Book
Try this while reading Fish, Frogs, and Murder:
NORDIC NOIR COOKIES
Deep dark color. Deeply nuanced flavors. The perfect cookie when you’re deep into intrigue.
2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T corn starch
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 c apple sauce
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions
1. Combine dry ingredients and spices (except for cinnamon sugar) and set aside. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat sugar and softened butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add vanilla.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Roll pieces of dough into balls, then roll them in cinnamon-sugar. Flatten the balls to about 1/2 to 5/8 inch and place them two inches apart on prepared baking sheets.*
5. Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.*
6. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until edges crack and centers are almost set. Do not overbake. Let cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
*TIP Short on refrigerator space? Place the disks of dough right next to each other in a rectangular cake pan, separating layers with parchment paper or wax paper. Chill. Remove from refrigerator and move them to the cookie sheets.
TIP Restaurant supply stores carry light weight parchment paper (often called pan liners) cut to fit standard baking sheets and just right for cookies. They typically come in packs of 1000 but are economical and useful if you do a lot of baking.
Try this while reading Fish, Frogs, and Murder:
Danish FRIKADELLER Meatballs (Say “fry’-kah-deel-uh”)
There is more than one way to make a Nordic meatball! These have a different, meatier flavor than Swedish meatballs, and are not actually little balls—they are flattened ovals, so they cook evenly and have a crisper crust.
Try leftovers on a slider, or with marinara sauce and pasta, or wrap some tightly in single layers to freeze for later.
8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
2 c finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. lean sausage
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1/4 c flour
1 c rolled oats
3 eggs
2/3 c milk
butter for frying
(start with 2 T and add as needed)
NOTE: Danish Parsley Sauce is often served with this; it's basically a white sauce or béchamel with the following stirred in at the end of the recipe, after removing pan from heat:
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a big spoon of butter, and
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one bunch of parsley (chopped)
Instructions
1. Prep the onion and garlic. (Finely chop and mince; a food processor is helpful.)
2. In a large bowl (stand mixer and paddle if you have it), stir salt and pepper into meat. Add the flour and oatmeal, then onion and garlic, then the eggs, and then the milk. Stir the meat mixture until it is firm. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or mix one day in advance and refrigerate.
3. Heat a large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add about 2 T butter. Using a large spoon, scoop up about 2 T of the meat mixer. With the other hand, compact it into the bowl of the spoon and form into a flattened oval or egg shape. When the butter is melted in the pan, ease the meatball off the spoon and into the pan. Repeat until the pan is at capacity.
4. Fry until they develop a nice browned crust on both sides and are cooked all the way through. They will be tender; turn with care, after the first side is crusty.
Serve with boiled, mashed, or roasted potatoes and gravy, or with Danish Parsley Sauce, and crisp-tender English peas or pickled red cabbage or glazed carrots.
TIP: Pick up disposable food service gloves (at a restaurant supply store) to wear when you’re shaping the meat.
TIP: You can make these frikadeller look like little flattened footballs on game day. 😊
Try this while reading Backdrop Serial Killer:
PRISSY’S BEST TROUT RECIPE
(Or, if you don't have trout on hand, use any white fish fillet)
Ingredients
Preparation
- 2-4 Fresh mountain trout (cleaned)
- 2/3 cup Cornmeal
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 T Salad oil
- 1 tsp Salt and 1 tsp Lemon pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic powder and 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 T Paprika and 1 T Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 T Unsalted butter
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish.
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Pat the trout dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Mix flour, cornmeal, and spices. Pour about half the spices/flour/cornmeal mix onto a plate or shallow pan.
- Add milk to a separate pan.
- Dip each fish the milk, then coat in the seasoned flour until lightly coated.
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Gently ease the breaded trout fillets into the heated oil and butter, and fry for 3 or 4 minutes for medium size trout, 2 or 3 minutes for fillets.
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Turn over and cook until the fish barely starts to flake when poked with a fork, about another 1 to 3 minutes. (If the fish are very large, cook longer on each side.)
Try this while reading Backdrop Serial Killer:
PRISSY’S TAKE on UTAH FRY SAUCE
Great with fish as well as with fries.
Ingredients
Preparation
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 T dill pickle juice
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce
- In a small bowl, stir the mayo until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the other ingredients and mix well.
- Chill.
Try this while reading Backdrop Serial Killer:
OVEN ROASTED CORN ON THE COB
When guests were in the Camp, Chet and Prissy were too busy to individually-wrap corn in foil to grill, and the BBQ’s were too crowded anyway. This alternative is delicious and a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
Preparation
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12 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed, cut or broken in half
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1 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
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1/2 tsp chili powder
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1 1/2 tsp salt
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1 tsp black pepper
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pinch sugar
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1/2 stick butter, softened
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2 T chopped fresh parsley
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Prep corn. Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir together spices, then add butter and parsley, and stir until evenly combined.
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Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with heavy duty foil. Cut 2 extra pieces for use in Step 4.
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Coat corn cobs with herb butter; it will take about a teaspoon and a half for each (just eye-ball it). This is easier if you use disposable food service gloves and your hands. Lay the cobs out in a single layer on the rimmed sheet pans. It’s OK if they are touching.
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Cap with the second sheet of aluminum foil, sealing around the edges.
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Roast in preheated oven until corn is soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving, using tongs to turn in buttery pan once to cover with butter.
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Contact
For media requests, collaborations, or general questions, please reach me out at KateMartel250@gmail.com
I strive to respond personally to every message, though it may take a little time as I'm often lost in a new story!