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Victoria Thompson (born Victoria Ellen Straface, July 25, 1948 – August 23, 2024) was an American author of cozy mystery novels.

Biography

Thompson was born in Washington, D.C., on July 25, 1948. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education from the University of Maryland in 1970. She then earned a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2012.

Thompson lived with her husband near Chicago. She had two adult daughters who are both writers, and three grandchildren. Thompson died at her home in Long Grove, Illinois, on August 23, 2024, at the age of 76.

Career

Thompson began her career writing historical romance novels in the 1980s. In 1996, her publisher let her go, and her agent encouraged her to try writing mysteries. When Thompson heard Berkley Books was looking for a writer for a series set in turn of the 20th century New York City with a midwife heroine, so she wrote a proposal adding a detective character, and was hired to write the Gaslight Mystery series. Thompson felt it was kismet because she loves history, and she had fallen in love with New York City, and Greenwich Village in particular, when her daughter attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. At that time, Thompson was working as a fundraiser for the March of Dimes, and several of the volunteers she worked with were midwives.

Along with writing, Thompson was a professor in the creative writing Master of Fine Arts program at Seton Hill University from 2000-2023. She also served on the Board of Trustees for the Vernon Area Public Library in Lincolnshire, Illinois from 2019-2024. Many of her former students have become published authors, including V.M. Burns. Thompson also taught for a time in the continuing education program at Pennsylvania State University.

Awards and achievements

Source:

In 2012, Thompson received a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine. In 2016, she was Guest of Honor at Malice Domestic mystery fan convention.

Selected publications

Novels

Gaslight Mystery Novels

• Murder on Astor Place. Berkley Publishing Group. 1999.
• Murder on St. Mark's Place. Berkley Publishing Group. 2000.
• Murder on Gramercy Park. Berkley Publishing Group. 2001.
• Murder on Washington Square. Berkley Publishing Group. 2002.
• Murder on Mulberry Bend. Berkley Publishing Group. 2003.
• Murder on Marble Row. Berkley Publishing Group. 2004.
• Murder on Lenox Hill. Berkley Prime Crime. 2005.
• Murder in Little Italy. Berkley Prime Crime. 2006.
• Murder in Chinatown. Berkley Prime Crime. 2007.
• Murder on Bank Street. Berkley Prime Crime. 2008.
• Murder on Waverly Place. Berkley Prime Crime. 2009.
• Murder on Lexington Avenue. Berkley Prime Crime. 2010.
• Murder on Sisters' Row. Berkley Prime Crime. 2011.
• Murder on Fifth Avenue. Berkley Prime Crime. 2012.
• Murder in Chelsea. Berkley Prime Crime. 2013.
• Murder in Murray Hill. Berkley Prime Crime. 2014.
• Murder on Amsterdam Avenue. Berkley Prime Crime. 2015.
• Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue. Berkley Prime Crime. 2015.
• Murder in Morningside Heights. Berkley Prime Crime. 2016.
• Murder in the Bowery. Berkley Prime Crime. 2017.
• Murder on Union Square. Berkley Prime Crime. 2018.
• Murder on Trinity Place. Berkley Prime Crime. 2019.
• Murder on Pleasant Avenue. Berkley Prime Crime. 2020.
• Murder on Wall Street. Berkley Prime Crime. 2021.
• Murder on Madison Square. Berkley Prime Crime. 2022.
• Murder on Bedford Street. Berkley Prime Crime. 2023.
• Murder in Rose Hill. Berkley Prime Crime. 2024.

Counterfeit Lady Novels

• City of Lies. Berkley Publishing Group. 2017.
• City of Secrets. Berkley Publishing Group. 2018.
• City of Scoundrels. Berkley Publishing Group. 2019.
• City of Schemes. Berkley Publishing Group. 2020.
• City of Shadows. Berkley Publishing Group. 2021.
• City of Fortune. Berkley Publishing Group. 2022.
• City of Betrayal. Berkley Publishing Group. 2023.

Novellas

• Greenberg, Martin H.; Lellenberg, John L.; Stashower, Daniel, eds. (2009). "The Minister's Missing Daughter". Sherlock Holmes in America. Skyhorse Publishing.

Nonfiction

• "Ruining Everything: Tips for Plotting a Mystery". Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction. Headline Books. 2011.

References

1. "Victoria Thompson". Stop, You're Killing Me!. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
2. ^ Huelsenbeck, Andrea R. (August 31, 2019). "An Interview with Author Victoria Thompson". ARHtistic License. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
3. "Victoria Thompson · Meet The Faculty". Seton Hill University. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
4. ^ "About". Victoria Thompson. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
5. "Edgar® & Agatha Award Nominated Author Victoria Thompson Passes Away at 76". Penguin Random House. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
6. ^ "MEET BESTSELLING MYSTERY AUTHOR VICTORIA THOMPSON | Lynn Slaughter". Lynn Slaughter. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
7. Melander, Rochelle (December 11, 2018). "Writers@Work: An Interview with Victoria Thompson - Write Now Coach! Blog". Retrieved June 2, 2024.
8. Board Changes 6/21/2024)
9. Schafer, Suanne (June 9, 2020). "INTERVIEW: VICTORIA THOMPSON, AUTHOR OF THE GASLIGHT MYSTERY SERIES". Suanne Schafer Author.
10. "Sisters in Crime: Writing MFA Graduates Recognized For Their Mystery Writing". Seton Hill University.
11. "Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. May 3, 1999. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
12. Eckford, Teresa (August 2000). "Murder On St.Mark's Place: A Gaslight Mystery (Gaslight Mysteries)". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
13. Eckford, Teresa (August 2001). "Murder On Gramercy Park". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
14. Kondelik, Vicki (November 2002). "Murder on Washington Square". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
15. "Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. June 1, 2004. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
16. "Murder on Lenox Hill". Booklist. June 1, 2005. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
17. De Angeli, Nina (November 2006). "Murder In Little Italy". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
18. "Murder in Chinatown: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. April 30, 2007. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
19. De Angeli, Nina (November 2008). "Murder on Bank Street: A Gaslight Mystery". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
20. "Murder on Waverly Place: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. April 27, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
21. "Murder on Lexington Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. April 26, 2010. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
22. "Murder on Sisters' Row: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. April 25, 2011. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
23. "Murder on Fifth Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 26, 2012. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
24. "Murder in Chelsea: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 11, 2013. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
25. "Murder in Murray Hill: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 10, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
26. "Murder on Amsterdam Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 30, 2015. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
27. "Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 21, 2015. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
28. Hoffman, Martha (August 2016). "Murder in Morningside Heights: A Gaslight Mystery". Historical Novel Society. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
29. "Murder in the Bowery: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. June 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
30. "Murder on Union Square: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 12, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
31. "Murder on Trinity Place: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. February 7, 2019. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
32. "Murder on Pleasant Avenue: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
33. "Murder on Wall Street: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. January 29, 2021. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
34. "Murder on Madison Square: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. March 15, 2022. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
35. "Murder on Bedford Street: A Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. January 30, 2023. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
36. "Murder in Rose Hill". Kirkus Reviews. February 17, 2024. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
37. "City of Lies by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 18, 2017. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
38. "City of Secrets by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 3, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
39. "City of Scoundrels: A Counterfeit Lady Novel by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 5, 2019. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
40. "City of Schemes by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. July 31, 2020. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
41. "City of Shadows by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 16, 2021. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
42. "City of Fortune by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. November 1, 2022. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
43. "City of Betrayal by Victoria Thompson". Publishers Weekly. September 22, 2023. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Penguin Random House Author Page

• 1948 births
• 2024 deaths
• 20th-century American women writers
• 21st-century American women writers
• University System of Maryland alumni
• Seton Hill University alumni
• Writers from Washington, D.C.