Friday, July 19, 2019

ORANIA PAPAZOGLOU: R.I.P.

It's with sadness that I post that Orania Papzoglou aka Jane Haddam passed away last night. She had been suffering, and her children were posting on her Facebook page, keeping her friends and family in the loop. My heart goes out to them all.

I knew Orania for many years. She contributed to the Mystery Readers Journal and kept all her fans delighted by her Gregor Demarkian and Patience McKenna series. Her mysteries were always included in my Holiday Lists. She was witty and sharp and opinionated. Good traits for a mystery writer.

She will be missed.

From PW: Fighting the Good Fight: Jane Haddam

From author and friend Susan Oleksiw:

Orania Papazoglou, better known as Jane Haddam, died last night. She is best known for her series featuring Gregor Demarkian, former FBI expert who lives and works in the Philadelphia area. Her first series, under her own name, features Patience McKenna, a romance writer, whose life with her fellow writers is a broad comedy about murder in the book world. She wrote two stand-alone novels and numerous articles as a free-lance writer. She and her late husband, the writer William DeAndrea, had two sons, Matt and Greg. She was a smart, intelligent, no-nonsense observer of the world who laced her mysteries with humor and insight. She will be greatly missed.

8 comments:

Deb Romano said...

I’m so sorry to hear this. For years I have looked forward to her next book. My condolences to the family.

Yarnell_Belle said...

I have been updating my reading lists and was so saddened to discover that one of my favorite authors has passed. I have always adored "Jane Haddam" after reading her book (I don't remember which one) dedicated to all the girls in high school who were mean to her and now envied her success ... this gal's for ME I always said afterward!!.`Condolences to her family.

Jeannette de Beauvoir said...

So so so sad to hear this. Sweet Savage Death remains one of my favorite novels ever.

Anonymous said...

A writer with great intelligence who was a pleasure to read-both her fiction and her blog. She made me think-a great compliment to any writer.

Anonymous said...

Deeply saddened to learn of Ms. Haddam's death. A favorite author. My son married into an Armenian family, and her description of Demarkian's community has helped me understand many of our new Armenian family members.

Unknown said...

Only just learned of Jane's death. I've been savoring her books over the years and fortunately still have several to go. I may have to start over at the beginning when I do get through the rest.

Leila said...

Love her writing, so sorry to hear of her death. I've been re-reading the Gregor Demarkian series lately & buying the ones I'm missing. I just noticed that book #30 is available for pre-order on Amazon.

Susan Gainen said...

This breaks my heart. She had been a favorite of mine since I read the first of her books I had been waiting patiently for the next Gregor book, one that would close the loop on some characters.

I send her friends and family my condolences and best wishes.

I own all of her books, and I will begin at the beginning tomorrow.

One of my long term projects -- to find recipes for the Armenian food that flows through all of her books -- is now back on the front burner.

RIP.