Wilma Knox has lived in the area most of her life and worked as a clinical psychologist with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Her numerous professional publications have appeared in national and international journals, and she has now used psychology in writing fiction. An avid golfer and bridge player, she keeps house for two exuberant toy poodles and a testy cat. 

        Near a bayou a small muddy dog is the only witness to a brutal Gulf Coast Killing. Veterinarian Kerry Allen can identify that dog long before her lover, Sheriff Frank Borth, can be sure of the corpse's name. Unraveling this dangerous puzzle jars Kerry out of her clinic routine into the combative, slippery world of law enforcement. Set against the folklore and notorious history of Biloxi, the story tells of people as colorful as the fun-loving Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Biloxi Gambler

        On a yacht...  Adventure in the fast lane beckons veterinarian Kerry Allen, as she juggles murder cues, animal care and tender moments with her lover, Sheriff Frank Borth.. For once, Frank and Kerry's father agree that she is facing too much danger, and, worse yet,  developing a taste for life on the edge. Kerry's second adventure, rich with powerful, sly and devious characters, salutes Biloxi, the Bay St. Louis area, and the colorful, fun-loving Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Biloxi Traveler

          ACROSS THE SEAS...   The twists and turns that outside forces and personal choices produce propel this adventure from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic. Young veterinarian, Kerry Allen, grapples with the effects of her lover, Sheriff Frank Borth, taking an irresistible assignment before their wedding.

          Both lovers face unforeseen dangers that finally force Kerry to leave her clinic to escort a terrified cocker spaniel to its wealthy owner. She is also trapped in the company of a man who is surely making trouble, but his next target is unclear. Her path leads Kerry deeper into danger and the discovery of a murder.

          As the investigation continues, Kerry savors a taste of life at sea. An overeating psychologist, a gossipy hypochondriac, an art collector, financial expert and a budding jazz singer with a disapproving mother enliven her dinner table. She also attracts the attention of a Jordanian man with movie-star good looks who is wealthy and probably married.

          In The Biloxi Traveler, tales of exotic places contrast with folklore, the hometown warmth of Biloxi and the colorful, fun-loving people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Book   Reviews

From The Mississippi Press, Sunday, March 7, 2004
LOCAL AUTHOR PENS FUN BOOK  by Reba J. McMellon

"THE BILOXI TRAVELER -- A MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST MYSTERY" by Wilma Knox

 i Universe Inc., 2003              $12.95
       "The Biloxi Traveler" is a fun read.
       It is a wonderful combination of mystery, love story and local history.  Fun and familiar landmarks between Mobile and New Orleans are woven into this novel.  Places like Tillman's Corner, Dreamland Barbeque, Vrazels.  Interesting facts include local interests such as quilt making in the South, the flowering plant Lantana which was originally discovered in Clinton, Miss., and the Mardi Gras roots in Mississippi and Alabama.
       Most of the story takes place on a cruise ship.  If you've ever taken a cruise it will bring  back fond memories.  If not, you will get a very realistic account of traveling by way of a large vessel ship.
       The main character, Kerry, is engaged to the sheriff of Harrison County named Frank.  Theirs is an unlikely connection of a young, somewhat sheltered veterinarian and a tough-as-nails Vietnam vet turned local sheriff.
       Unexpected events happen early in the book and continue to unfold, barely stopping long enough for the reader to take a breath.

       The plot runs much deeper than one would expect at first glance.  Many twists and turns keep you reading and guessing right up to the very last page.
       The characters have realistic personalities and responses to trauma.  Among them are a young shipmate who annoys everybody with her preoccupation with health concerns, a couple of suave con artists, and other professionals who are seemingly normal and honest.
       Quality character development can be attributed to the fact that the author, Dr. Wilma Knox, is a retired psychologist from the VA hospital in Biloxi.
       She has lived in Biloxi since the early days of marriage and has a wonderful grasp on historical facts of all kinds because of her extensive travel throughout the world both in childhood and as an adult.
       Even though this book has tremendous regional appeal, it is a good solid mystery that anyone would enjoy.  "The Biloxi Traveler" can be found online as well as local bookstores such as Walden Books in Gautier and Pass Christian Bookstore.
       Reba J. McMellon is a free-lance writer, columnist and licensed counselor.  She can be reached at P.O. Box 161, Hurley, MS 39555 or rebaj@mindspring.com.

From THE BOOK READER, an independent review of new books.  Fall/Winter  2001-2002   p.44.

THE BILOXI WITNESS

By Wilma Knox. 

          A dog that seems to belong nowhere can lead everywhere.  There's a savage murder in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi, and the only witness is a small dog.  Why is the dog there?  Who is its owner?  "Kerry reached out and rubbed the little jaw.  The animal answered with a whimper, followed by a keening howl." 

          Kerry is a sensitive veterinarian who is stunned by the killing.  "She had seen sickening cases of animal abuse that made her fighting mad, but the sight of this woman with no hands gave her a chilling sense of personal vulnerability." 

           In finding the dog's owner, Kerry also finds herself on the track of the killer, and, with her lover, the local sheriff, she begins to ask the right questions, about the dog, the hands, the dead woman.  Dog and owner are reunited, but the owner is shot.  All the while, Author Knox is very good about giving us the history and the feel of the region -- the South, Biloxi, even air conditioning as being a salvation for the hot South. 

          And a final car ride with a man holding a .45 on Kerry, with Kerry (a nut for detail) talking about how the .45 was developed to deal with the Moro tribesmen in the Philippines. The murderer talks sadly about fighting in Vietnam.  "You know, it's uncanny how much the Coast looks like Nam at night.  No wonder those refugees like it here." 

          An enjoyable, complex mystery, The Biloxi Witness explores the intricate web of guilt and complicity, and keeps the pot boiling with the unraveling of a strange homicide.

Review by John Gardner, local attorney and free-lance writer.
         For readers familiar with the Mississippi Gulf Coast, The Biloxi Gambler is full of nostalgia.  It brings to mind places that are cherished for memories of delightful meals and fellowship of a family relationship that residents of the "Coast" feel with one another  in contrast with others, including the interior ninety-five per cent of Mississippi.  For other readers, it creates a desire to visit and enjoy first-hand the places mentioned.
         For all readers, there is a mystery story skillfully woven as the author takes them into these places that provide the background for a first rate story.  The events and places are presented so vividly that the readers know that the author writes of them from personal knowledge and first-hand experience and not merely something acquired by research or related to her by others.
         The lead character is a veterinarian, Kerry Allen.  Her work and skill in this practice contribute to her finding a solution to the crime portrayed.  That simple statement raises a skepticism that will disappear only in reading the book.  Her lover is Frank Borth, Sheriff of Harrison County.  Together they make a resourceful team of crime solvers while getting into situations of great personal jeopardy.
         The entire book is full of action.  There is no lull in the story waiting for something to happen.  The only place to stop is at the end of the book.
         A life long resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast wishes you happy reading.

The Sun Herald 12/2/01.

Authors Take Center Stage - Symphony of Authors by Joy Jones.
          Mystery writers who place their stories in the Magnolia State will also be present at Coast Books bookstore in Gulfport.
         Wilma Knox, author and former Department of Veterans Affairs psychologist, will sign copies of her latest book, The Biloxi Gambler.  The book is a sequel to The Biloxi Witness and features Kerry Allen, who along with her boyfriend Harrison County Sheriff Frank Borth, searches the Coast from Biloxi to Bay St. Louis to solve a mystery.  

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