Sue Grafton

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Lore & Background

Sue Grafton was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to C. W. Grafton and Vivian Harnsberger, both children of Presbyterian missionaries. Her father was a municipal bond lawyer who wrote mystery novels; her mother was a former high school chemistry teacher. After her father returned from World War II when she was five, her home life deteriorated as both parents became alcoholics. Grafton said, 'From the age of five onward, I was left to raise myself.' She attended Atherton High School, then the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky State Teachers College, graduating from the University of Louisville in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in English literature. After college, she worked as a hospital admissions clerk, cashier, and medical secretary in Santa Monica and Santa Barbara, California. Her mother killed herself in 1960 after an operation to remove esophageal cancer brought on by years of drinking and smoking. Her father died in 1982, a few months before 'A' Is for Alibi was published.

Reader's Guide

Grafton's significance lies in her alphabet series, which began with 'A' Is for Alibi in 1982 and continued through 'Y' Is for Yesterday. The novels, set in the 1980s, follow private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fictional Santa Teresa. Grafton wrote that Marcia Muller is the founding 'mother' of the contemporary female hard-boiled private eye, and Grafton described Kinsey as her alter ego. The series appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list for about 400 weeks aggregate; 'L' Is for Lawless entered at number one. Grafton refused to sell film or television rights, telling her children her ghost would haunt them if they did. She died before writing 'Z' Is for Zero, and her daughter stated the alphabet ends at Y. Her novels have been published in 28 countries and 26 languages. In 2019, an award in her memory was established by G.P. Putnam's Sons under the Mystery Writers of America.

Did You Know?

• Grafton's mother killed herself in 1960 after an operation to remove esophageal cancer caused by years of drinking and smoking.
• Grafton destroyed the manuscripts for her five early, unpublished novels.
• She co-wrote the screenplay for the 1973 film Lolly-Madonna XXX, which starred Rod Steiger and Jeff Bridges.
• Grafton told her children her ghost would haunt them if they sold the film rights to her books after her death.
• The alphabet series ends at 'Y' Is for Yesterday because Grafton died before writing 'Z' Is for Zero, and her daughter said no ghostwriter would be allowed.