The Name of the Game Was Murder

Joan Lowery Nixon (February 3, 1927–June 28, 2003) was an American journalist and author, specializing in historical fiction and mysteries for children and young adults.

Joan Lowery Nixon was born on February 3, 1927 in Los Angeles. She received a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California in 1947. It was at USC where she met her husband, Hershel, a naval officer and geologist. At USC she was a member of Kappa Delta, and has received their highest honor.She sold her books for time at various schools in L.A. before becoming a full-time writer. Her son Joe Nixon was a representative in the Texas House. She died of pancreatic cancer in Houston, Texas on June 28, 2003. Joan, Hershel, and her children lived in Corpus Christi before finally settling in the Memorial and Tanglewood area of Houston, Texas.