Renowned mystery author Sue Grafton, known for an alphabetically titled series that began in the year 1982, died on Thursday night in Santa Barbara, California. She was 77. Jamie Clark, Sue’s daughter, announced about her death via the author’s website and Facebook page.
Grafton was fighting cancer for two years and died at around 11:30 pm on Thursday night. Grafton’s alphabetically titled series began with A is for Alibi in 1982. With the publication of her latest book in August titled Y is for Yesterday, Grafton’s alphabetical series had reached the alphabet Y.
The novels in the Grafton’s alphabet series were released with a two years gap. Grafton’s daughter Steve Humphrey said that his late wife had already planned the title of the last book to be Z for Zero. Unfortunately, he said that as she had not begun writing the last book, so the series will not have a Z is for Zero novel.
Humphrey said. “With chemo, she didn’t have much energy or interest in that anyway. There will just be a 25-letter alphabet; I’m sorry to say.”
The novels have been published in 26 languages across 28 countries. In the year 2013, Grafton marked the series 30th anniversary by releasing Kinsey & Me, a set of stores that reveal the origins of the investigator and also gave an insight into the author’s past.
Grafton was born on April 24, 1940, in Louisville and graduated from the University of Louisville with a B.A in English in the year 1961. Her father, C. W Grafton was a lawyer who also wrote some mystery novels. Grafton’s mother was a teacher.
Grafton’s first novel titled Keziah Dane was published in the year 1967. Her second novel, The Lolly-Madonna War released in the year 1969. She helped adapt this model into a screenplay, and the movie was released in 1973. After this, she even began writing for television.
