Margaret Maron
Encyclopedia
Margaret Maron is an American
writer
, the author of award-winning mystery novel
s.
. She has also lived in Italy. She and her husband, artist Joe Maron, lived in Brooklyn
before returning to her home state where they now live.
and more than 20 mystery novels to date. One series of novels features Sigrid Harald, a loner
lieutenant
in the NYPD whose policeman father was killed in the line of duty when she was a toddler (The Right Jack. A Sigrid Harald Mystery). Another series follows the adventures of Judge Deborah Knott, attorney and daughter of an infamous North Carolina bootlegger
.
Current listing of novels (source @ margaretmaron.com)
and swept all the major awards that year, including the Edgar
, Anthony
, Agatha
and Macavity
awards. She has since won additional Agathas for Up Jumps the Devil (1996), and Storm Track (2000).
Her works have been translated into a dozen languages and are on the reading lists of many courses in contemporary Southern literature
.
She will receive an honorary doctorate from and give the commencement address to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
in May 2010, where she was a student for two years.
and of the American Crime Writers' League, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America
. She was a keynote speaker at the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave
in 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, the author of award-winning mystery novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s.
Biography
Maron was born and grew up in central North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. She has also lived in Italy. She and her husband, artist Joe Maron, lived in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
before returning to her home state where they now live.
Writings
Maron is the author of numerous short storiesShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
and more than 20 mystery novels to date. One series of novels features Sigrid Harald, a loner
Loner
A loner is a person who avoids or does not actively seek human interaction or prefers to be alone. There are many reasons for solitude, intentional or otherwise, and "loner" implies no specific cause. Intentional reasons include spiritual and religious considerations or personal philosophies...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the NYPD whose policeman father was killed in the line of duty when she was a toddler (The Right Jack. A Sigrid Harald Mystery). Another series follows the adventures of Judge Deborah Knott, attorney and daughter of an infamous North Carolina bootlegger
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
.
Current listing of novels (source @ margaretmaron.com)
The Deborah Knott Series:
- Bootlegger's Daughter, 1992
- Southern Discomfort, 1993
- Shooting at Loons, 1994
- Up Jumps the Devil, 1996
- Killer Market, 1997
- Home Fires, 1998
- Storm Track, 2000
- Uncommon Clay, 2001
- Slow Dollar, 2002
- High Country Fall, 2004
- Rituals of the Season, 2005
- Winter’s Child, 2006
- Hard Row, 2007
- Death’s Half-Acre, 2008
- Sand Sharks, 2009
- Christmas Mourning, 2010
The Sigrid Harald Series:
- One Coffee With, 1981
- Death of a Butterfly, 1984
- Death in Blue Folders, 1985
- The Right Jack, 1987
- Baby Doll Games, 1988
- Corpus Christmas, 1989
- Past Imperfect, 1991
- Fugitive Colors, 1995
Non-series:
- Bloody Kin, 1985 (First “Colleton County” book)
- Shoveling Smoke 1997 (Collected short stories)
- Last Lessons of Summer 2003
- Suitable for Hanging, 2004 (Second collection of short stories)
Awards and recognitions
Her 1992 novel Bootlegger's Daughter was a Washington Post bestsellerBestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
and swept all the major awards that year, including the Edgar
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
, Anthony
Anthony Award
The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher , one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America....
, Agatha
Agatha Award
The Agatha Awards are literary awards for mystery and crime writers who write via the same method as Agatha Christie...
and Macavity
Mystery Readers International
Mystery Readers International is a fan/reader organization open to all readers, fans, critics, editors, publishers, and writers of Mystery fiction. It was founded by Janet A...
awards. She has since won additional Agathas for Up Jumps the Devil (1996), and Storm Track (2000).
Her works have been translated into a dozen languages and are on the reading lists of many courses in contemporary Southern literature
Southern literature
Southern literature is defined as American literature about the Southern United States or by writers from this region...
.
She will receive an honorary doctorate from and give the commencement address to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
in May 2010, where she was a student for two years.
Professional activities
Maron is a founding member and past president of Sisters in CrimeSisters in Crime
Sisters in Crime is an organization that has 3,600 members in 48 chapters world-wide, offering networking, advice and support to mystery authors. Members are authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians bound by their affection for the mystery genre and their support of women...
and of the American Crime Writers' League, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
. She was a keynote speaker at the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave
Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave
The Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave is an annual convention for mystery writers and fans held in Manhattan, Kansas. The Conclave is a Non-profit organization.-Panelists:...
in 2004.