Lawrence Block reports that mystery writer and former law professor Jeremiah Healy has taken his own life at the age of 66. Healy’s John Francis Cuddy series of PI novels (which I highly recommend) was one of the first detective series I discovered, and I was thrilled to meet him at a conference in Muncie during my Ph.D. years. He was kind and encouraging. In later years he focused on men’s health issues (most notably prostate cancer, which he had survived), moving away from the Cuddy series in favor of this more important work.
In a statement, Mr. Healy’s wife said that he had struggled with depression for a number of years. I wish peace to her and others who knew and loved him, and hope he found the peace he sought as well.
Goodbye, Mr. Healy, and thanks for the stories.
