Mystery writer and educator William Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 11, 1928. Kienzle is a former Catholic priest who served for 20 years until he left the priesthood in 1974. He has served as director for the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas and taught writing at St. Mary's College in Orchard Lake, Michigan. Kienzle wrote The Rosary Murders, a mystery novel featuring Father Robert Koestler, a Catholic priest from Detroit. Koestler appears in almost 20 other books. Kienzle died on December 28, 2001.