To Absent Friends - Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton

1940-2017

It was a real shock to see this post pop up on my Facebook news feed about an hour ago:

Sue Grafton

1 hr · 

Hello Dear Readers. This is Sue's daughter, Jamie. I am sorry to tell you all that Sue passed away last night after a two year battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family, including her devoted and adoring husband Steve. Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly. Sue always said that she would continue writing as long as she had the juice. Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.

If you are regular readers this blog, you know that I am a long time fan of Sue Grafton and her "Alphabet Series" of Kinsey Millhone private eye novels.  This is certainly sad news, not only to Ms. Grafton's family and personal friends, but to her many, many readers, me among them, who always anxiously awaited the release of one of Kinsey's new adventures.  It is almost shocking to think that we will never see the publication of "Z" and the conclusion of the Kinsey Millhone saga.  Well, it is an old show business axiom to always leave the audience wanting more.  Maybe it's better that there was no "final episode" for Kinsey.  Perhaps that is how she and her creator will always remain alive for their legions of fans.

Back in October, 2013, I had the pleasure of hearing Sue Grafton give a talk at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh.  It was a real treat, and this is what I had to say about her in The Grandstander at that time:

Since the publication of "A is for Alibi" in 1982, Sue Grafton has been one of my favorite authors and her "Alphabet Series" of mystery novels featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone have been on my "can't miss" list of reading pleasures.

Last night, Sue Grafton was the guest speaker at the Drue Heinz Lecture Series at the Carnegie Music Hall, and it was a real treat to be able to hear her speak.  She was very candid about her life story, which has some parallels with Kinsey's, as it happens.  She gave her lecture by using 3x5 inch index cards for her notes, and she confessed to owning an all-purpose black dress (readers will know what I mean!).   She was humorous and self-deprecating, and very entertaining.  It was not a let down to finally "meet" someone that I have followed and enjoyed for over thirty years.

With the recent publication of "W is for Wasted", there are now only three Kinsey Millhone novels to be written, and Grafton promises that the final one, "Z is for Zero" is on track for publication in 2019.

Sadly, we will only be able to imagine what would have happened to Kinsey and the other cast of characters in Santa Teresa.

RIP Sue Grafton.