Heider’s novel, set in Naples, Italy, follows a female detective investigating organized crime and its connections to the U.S. military presence in the city.
“The inspiration for ‘May the Wolf Die’ came from my diverse experiences,” Heider said. She explained that after completing her degree at the University of Utah, she worked as a deployed civilian analyst with the U.S. Navy, including three years stationed in Naples. Her work took her to 15 African countries, saw her training troops in Senegal, Gabon, and Cameroon, and even lecturing at INTERPOL headquarters in France.
Heider’s Utah roots run deep. “I’m a Utah Native – raised in South Jordan Utah,” she said. “Although I left the state for work in 2008, I regularly return; my parents, two sisters, and brother, are still living here.”
The author’s background spans physics, military analysis, and space research. After earning her Physics degree from the University of Utah she completed her PhD at Tufts University. Her career includes work with the European Space Agency’s Human Spaceflight program and her current role as a program manager for Microsoft’s AI4Science program in the Netherlands.
Heider's writing isn’t limited to novels. Her credits include a play produced at the U, a chemistry patent and even a comic series for the European Space Agency. For years, her science writings were regularly read by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.