Williams was born in
Norfolk, Virginia, and spent her childhood between
Colorado and
Georgia. She grew up with a learning disability and dropped out of
South Gwinnett High School when she was 16 years old; she read her first book at the age of 23. She began her writing career as a freelance writer for
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and also worked as a house painter, property manager, sales representative, commercial embroiderer, courier and dog walker. When she decided to experiment with writing crime fiction, she studied criminology to establish background knowledge, and worked with a private investigator firm in Atlanta on surveillance operations. She also worked as a process server to deliver
subpoenas to people that the local sheriff's department couldn't locate. and
The Stranger in the Room have appeared on annual best-of lists.
Publishers Weekly called
The Stranger You Seek "an explosive, unpredictable, and psychologically complex thriller that turns crime fiction clichés inside out." Her novels have been translated into nine languages. In 1992
The Providence File was nominated for Best Mystery at the 4th Annual
Lambda Literary Awards. In 2012
The Stranger You Seek was shortlisted for the
Townsend Prize for Fiction. The following year, the book was shortlisted for the Private Eye Writers of America's
Shamus Award. == Bibliography ==