Sue Grafton dies.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by barryem

With a few exceptions, and this was one of the exceptions, I'm also not fond of series. But worse than that is when the author dies and someone else continues the series. I really hate that. It feels like cheating and I feel like the intended victim.

It would be different if they did it more honestly. If they either left off the original author's name, or put it in very small text, but they make it look like that author wrote it until you look closely.

I think this is cheating and I think it's done this way in order to make the cheating as effective as possible.

In general I'm against the death penalty but I'm not sure it would be wrong to make exceptions for publishers.

Barry

I agree! When my Fav Author died hes son took over. Instead of Title with His Name Now every books is Dick Francis ...this & that Why not say Book Name Author Name Why bring Dead Dads Name in it....

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

I agree! When my Fav Author died hes son took over. Instead of Title with His Name Now every books is Dick Francis ...this & that Why not say Book Name Author Name Why bring Dead Dads Name in it....

Because dead dad sells. New author not so much in most cases.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Because dead dad sells. New author not so much in most cases.

TRUE! Or not enough guts to try to make it on his own.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

TRUE! Or not enough guts to try to make it on his own.

Very true. I tend to not read big name+ little name. Especially if big name has no say anymore.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

I agree! When my Fav Author died hes son took over. Instead of Title with His Name Now every books is Dick Francis ...this & that Why not say Book Name Author Name Why bring Dead Dads Name in it....

But, that started before Dick Francis died. The last few books before he died had both names on them. The books since his death are a mix of attributions, so the son might be finishing books from his fathers notes. And at least one is a sequel.


As to Sue Grafton, it's sad to hear, and a pity that she didn't get to Z. I've read the first two or three. I read one of them while my wife was in hospital with our first son. It was one of the books she packed to take with her (yes, she packed books to read while giving birth). From memory, I ended up reading it to her to try and calm her. And it was exactly as successful as you would expect (I still remember the looks she gave me). That is not a comment on the book.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, that started before Dick Francis died. The last few books before he died had both names on them. The books since his death are a mix of attributions, so the son might be finishing books from his fathers notes. And at least one is a sequel.

And didn't Frank Herbert's son also do something similar with the Dune books? Granted he puts his own name on them under the "Frank Herbert's Dune" title but he did continue from where his father left off. The Wheel of Time books I believe were finished by someone else after the original author died as well.

[basschick]

this was very sad news. my thoughts go out to her and to her family.

[drjd]

May she rest in peace! Her B Is for Burglar and C Is for Corpse are still fresh in my memory, excellent books. Its unfortunate that we will never read Z is for Zero.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, that started before Dick Francis died. The last few books before he died had both names on them. The books since his death are a mix of attributions, so the son might be finishing books from his fathers notes. And at least one is a sequel.


As to Sue Grafton, it's sad to hear, and a pity that she didn't get to Z. I've read the first two or three. I read one of them while my wife was in hospital with our first son. It was one of the books she packed to take with her (yes, she packed books to read while giving birth). From memory, I ended up reading it to her to try and calm her. And it was exactly as successful as you would expect (I still remember the looks she gave me). That is not a comment on the book.

Originally Posted by crich70

And didn't Frank Herbert's son also do something similar with the Dune books? Granted he puts his own name on them under the "Frank Herbert's Dune" title but he did continue from where his father left off. The Wheel of Time books I believe were finished by someone else after the original author died as well.

W.E.B. Griffin's son, William E. Butterworth IV has been listed as coauthor since 2015.
Apache

[dordale]

Very sad to hear about Sue Grafton. I just finished listening to "Y is for Yesterday"--and found it excellent. I always enjoyed the Kinsey Milhone books in audio with Judy Kaye as narrator.

[orlok]

Such a shame.

I've read the lot, so never finding out how she would have let Kinsey walk off into the sunset is a travesty.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

I agree! When my Fav Author died hes son took over. Instead of Title with His Name Now every books is Dick Francis ...this & that Why not say Book Name Author Name Why bring Dead Dads Name in it....

Actually the last three or four have been published only under Felix's name in the headline slot, at least here in the UK (admittedly with small print at the bottom "A Dick Francis Novel").

[Cinisajoy]

The last book title is fitting because there will be zero z books.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by dordale

Very sad to hear about Sue Grafton. I just finished listening to "Y is for Yesterday"--and found it excellent. I always enjoyed the Kinsey Milhone books in audio with Judy Kaye as narrator.

Ditto. These books are my favorite as audiobooks, and always the ones I recommend first to people who think they might like to try listening to audiobooks while driving, where one needs to prioritize attention to the road. Not too many characters to remember, lots of description, and not too fast-moving.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Very true. I tend to not read big name+ little name. Especially if big name has no say anymore.

I tend to pass on any book where the author's name is featured in "the next coming" type and the book's title is only present as what seems to be an afterthought.