Teacher Spotlight:

Al Blanchard, Published Mystery Writer

Al Blanchard has taught social studies at Kennedy Middle School for over thirty years. About ten years ago he started writing mystery, science fiction and horror short stories. Since then his short fiction has appeared in dozens of magazines. You can read four of them on his website (www.alblanchard.com).

Last year his first mystery novel, Murder at Walden Pond, was published.

Al took to heart the maxim to write what you know and created Steve Asher, a middle school social studies teacher in Waltham. In the novel Steve is the major suspect in the murder of a student’s sister. Most of the scenes in the book take place in Waltham including many in the fictitious North Middle School. The second book in the series, The Mad Season, will be released this summer.

Blanchard has also created a second series featuring Boston Homicide Detective James Callahan. The first book in that series, The Iscariot Conspiracy, was released in November. In the novel Callahan investigates the murder of a high Vatican official in Boston who has come to Boston to authenticate an historical document. Blanchard used his love of history and the mystery to write this book.

The second book in the Callahan series, The Disappearance of Jenna Drago, will be released in November of this year.

Al is the current president of the New England Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. He is working on the screenplay for his short story “Knock ‘em Dead" which an independent filmmaker will begin filming on the island of Aruba this summer. He’s also an active member of the Boston Author’s Club, Sisters in Crime, The National Writers Union and is on the board of directors of the Waltham Library.