Category: Mystery

Lifespan: (April 24, 1940 - Present)

Interesting & Unique Facts: Grafton is the daughter of novelist C. W. Grafton and Vivian Harnsberger, both of whom were children of Presbyterian ministers. Grafton graduated in 1961 with a bachelors degree in English Literature and minors in Humanities and the Fine Arts. After graduating, Grafton held various jobs as a hospital admissions clerk, cashier, and medical secretary in Santa Monica and Santa Barbara, California.

While reading Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies, which is an alphabetical picture book of children who die by various means, she had the idea to write a series of novels based on the alphabet. She immediately sat down and made a list of all of the crime-related words that she knew.

Grafton's novels have been published in 28 countries, in 26 languages including Bulgarian and Indonesian.
She has refused to sell the film and television rights to her books, as her time writing screenplays had "cured" her of the desire to work with Hollywood. Grafton has even threatened to haunt her children if they sell the film rights after she is dead.

Author's work in order (with publication dates):

Alphabet Mysteries

• A is for Alibi (1982)
• B is for Burglar (1985)
• C is for Corpse (1986)
• D is for Deadbeat (1987)
• E is for Evidence (1988)
• F is for Fugitive (1989)
• G is for Gumshoe (1990)
• H is for Homicide (1991)
• I is for Innocent (1992)
• J is for Judgement (1993)
• K is for Killer (1994)
• L is for Lawless (1995)
• M is for Malice (1997)
• N is for Noose (1998)
• O is for Outlaw (1999)
• P is for Peril (2001)
• Q is for Quarry (2002)
• R is for Ricochet (2004)
• S is for Silence (2005)
• T is for Trepass (2007)
• U is for Undertow (2009)
  

Non-Series

• Keziah Dane (1967)
• The Lolly Madonna War (1969)
• Kinsey and Me [Short Stories] (1992)
• The Lying Game (2003)