Maya Angelou comes to mind. The modern mystery has evolved from the whodunit puzzle of years ago, to one of greater character depth and psychological exploration. Art, whether literature, music, or painting is a changing thing and is a reflection of the times in which it was created and the personality of the creator. Kijewski creates an extra layer of tension in her novels by testing her characters' ability to do what they need to do on the job and yet remain objective. By immersing her characters in situations of physical and emotional danger, Kijewski not only propels the story forward, she focuses the light on questions of motivation and behavior.
Some authors say that their characters take on their own lives and dictate the events in a novel.
Kijewski feels that she is the one directing the plot of her books. To that end, she will make a brief outline for each book, knowing well in advance who the victim will be, how he or she will be done in, by whom and why. Kijewski maintains that control with a schedule that includes four to five hours writing new text each day and devoting an hour or two to editing. More and more time, she says, is devoted to the business of running a business. I believe that people are basically good, that most people want to do the best thing.