Megan Abbott

Megan Abbott
Born 1971
Detroit, United States
Occupation Author
Language English
Nationality American
Citizenship United States
Education PhD in English and American Literature
Alma mater University of Michigan
Genre crime fiction
Notable awards Edgar Award
2008 Queenpin

Barry Award – Best Paperback Novel
2008 Queenpin

Megan Abbott (born 1971) is an American author of crime fiction and a non-fiction analysis of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing, with a female twist.[1][2]

Biography

Abbott grew up in suburban Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan.[3] She received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University, and has taught at NYU, the State University of New York and the New School University. In 2013-2014, she served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi.[4]

Influences

Abbott was influenced by film noir, classic noir fiction, and Jeffrey Eugenides's novel The Virgin Suicides.[5][6] Two of her novels reference notorious crimes. The Song Is You (2007) is based around the disappearance of Jean Spangler in 1949, and Bury Me Deep (2009) on the 1931 case of Winnie Ruth Judd, dubbed "the Trunk Murderess".[7]

Reception and Awards

Abbott has won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for outstanding fiction. Time named her one of the "23 Authors That We Admire" in 2011.[8] Publishers Weekly gave her 2011 novel The End of Everything a starred review.[9]

Novels

Short Stories

Non-fiction

Editor

Journalist and blogger

Abbott has written for major journals and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times.[11] She also writes a blog with novelist Sara Gran.[12]

References

  1. Champion, Edward. "Megan Abbott, Literary Criminal." The Millions. July 12, 2011.
  2. Glor, Jeff. "AUTHOR TALK: The End of Everything by Mega Abbott." CBS News. October 31, 2011.
  3. Megan Abbott, "A Stranger Calls, "http://abbottgran.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/a-stranger-calls/
  4. http://meganabbott.com/megan.html/
  5. "interview". Culturaimpopular.com. 2011-12-06. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  6. Derbyshire, Johnathan. "The Books Interview: Megan Abbot." NewStatesman. 12 September 2011.
  7. Kelly, Alan. "Tugged into Darkness: An interview with Megan Abbott" 3AM Magazine. Monday, August 24, 2009.
  8. Time Staff. "Pack Your (Book) Bag: The best pages to turn this summer, from 23 authors we admire." Time Magazine Special. The Best Books for Summer Reading. Thursday, June 30, 2011.
  9. Publishers Weekly. Review date: May 30, 2011.
  10. "Anthony Award Nominees and Winners". Bouchercon.info. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  11. Abbott, Megan. "Pretty Tough: Original victims and femme fatals, the female leads in today's mystery fiction are as complex as their male counterparts." Los Angeles Times Magazine. April 2011.
  12. http://abbottgran.wordpress.com/

External links