Utah native’s debut mystery novel merges scientific mind with international intrigue

Photo: Elizabeth Heider

Former Navy analyst and space researcher Elizabeth Heider brings her globe-trotting adventures to the pages of her first fiction mystery novel

PARK CITY, Utah — Utah native Elizabeth Heider is set to sign copies of her debut mystery novel, “May the Wolf Die,” at Dolly’s Bookstore in Park City on Sept. 29 at 12 p.m.

Heider’s novel, set in Naples, Italy, follows a female detective investigating organized crime and its connections to the U.S. military presence in the city.

“The inspiration for ‘May the Wolf Die’ came from my diverse experiences,” Heider said. She explained that after completing her degree at the University of Utah, she worked as a deployed civilian analyst with the U.S. Navy, including three years stationed in Naples. Her work took her to 15 African countries, saw her training troops in Senegal, Gabon, and Cameroon, and even lecturing at INTERPOL headquarters in France. 

Heider’s Utah roots run deep. “I’m a Utah Native – raised in South Jordan Utah,” she said. “Although I left the state for work in 2008, I regularly return; my parents, two sisters, and brother, are still living here.”

The author’s background spans physics, military analysis, and space research. She holds a B.S. in Physics from the University of Utah and a PhD from Tufts University. Her career includes work with the European Space Agency’s Human Spaceflight program and her current role as a program manager for Microsoft’s AI4Science program in the Netherlands.

Her writing isn’t limited to novels. Heider’s credits include a play produced at the University of Utah, a chemistry patent, and even a comic series for the European Space Agency. For years, her science writings were regularly read by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

“I’ve always processed my experiences through writing,” Heider said. “Fiction is particularly helpful because it helps me identify and tell the emotional truth of a situation while keeping my analytical proclivities at bay.”

Now based in The Hague, Heider’s life sounds like fiction: she bicycles to work across dunes, makes wine from her garden grapes, and ice skates on frozen canals.

The upcoming event at Dolly’s Bookstore is part of a national tour that has included stops in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, and Lexington. Heider has also held events at The King’s English Bookstore and Barnes & Noble Sugarhouse in Utah.

Readers can meet Heider and get their books signed at Dolly’s Bookstore, 510 Main Street, Park City, on Sept. 29 at 12 p.m.