Basis for the famous film noir: a woman who kept men spellbound--even after her death.

Vera Caspary (1904-1987) is best known for her skillfully crafted and psychologically complex murder mysteries. Several of her books were made into films, including Laura, Bedelia, and The Man Who Loved His Wife. She was also a playwright and screenwriter, and was an important figure in the radical political causes of her day.