Oline Cogdill

altThe Grand Master is the highest honor that the Mystery Writers of America gives to an author. And the 2012 Grand Master is Martha Grimes, a deserving author known for her Richard Jury series.

According to MWA, "The Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in mystery writing and was established to acknowledge important contributions to this genre, as well as a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality."

I'd say that about sums up Grimes and her work, as well as the work by the previous Grand Masters.

Grimes will be presented her Grand Master award during the Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Thursday, April 26, 2012.

In addition to the Richard Jury series, Grimes also writes the Andi Olivier and Emma Graham series. She is also the author of several novels outside the mystery genre.

She has published a book (sometimes two) every year for the past 25 years.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Martha Grimes began as a poet, but then turned to mystery novels.

Previous Grand Masters include Sara Paretsky, Dorothy Gilman, James Lee Burke, Sue Grafton, Bill Pronzini, Stephen King, Marcia Muller, Dick Francis, Mary Higgins Clark, Lawrence Block, P.D. James, Ellery Queen, Daphne du Maurier, Alfred Hitchcock, Graham Greene, and Agatha Christie.

Like I said, all deserving authors.

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