“…at its heart, this is a beautiful love story. Our Verdict: Get it.” — Kirkus Reviews • “Hagan’s storytelling is masterful…” — Literary Titan • “…a dark, sinewy mystery with a conscience.” — Literary Titan • “A passionate, informative… call for change…” — Kirkus Reviews • “…at its heart, this is a beautiful love story.” — Kirkus Reviews • “Hagan’s storytelling is masterful…” — Literary Titan •

Dianne L. Hagan

Award-winning author of multicultural folklore noir mysteries and social justice memoirs.

“Fans of Stephen King’s small-town supernatural stories may recognize the sense that an entire place can become a haunted witness, though Hagan’s focus is more intimate, more reparative, and more explicitly tied to racial history.”

— Literary Titan

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What drives an author to build a paradise, only to shadow it with secrets?

For years, I chased a dream of perfect harmony—a vision inspired by a quirky ’90s TV town. A safe haven, where everyone was welcome and the sense of community was strong. I imagined dinners with lively conversation and a tight circle of friends and found family. Instead, I was forced to contend with the stark, fracturing realities of a changing America. From the raw, lived truths of my memoirs to the multicultural folklore noir thrillers of A Cadence Mystery, my writing is an exploration of race, family, and the fierce demand for reparative justice. Discover the deeply personal history, the political foresight, and the secret Alaskan dreams that shaped my creative journey.

Read My “Why I Write” Story →

Newest Release!

Creature of Secret Sorrows (A Cadence Mystery #7) Available on Amazon!

A horrific murder. A cursed object. A creature that should only exist in folklore.

Winner of a Literary Titan Book Award!

Finalist American Fiction Awards 2026 in two categories:

Horror: General

Mystery/Suspense: Multicultural and Diverse

Creature of Secret Sorrows is singular: it’s a mystery and a ghost story that still manages to confront regrets, past sorrows, and more. The result is an incredibly entertaining read … ~ The Booklife Prize

Listen to the Literary TItan Review

Purchase here

“‘[Creature of Secret Sorrows] represents a culmination of the themes I’ve explored throughout the series—how our racial history, past grievances, and violence manifest as real-world terror. In Cadence, justice isn’t just a legal concept; it’s a reckoning with the ghosts and demons this country hoped were forgotten.”

Dianne L. Hagan

Author

Awards

FICTION

The Rightful Future (A Cadence Mystery, #1)

Located in the history-rich Finger Lakes region in New York, Cadence is a small town with a big secret.

“A suspenseful mystery set in the Finger Lakes region casts a present-day murder against the legacy of racism in the United States.” — The BookLife Prize

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FICTION

The Eagle Speaks (A Cadence Mystery, #2)

People go missing after Black Lives Matter protesters descend on the small town that is splintering with blame and accusations.

“This book grips you from the beginning…” — Literary Titan

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The Eagle Speaks - A Cadency Mystery by Dianne L. Hagan

FICTION

Stony Place (A Cadence Mystery, #3)

As dawn breaks on July 2, 2023, two brothers steal a vintage car, load it with assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and drive two hours to Cadence, New York, to start a race war.

“[Hagan’s] unique style, heavily emphasizing dialogue on weighty subjects, ensnares the reader’s interest, propelling them to read on with anticipation. The narrative’s finale delivers a fitting resolution for all its characters, deftly interweaving threads of history spanning decades.” — Literary Titan

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Stony Place - A Cadence Mystery by Dianne L. Hagan

FICTION

Stone Coat Man (A Cadence Mystery, #4)

“What could possibly happen?” Marian Greene quips to husband Lester, as she sets out for a quiet walk in the woods. But life in Cadence, New York, is neither quiet nor easy.

“Dianne L. Hagan is an adept storyteller, weaving a narrative transcending conventional mystery thrillers.” — Literary Titan

“[Hagan] has created a fascinating mystery that weaves together traditions, myth, and crime.” — The BookLife Prize

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FICTION

Improbable Future (A Cadence Mystery, #5)

Madison Hayward is a mess. Wedding canceled. Fired from her job. Brother, Stanton, not speaking to her. Unsure she’ll ever return to Cadence. And her corrupt, abusive father, state senator, Samuel Hayward, found dead in his prison cell.

“Hagan’s storytelling is masterful, with a captivating plot filled with suspense and tinged with horror. Improbable Future is a riveting addition to the Cadence Mystery series, blending suspense, emotional depth, and social commentary.” — Literary Titan

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FICTION

Fallen Deer (A Cadence Mystery, #6)

Marian is stopped in her tracks by a deer. And a dead body. When Police Chief George Powless receives a report that there are monsters in the woods, and two more bodies are discovered, chaos ensues.

“What I love most about this book is how effortlessly Hagan blends cozy small-town dynamics with high-stakes suspense…” — Literary Titan

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