Megan Abbott
Megan Abbott (born August 21, 1971)[1] is an American author of crime fiction and of non-fiction analyses of hardboiled crime fiction. Her novels and short stories have drawn from and re-worked classic subgenres of crime writing from a female perspective.[2][3] She is also an American writer and producer of television.
Megan Abbott | |
|---|---|
Abbott in 2015 | |
| Born | August 21, 1971 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, screenwriter, journalist |
| Language | English |
| Education | University of Michigan New York University (PhD) |
| Genre | Crime fiction |
| Notable awards | Edgar Award 2008 Queenpin Barry Award – Best Paperback Novel 2008 Queenpin |
| Relatives | Philip Abbott (father) |
| Website | |
| www | |
Biography edit
Growing up, Abbott was greatly intrigued by the 1930 and 1940s movies she saw at a movie theater in Grosse Pointe. She believes that watching these films as a child gave her her lifelong interest in crime fiction.[4] Abbott graduated from the University of Michigan.[5] 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 and 2014, she served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi.[6]
In 2002, Abbott published her first book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, which The Paris Review described as "a prescient work of critical theory."[7] In it, Abbott challenges the archetypes of the "tough guy" and "femme fatale" common to noir literature.[8]
Three years later, Abbott published Die a Little,[9] the first of several novels presenting woman-centered takes on traditional noir tropes.[7] Set in midcentury Los Angeles, the story centered on Lora King, a schoolteacher whose brother Bill falls in love with Alice Steele, a former costumer for the film industry. Suspicious of Alice's motives and jealous of her hold over Bill, Lora sets out to investigate Alice's background, only to find herself pulled into the dark side of Hollywood. Kirkus Reviews reviewed the book favorably.[9]
In addition to literature, Abbott has written for major journals and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times.[10] She also writes a blog with novelist Sara Gran.[11]
Abbott was a screenwriter for The Deuce,[12] an HBO show that premiered in 2017 and deals with pornography and the Mafia in New York in the 1970s and beyond.[13] In 2019, she adapted her bestselling novel Dare Me into a TV series on USA Network.[14] She served as co-showrunner on the series, along with Gina Fattore.[15]
Influences edit
Abbott was influenced by film noir, classic noir fiction, and Jeffrey Eugenides's novel The Virgin Suicides.[16][17] Two of her novels make reference to 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".[18]
Reception and awards edit
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.[19] Publishers Weekly gave her 2011 novel The End of Everything a starred review.[20]
Awards edit
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Die a Little | Anthony Award for Best Novel | Finalist | [21] |
| Barry Award for Best First Novel | Finalist | [22][21] | ||
| Edgar Award for Best First Novel | Finalist | [23][21] | ||
| 2008 | Queenpin | Anthony Award for Best Paperback | Finalist | [21] |
| Barry Award for Best Paperback Original | Won | [22][21] | ||
| Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original | Won | [21] | ||
| 2009 | Bury Me Deep | Hammett Prize | Finalist | [21] |
| 2010 | Anthony Award for Best Paperback | Finalist | [21] | |
| Barry Award for Best Paperback Original | Finalist | [21] | ||
| Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original | Finalist | [21] | ||
| Macavity Award for Best Novel | Finalist | [21] | ||
| 2012 | The End of Everything | Anthony Award for Best Mystery | Finalist | [21] |
| Dare Me | Steel Dagger Award | Finalist | [21] | |
| 2013 | Anthony Award for Best Mystery | Finalist | [21] | |
| 2014 | The Fever | Strand Critics Award for Best Novel | Nominated | |
| 2015 | ITW Thriller Award for Novel | Won | [21] | |
| 2016 | "Little Men" | Anthony Award for Best Short Story | Won | |
| 2017 | You Will Know Me | Anthony Award for Best Mystery | Finalist | [21] |
| ITW Thriller Award for Best Novel | Finalist | [21] | ||
| Macavity Awards | Finalist | [21] | ||
| Steel Dagger Award | Finalist | [21] | ||
| 2018 | Give Me Your Hand | Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Anthony Award for Best Novel | Finalist | [21] | |
| Steel Dagger Award | Finalist | [21] | ||
| 2021 | The Turnout | Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books for Young Adults | Selection | [24] |
| Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller | Won | [25] | ||
| 2022 | ITW Thriller Award for Hardcover Novel | Finalist | [26] | |
| Booklist's Best Mysteries & Thrillers | Top 10 | [27] |
Publications edit
As editor edit
- A Hell of a Woman: An Anthology of Female Noir (2007). ISBN 978-0979270994
Non-fiction edit
- The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled fiction and Film Noir (2002). ISBN 0-312-29481-6
Novels edit
- Die a Little (2005). ISBN 978-0743261708
- The Song Is You (2007). ISBN 978-0743291712
- Queenpin (2007). ISBN 978-1416534280
- Bury Me Deep (2009). ISBN 978-1416599098
- The End of Everything (2011). ISBN 978-0316097796
- Dare Me (2012). ISBN 978-0316097772
- The Fever (2014). ISBN 978-0316231053
- You Will Know Me (2016)[28] ISBN 978-0316231077
- Give Me Your Hand (2018). ISBN 978-1509855681
- The Turnout (Summer 2021)[29] ISBN 978-0593084908
- Beware the Woman (2023).[30] ISBN 9780593084939
Short stories edit
- "Oxford Girl" (2016). Appeared in Mississippi Noir.[31]
- "Girlie Show" (2016). Appeared in In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper.[32]
- "Little Men" (2015). Appeared in The Best American Mystery Stories 2016.[33]
- "My Heart Is Either Broken" (2013). Appeared in Dangerous Women.
Filmography edit
Television edit
References edit
- ^ Abbott, Patricia (August 21, 2008). ""Happy Birthday, Megan"". Patricia Abbott (pattinase). Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ Champion, Edward. "Megan Abbott, Literary Criminal." The Millions. July 12, 2011.
- ^ Glor, Jeff. "AUTHOR TALK: The End of Everything by Mega Abbott." CBS News. October 31, 2011.
- ^ Shaub, Michael (August 4, 2016). "Megan Abbott Writes Bestsellers about Bad People. Look Out, She's Coming to LA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
- ^ Abbott, Megan (July 26, 2011). "a stranger calls | The Abbott Gran Medicine Show". Abbottgran.wordpress.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- ^ . June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Godfrey, Rebecca (July 29, 2021). "The Things We Hide: An Interview with Megan Abbott". The Paris Review. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Ashman, Nathan (January 1, 2020). "The Street Was Hers: Deconstructing the Hardboiled in Megan Abbott's Noir Fiction". Mean Streets: A Journal of American Crime and Detective Fiction.
- ^ a b DIE A LITTLE | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "The Abbott Gran Medicine Show". Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Megan Abbott". New and Appearances. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 19, 2017). "'The Deuce' Renewed For Season 2 At HBO". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ "Cast & Info | Dare Me". USA Network. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ McKeegan, Colleen Leahey (December 19, 2019). "Megan Abbott Wants You to Feel Everything". Marie Claire. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "interview". Culturaimpopular.com. December 6, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
- ^ Derbyshire, Johnathan. "The Books Interview: Megan Abbot." NewStatesman. September 12, 2011.
- ^ Kelly, Alan. "Tugged into Darkness: An interview with Megan Abbott" 3AM Magazine. Monday, August 24, 2009.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Publishers Weekly. Review date: May 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Megan Abbott". Stop, You're Killing Me!. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ a b "Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine- Barry Awards". www.deadlypleasures.com. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- ^ "2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award Winners". www.fictiondb.com. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- ^ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books for Young Adults, 2021". Booklist. January 1, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ . Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Thriller Awards". International Thriller Writers. from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ Ott, Bill (May 1, 2022). "Top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers: 2022". Booklist. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ Senior, Jennifer (July 18, 2016). "Review: In Megan Abbott's 'You Will Know Me,' Gymnast Girl and Cute Dead Guy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ White, Peter (August 6, 2020). "eOne Adapting Ballet Novel 'The Turnout' For TV From 'Dare Me' Author & Co-Creator Megan Abbott". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Greenblatt, Leah (May 25, 2023). "A Cabin in the Woods, Intermittent Wi-Fi and a Dead Landline". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ Mississippi Noir.
- ^ "In Sunlight or In Shadow". pegasusbooks.com. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
- ^ Penzler, Otto (October 4, 2016). The Best American Mystery Stories 2016. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0544527188.
External links edit
- Megan Abbott's website
- Megan Abbott at IMDb
- Short statement on why she thinks LA is so associated with noir.