Elaine Flinn, R.I.P.

Criminal Brief posts the news that Elaine Flinn passed away last Saturday from pneumonia, complications relating to a long battle with cancer. I,too, had heard at Bouchercon that Elaine was diagnosed with lung cancer that quickly metastasized, and that the prognosis wasn’t good, but I’m still stunned that she’s gone – it feels like a candle that burned bright and blazing and now it’s snuffed out before we had a chance to take in all the hues and colors.

Flinn was the author of four novels featuring antiques dealer Molly Doyle, most recently DEADLY VINTAGE (2007). She was one of Murderati’s founding bloggers and then went out on her own with a monthly-updated website, EVIL E, that was part Q&A, part chatty column on the mystery world and a space for friends like Paul Guyot, David Montgomery, Alison Brennan and others to hang out and contribute. Just two weeks ago she posted her final message, which seems the appropriate way to close this post:

No sense in beating around the shrub (I refuse to use the commonly accepted word here) – this edition of EVIL E – is, alas – due to health reasons – the final one. My thanks to my fantastic crew, and my daughter, Kelly, for seeing the last three columns through. My thanks to you for stopping by, (in far greater numbers than I’d ever hoped for according to the stats). Your many generous comments, and personal e-mails made it a hell of a lot of fun.

I’ll miss you all, but time now is too precious to not spend with family and those special few who know who they are…

So, instead of saying ‘goodbye’ – I’ll say Aloha instead…