A Mystery legend retires

As reported today by Publisher’s Lunch, Susanne Kirk, vice president and executive editor of Scribner, will retire at the end of June and relocate permanently to Mississippi, where she had been splitting her time the last few years. Susan Moldow was quoted as saying that Kirk is “a legend in the mystery world” and sends,

“Special thanks to Susanne for establishing a program so sound it will continue and grow for years to come.”

Suddenly, the recent “bloodletting”, as one writer whose most recent work was edited by Kirk referred to the recent spate of mystery writers dropped by that imprint, makes a lot more sense. Harsh economic realities aside, we only wish Ms. Kirk, who edited some of the brightest stars and emerging talents in crime fiction, all the best in her retirement.