Sue Grafton: Biography
Sue Grafton (Sue Taylor Grafton) was born on April 24th, 1940. Sue passed away December 28th, 2017 at 77 years old. Sue Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Sue Grafton was the author of the Kinsey Millhone series which consists of 25 novels. The Kinsey Millhone series started in 1982 with the novel A is for Alibi. The most recently released novel in the Kinsey Millhone series was Y is for Yesterday which was released in 2017. There are no upcoming novels for the Kinsey Millhone series.
Sue was married to Steve Humphrey, who was well-known to a lot of Grafton fans as he would attend numerous book signings. He was also well-known in his role as a physicist and professor.
One of the biggest inspirations in Sues life was the crime author Ross MacDonald, who wrote novels primarily in the 1950s. Her father was C.W. Grafton, who was also an author and one of his novels won the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award in 1943. He was very inspirational and actually taught Sue in regards to writing and editing and at 18 years old was when she started writing novels, although many of her early ones weren't published and she ended up destroying them.
Prior to becoming a writer, Sue wrote screenplays for TV movies, which led her to her co-writing the screenplay based on her own novel, The Lolly-Madonna War. She also won a Christopher Award for Walking Through the Fire, a screenplay that she wrote. Sue also adapted multiple novels written by famed author Agatha Christie.
In 2014, the Kinsey Millhone character and series by Sue won The Hammer award at the Shamus Awards, which is an award given to the Best P.I. Series Character.
Following her passing, the Mystery Writers of America, who present the Edgar Awards, created the Sue Grafton Memoriam Award.
In 2000, the YWCA of Lexington Smith-Breckinridge:awarded Sue the Distinguished Woman of Achievement Award.
Sue Grafton: Awards & Accolades
Sue Grafton has won multiple awards including: The Shamus Award, Lifetime Achievement Award (The Eye), in 2003, Santa Barbara Book Council Awards, Ross MacDonald Literary Award, in 2004, Crime Writer's Association Award, Diamond Dagger Award, in 2008, Edgar Award, Grand Master, in 2009 and the Agatha Award, Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2011.
Sue Grafton has won many awards including:
- B is for Burglar won the Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel, in 1986 as well as the Anthony Award - Best Mystery Novel in 1986.
- C is for Corpse won the Anthony Award, Best Mystery Novel, in 1987.
- The Parker Shotgun won the Anthony Award, Best Short Story, in 1987 as well as the Macavity Award - Best Short Story in 1987.
- F is for Fugitive won the Maltese Falcon Society, Falcon Award, in 1991.
- G is for Gumshoe won the Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel, in 1991 as well as the Anthony Award - Best Mystery Novel in 1991.
- K is for Killer won the Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel, in 1995.
- Y is for Yesterday won the Anthony Award, Bill Crider Award for Best Novel in a Series, in 2018.
The following novels by Sue Grafton were also nominated for these awards:
- A is for Alibi: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel (1983).
- C is for Corpse: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel (1987).
- Between the Sheets: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Short Story (1987).
- E is for Evidence: Macavity Award, Best Mystery Novel (1989). Anthony Award, Best Mystery Novel (1989).
- Sisters in Crime 2: Anthony Award, Best Paperback Original (1991).
- A Poison That Leaves No Trace: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Short Story (1991).
- Full Circle: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Short Story (1992).
- I is for Innocent: Crime Writer's Association Award, Gold Dagger Award (1992).
- A Little Missionary Work: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Short Story (1993).
- K is for Killer: Anthony Award, Best Mystery Novel (1995).
- M is for Malice: Audie Award, Best Mystery (1997).
- O is for Outlaw: Audie Award, Best Mystery (2000).
- Q is for Quarry: Audie Award, Best Mystery (2003).
- V is for Vengeance: Lefty Award, The Golden Nugget Award (2012).
- W is for Wasted: Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller (2013). Lefty Award, The Squid Award (2014). Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel (2014).
- Y is for Yesterday: Shamus Award, Best P.I. Novel (2018).
Sue Grafton: Lists & Other Mentions
- L is for Lawless was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1995.
- N is for Noose was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 1998.
- P is for Peril was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2001.
- Q is for Quarry was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2002.
- R is for Ricochet was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2004.
- S is for Silence was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2005 and 2006.
- T is for Trespass was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2007.
- U is for Undertow was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2009.
- W is for Wasted was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2013.
- X was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2015.
- Y is for Yesterday was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2017.
Sue Grafton: TV/Movies Based on Books
The 1973 movie Lolly-Madonna XXX is based off the novel The Lolly-Madonna War. Sue wrote the novel and also co-wrote the screenplay with Rodney Carr-Smith. The movie starred Rod Steiger, Randy Quaid, Gary Busey and Jeff Bridges.
Although no movies were technically made based on the Alphabet Murders series, there were two TV movies in Japan that were released based on two novels by Sue within that series. They were based on B is for Burglar and D is for Deadbeat. In 2021 however, it has came to light that A+E Studios have actually picked up the rights to the series, so it is possible we will see adaptations of the Kinsey Millhone series down the road.
Related Authors
The most common authors followed by users who also follow Sue Grafton are:
- Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch Series.
- John Grisham, author of the Jake Brigance Series.
- Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.
- Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher Series.
- David Baldacci, author of the Amos Decker Series.
Sue Grafton: F.A.Q
When was Sue Grafton Born?
Sue Grafton was born on April 24th, 1940.
When did Sue Grafton die?
Sue Grafton died on December 28th, 2017 at 77 years old.
Where was Sue Grafton Born?
Sue Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
What awards has Sue Grafton won?
Sue Grafton has won the following awards: Lifetime Achievement Award (The Eye) at the Shamus Award (2003), Ross MacDonald Literary Award at the Santa Barbara Book Council Awards (2004), Diamond Dagger Award at the Crime Writer's Association Award (2008), Grand Master at the Edgar Award (2009) and the Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award at the Agatha Award (2011).
What book awards has Sue Grafton won?
What was the first book Sue Grafton wrote?
The first novel written by Sue Grafton was Keziah Dane, published in 1967.
What was the most recent book Sue Grafton wrote?
Her most recently released work was Y is for Yesterday on August 22nd, 2017.
How many books has Sue Grafton written?
Sue Grafton has written 34 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 25 books in the Kinsey Millhone Series, 1 book in the Kinsey Millhone Collections, 2 Standalone Novels, 5 Short Stories/Novellas, 1 book in the Non-Fiction Books.
How did Sue Grafton die?
Sue passed away after she got the rare form cancer of the appendix, which she battled with for two years.
Did the Alphabet Series ever get a Z book?
Sadly, it did not. Sue passed away one book away from completing the entire alphabet.
What was the final Alphabet Murders novel to be called?
Sue had said in 2009 that the final novel in the series would be known as Z is for Zero.
Was the Kinsey Millhone series ever made into TV shows or movies?
No it was not. Her work writing screenplays had put her off working with Hollywood, or as she put it, the desire to work with Hollywood was 'cured'.
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