Sue Grafton writer of popular 'alphabet' mysteries dies
Sue Grafton
Sue Grafton   author of the best-selling "alphabet series" of mystery novels  has died in Santa Barbara.  She  was 77.
 Grafton  was surrounded by family  including husband Steven Humphrey  when  she  died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer   her  daughter  Jamie Clark  posted on the author's website.
"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 " the posting said.
Grafton began  her  "alphabet series" in 1982 with "A is for Alibi."  Her  most recent book  "Y is for Yesterday " was published in August.
"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 "  her  daughter wrote. "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."
The fictional heroine of the series  Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone  was  Grafton 's alter ego  she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.
"I'm an introvert  so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities "  Grafton  said. "But it's fun to get to live  her  life without penalty."
 Her  husband agreed that  Grafton  was Kinsey.
"Yes  as Sue said  'We're one spirit in two bodies  and  she  got the good one '" Humphrey said.
While  Grafton  aged   her  heroine didn't quite as much.
"So when I started   she  was 32  and I was 42. Now   she  is 39  and I am 77. So there's a little bit of injustice there  but  she  is single "  she  told NPR in an interview earlier this year. " She 's been married twice.  She  has no kids  no pets  no house plants."
 She  said  she  was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with "Z is for Zero."
Lisa Scottoline  author of legal thrillers  tweeted that  she  was sad to hear of  Grafton 's passing.
" She  forged a path for women in crime fiction  and all of us followed and adored  her  "  she  said.
Crime writer Lawrence Block called  Grafton  a wonderful writer "graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit."
 Grafton  began writing at 18  and completed  her  first novel at 22. "A is for Alibi" was the eighth novel  she  wrote  and the third  she  had published.
[TGT]has died in Santa Barbara.  [TGT]  was 77.
 Grafton  was surrounded by family  including husband Steven Humphrey  when  she  died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer   her  daughter  Jamie Clark  posted on [TGT]'s website.
"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 " the posting said.
Grafton began  her  "alphabet series" in 1982 with "A is for Alibi."  Her  most recent book  "Y is for Yesterday " was published in August.
"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 "  her  daughter wrote. "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."
The fictional heroine of the series  Southern California private detective Kinsey Millhone  was  Grafton 's alter ego  she told The Seattle Times earlier this year.
"I'm an introvert  so doing half of what Kinsey is beyond my poor capabilities "  Grafton  said. "But it's fun to get to live  her  life without penalty."
 Her  husband agreed that  Grafton  was Kinsey.
"Yes  as [TGT] said  'We're one spirit in two bodies  and  [TGT]  got the good one '" Humphrey said.
While  Grafton  aged   her  heroine didn't quite as much.
"So when I started   she  was 32  and I was 42. Now   she  is 39  and I am 77. So there's a little bit of injustice there  but  she  is single "  she  told NPR in an interview earlier this year. " She 's been married twice.  She  has no kids  no pets  no house plants."
 She  said  she  was looking forward to reaching the end of the alphabet with "Z is for Zero."
Lisa Scottoline  author of legal thrillers  tweeted that  she  was sad to hear of  Grafton 's passing.
" She  forged a path for women in crime fiction  and all of us followed and adored  her  "  she  said.
Crime writer Lawrence Block called  Grafton  a wonderful writer "graced with vision and integrity and a generous spirit."
 Grafton  began writing at 18  and completed  her  first novel at 22. "A is for Alibi" was the eighth novel  she  wrote  and the third  she  had published.