Grafton, Sue (1940)

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Grafton, Sue (1940)

American mystery novelist. Born April 24, 1940, in Louisville, Kentucky; dau. of Chip Warren Grafton (municipal bond attorney and writer) and Vivian Boisseau (Harnsberger) Grafton; University of Louisville, BA in English, 1961; m. 3rd husband Stephen F. Humphrey, 1978; children: (1st m.) Leslie Flood Carnes; (2nd m.) Jay and Jamie Schmidt.

Published 1st novel, Keziah Dane (1967), then The Lolly-Madonna War (1969); wrote for tv movies and episodic; flipping hard-boiled crime novels on their ear, created the sassy, twice-divorced private investigator Kinsey Millhone who lives in Santa Teresa, California, and drives an old VW bug; published the 1st Millhone book, A is for Alibi (1982), followed by B is for Burglar (1985), E is for Evidence (1988), H is for Homicide (1991), K is for Killer (1994), N is for Noose (1998), and Q is for Quarry (2002), among others. Received Shamus Award (1985, 1990, 1994) and Anthony Award (1985, 1986, 1990).

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