Mary Abigail Padgett (born May 13, 1942, in Vincennes, Indiana) is an American author of mystery novels who features in Great Women Mystery Writers (2007).^[1][2]

Padgett graduated in 1964 from Indiana University Bloomington with a degree in education, then earned a master's in counselling from the University of Missouri in 1969; between the two she taught high school English in St. Louis. She then had several different jobs before becoming a court investigator for Child Protective Services in San Diego, a post she left in 1988 to concentrate on writing and advocacy for children and the mentally ill.^[1]

Padgett's first series concerns Barbara "Bo" Bradley, a child protection advocate investigator in San Diego who suffers from bipolar disorder. Her second series features Blue McCarron, a reclusive lesbian social psychologist.^[1]

Padgett maintains a blog.^[3]