Sue Grafton

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American author of mystery novels, screenplays and TV. Her popular series of who-dun-it thrillers, started in 1982, are named after the letters of the alphabet, "A is for Alibi," "B is for Burglar," and on as far as letter L by 1995. Her alphabetical mystery series has sold over 7.5 million copies in the U.S. and has been translated into 24 languages. Grafton had an anguished childhood with alcoholic parents; her mom died of an O.D. on barbiturates on Sue's 20th birthday. She did stay close to her one sister, Ann. Her dad was an attorney who wrote four books including one mystery. Both parents encouraged her to read and never censored her tastes. When other girls were reading Nancy Drew, she was devouring Mickey Spillane. Grafton married during her sophomore year in college and had her daughter, Leslie. In 1961, she divorced, remarried and moved to Hollywood. She increased her family with a son, Jay, and another daughter, Jamie. The breakup of her second marriage led to a six-year bitter custody battle. (Putting her past behind her, she refuses to name or discuss her first two husbands.) She worked as a medical secretary and wrote at night while the kids were in bed, and for 15 years worked as a screenwriter. In 1974 she met 11-year-younger author Steven Humphrey and they married 10/01/1978. They work from side-by-side computers in their Santa Barbara, California home and sometimes collaborate on TV screenplays. Link to Wikipedia biography