The Blank Page

An Edgar Award nominee's "best [mystery] yet-an understated small town tragedy handled in his level-dead-level-fashion" (Kirkus Reviews).
A young college student is found murdered in her dorm room, a blank sheet of typing paper on her stomach. The only thing chief of police Mario Balzic knows is that the girl was lonely, a nearly friendless orphan who was so quiet, so unassuming, that no one at school knew much about her. But everyone has secrets. And if anyone is going to find out hers, it's Balzic-Rocksburg, Pennsylvania's most discerning detective.
"Constantine is a marvelous writer. May Mario Balzic thrive." -The New York Times
"K.C. Constantine is one of the most talked about mystery writers on the American scene. Constantine has a smooth style, and his plots are loaded with unexpected twists and turns." ―Boston Globe
"Constantine writes a terrific mystery." ―Providence Journal

Carl Constantine Kosak (1934-2023), better known as acclaimed mystery writer K.C. Constantine, is famed for his mysteries featuring Mario Balzic. Constantine showed much more interest in the characters in his novels than the actual mystery, and his later novels became ever more philosophical, threatening to leave the mystery genre behind completely. In 1989, Constantine was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel for Joey's Case. Despite his success, he managed to keep his literary identity completely hidden until 2011 when he appeared in person for the first time at the annual Festival of Mystery hosted by Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont.