In a world where the bright lights of sports arenas often mask the darker corners of ambition and betrayal, Elise Hart Kipness knows exactly where to look. Before she ever dreamed up the pulse-pounding investigations of Kate Green, Kipness was living her own version of high-stakes drama—rushing through the tunnels of Madison Square Garden, microphone in hand, weaving between athletes twice her size to capture the story no one else could.
A former television sports reporter for networks like Fox Sports, WNBC-TV, and the Associated Press, Kipness spent years covering everything from the U.S. Open to the Olympics, experiences that now lend a striking authenticity to her crime fiction. Her thrillers don’t just entertain; they expose the tension beneath the surface of the sports world, where fame can turn deadly and trust is a dangerous currency.
Kipness made her fiction debut with Lights Out, a fast-paced thriller that introduced readers to Kate Green—a disgraced Olympic athlete turned investigative sports reporter. Set against the backdrop of live television and the cutthroat world of professional athletics, the novel captured critical attention, landing on Men’s Journal’s Top 10 Books of 2023. Her follow-up, Dangerous Play, peels back even more layers, delving into past secrets that refuse to stay buried during the Olympic Games.
Drawing inspiration from her years of firsthand reporting and her own competitive spirit, Kipness crafts suspenseful narratives that explore ambition, loyalty, and the secrets we hide to survive. Her writing style blends sharp dialogue with relentless pacing, creating thrillers that feel as urgent and electric as a final overtime play.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Kipness graduated from Brown University before launching her journalism career. Today, she lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband, three mischievous labradoodles, and an assortment of farm animals that sometimes feel like characters in their own right. When she's not writing, Kipness serves as Co-President of Sisters in Crime Connecticut and actively supports fellow crime fiction writers through Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.
Elise Hart Kipness's work offers a rare glimpse behind the glittering curtain of sports fame—where ambition runs deep, danger is often unseen, and every win comes at a cost. With her third Kate Green thriller, Close Call, set to release in 2025, Kipness continues to carve out her place among the most exciting voices in contemporary suspense.
