Sue Grafton (1940–2017)
Author of A is for Alibi
About the Author
Sue Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky on April 24, 1940. She received a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Louisville in 1961. Her first novel Keziah Dane was published in 1967. Her second novel, The Lolly-Madonna War, was published in 1969 and she adapted it into show more a screenplay. After that movie was released in 1973, she worked intermittently writing for television. A series she created, Nurse, ran for two seasons on CBS in the early 1980s. Her writing career took off when A Is for Alibi was published in 1982 and received the Mysterious Stranger Award. This was the beginning of the Kinsey Millhone Mystery series. B Is for Burglar won the Shamus and Anthony Awards and C Is for Corpse won the Anthony Award. She also received the Cartier Diamond Dagger, the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bouchercon, and the Ross Macdonald Literary Award. She died from cancer on December 28, 2017 at the age of 77. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Photographed at BookPeople in Austin, Texas by Frank Arnold
Series
Works by Sue Grafton
Sue Grafton ABC Gift Collection: "A" Is for Alibi, "B" Is for Burglar, "C" Is for Corpse (1997) 75 copies
Sue Grafton DEF Gift Collection: "D" Is for Deadbeat, "E" Is for Evidence, "F" Is for Fugitive (2005) 42 copies
Sue Grafton GHI Gift Collection: "G" Is for Gumshoe, "H" Is for Homicide, "I" Is for Innocent (2005) 30 copies
The Alphabet Mysteries: A-S 14 copies
Sue Grafton 3 copies
The entire "Alphabet" series 2 copies
L Is for Lawless / M Is for Malice 2 copies
"C" Is For Courses 2 copies
H is for Homicide / I is for Innocent / J Is for Judgment / K is for Killer / L Is for Lawless 2 copies
The Alphabet Mysteries: A-T 2 copies
If You Want It Done Right 1 copy
de homicidio 1 copy
A - Z 1 copy
Carl the Coward 1 copy
"C" de Cadáver 1 copy
y is for Yesterday 1 copy
Come Killer 1 copy
The Alphabet Mysteries: G-K 1 copy
The Alphabet Mysteries: O-T 1 copy
Omnibus 1 copy
N Is for Noose [abridged] 1 copy
The Alphabet Mysteries: G-S 1 copy
Sue Grafton - member choice 1 copy
The Parker Shotgun 1 copy
Three complete novels 1 copy
Z is for Zero 1 copy
The Lying Game 1 copy
Associated Works
Why We Write: 20 Acclaimed Authors on How and Why They Do What They Do (2013) — Contributor — 182 copies
The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For (2015) — Contributor — 127 copies
The New Mystery: The International Association of Crime Writers' Essential Crime Writing of the Late 20th Century (1993) — Contributor — 62 copies
Writing the Private Eye Novel: A Handbook by the Private Eye Writers of America (1997) — Contributor — 58 copies
A Taste of Murder: Diabolically Delicious Recipes from Contemporary Mystery Writers (1999) — Contributor — 45 copies
Deadly Allies: Private Eye Writers of America/Sisters in Crime Collaborative Anthology (1992) — Contributor — 43 copies
The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories: First Annual Edition (1992) — Contributor — 16 copies
Great Mystery Series: Top Female Sleuths by 8 of the Best Women Mystery Writers (1991) — Contributor — 6 copies
Time-Life Book Digest: "I" is for Innocent | The Trail to Seven Pines | Who Killed My Daughter? | French Silk (1992) — Contributor — 2 copies
Válogatott könyvek 34. Harlan Coben - Lidércnyomás; Alan Titchmarsh - Apa csak egy van; Sue Grafton - P mint… (2004) — Author — 2 copies
Válogatott könyvek 16. John Grisham - A végrendelet; Stuart Harrison - A fehér sólyom; Sam Llewellyn - Vashotel;… (2000) 1 copy
Reader's Digest Select Editions: You Belong to Me • Archangel • Cloud Nine • “N” is for Noose (1999) 1 copy
Kirjavaliot - Potilas (The Patient ∙ The Rescue ∙ High Risk ∙ N Is for Moose) (2001) — Author — 1 copy
Het Beste Boek 220: Spoorloos / De rookspringer / P staat voor pijngrens / Jonge honden, oude helden (2003) — Author — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Grafton, Sue
- Legal name
- Grafton, Sue Taylor
- Birthdate
- 1940-04-24
- Date of death
- 2017-12-28
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Place of death
- Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Cause of death
- cancer (appendix)
- Places of residence
- Santa Barbara, California, USA
Santa Monica, California, USA - Education
- University of Louisville (1961 | BA | English Literature)
Western Kentucky State Teachers College - Occupations
- admission clerk
cashier
secretary
screenwriter
detective novelist - Relationships
- Grafton, C. W. (father)
- Organizations
- Pi Beta Phi
- Awards and honors
- Romantic Times Career Achievement Award (Female Sleuth ∙ 2004)
Cartier Diamond Dagger (2008)
Shamus Award (The Eye for Lifetime Achievement ∙ 2003)
MWA Grand Master (2009)
Christopher Award (1979) - Agent
- Molly Friedrich (Aaron Priest Literary Agency)
- Short biography
- Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky April 24 1940; graduated University of Louisville, BA 1961 with a major in English Literature, minors in Humanities and Fine Arts.
She married to Steven F. Humphrey with three children from previous marriages: a daughter, Leslie; a son, Jay; a daughter, Jamie; and four granddaughters, Erin, age 21, Kinsey, age 13, Taylor, age 4, and Addison, age 2.
Members
Reviews
Creepy, creepy! Makes me wonder about people a little more than I did before.
I had a harder time getting into this one, but everything clicked around page 100. By the end I felt like there were a few unanswered questions, but still a good one.
Another one of my favorites. Stayed up till wee hours of the morning to finish.
Lists
Female Author (13)
Books Read in 2020 (19)
Overdue Podcast (1)
To borrow next (1)
One Letter Books (1)
Detective Stories (12)
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 120
- Also by
- 48
- Members
- 95,019
- Popularity
- #97
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 1,954
- ISBNs
- 1,561
- Languages
- 22
- Favorited
- 200
"A" is for Alibi" is the first book in Sue Grafton's alphabet mystery series, featuring Kinsey Millhone, a 32-year-old Private Investigator residing in California. I've just begun this series and found this book quite enjoyable. The mystery is compelling, suspenseful, and makes for a quick read. Kinsey's character is fiercely independent, and she's portrayed in a way that makes you feel intimately acquainted with her. Nikki Fife, recently released from prison after serving eight years for the murder of her husband Laurence, enlists Kinsey to uncover the real culprit. As Kinsey delves into the investigation, she discovers a similarly executed murder that occurred days after Laurence's—the victim being Libby Glass, the accountant for Laurence's law firm, poisoned in the same manner. With the trail cold for eight years, Kinsey is aware that uncovering the truth will be challenging. She starts piecing together the profiles of those involved and the events leading to Laurence's death. However, her probing does not sit well with someone who is intent on keeping the truth buried. As Kinsey edges closer to the truth, she finds herself in peril, with a determined adversary attempting to thwart her efforts.… (more)