Crime writer PD James dies aged 94

"It is with great sadness that the family of author PD James, Baroness James of Holland Park OBE, FRSL, FRSA, announce that she died peacefully at her home in Oxford on the morning of 27 November 2014, aged 94, a much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother."

Baroness Phyllis Dorothy James was best known as a crime writer, and in particular for her series of 14 novels following police detective and poet Adam Dalgliesh, beginning with 1962's Cover Her Face and ending in 2008 with The Private Patient.

Her last book was Death Comes to Pemberley, a murder mystery sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, which is among numerous of James's works adapted for television, airing on BBC1 last Christmas.

Dalgliesh was the subject of numerous TV productions, with ten of James's novels adapted by ITV and starring Roy Marsden before Martin Shaw took over the role for a further two films made by the BBC.

Since James' death was announced this afternoon, tributes have been pouring in on Twitter with fellow authors Ian Rankin, Malorie Blackman and Val McDermid both paying their respects:

Oh PD James. Suffolk is in mourning.

— emma freud (@emmafreud) November 27, 2014

https://twitter.com/dannytheleigh/status/537973395783426050