Sue Grafton
Sue Grafton is an American author of detective fiction, best known for her best-selling Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series. Grafton began writing when she was just a teenager and went on to publish 30 novels in her Alphabet Series, beginning with 1982's 'A' Is for Alibi and concluding with 2017's 'Y' Is for Yesterday. She has been one of the most influential crime writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, with her books being translated into 28 languages and selling 40 million copies worldwide.
Sue Grafton was born on April 24, 1940, in Kentucky, the daughter to Vivian and C.W. Grafton, who had both worked in television writing. Her mother was also an avid writer. Grafton attended the University of Louisville for two years and then transferred toWestern Kentucky University in Bowling Green, graduating in 1961 with a B.A. in English.
Grafton first began writing short stories, selling her first piece to Seventeen magazine at age 18. After college, she worked at a variety of jobs, including writing for television and film, before publishing her first novel, 'A' Is for Alibi, in 1982. The novel was an instant success and spawned a series of twenty-five more novels, all beginning with a successive letter of the alphabet. 'Y' Is for Yesterday, the latest entry in the series, was published in 2017.
The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series follows the titular private investigator as she solves mysteries, deals with personal and professional complications, and sometimes finds herself in the middle of danger. Kinsey is a strong, independent woman and she usually relies on her own detective skills, rather than waiting for the police or someone else to provide her with answers. Grafton has been praised for finding the perfect balance between atmosphere and action, as well as for creating captivating, vivid characters.
Grafton has also been honored with numerous awards and recognitions, including France's Grand prix de literature policiere in 1991, honorary doctor of humane letters degrees from Western Kentucky University and California Polytechnic State University, the Anthony Boucher Award in 1995, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America in 2009. She has also been inducted into the Kentucky Literary Hall of Fame in 2016.
Sue Grafton's life work has left a lasting impression on crime fiction readers and writers alike. She has paved the way for generations of female crime fiction authors, both telling the story of an independent female detective and doing so from a female perspective. Her legacy will live long and she remains a major inspiration to those aspiring to write their own mystery novels.
