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Biography · Civil Rights

Barbara Neely

1941–2020

United States

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Biography

Barbara Ann Neely (often self-stylized as BarbaraNeely; November 30, 1941 – March 2, 2020) was an African-American novelist, short story writer and activist who wrote murder mysteries. Her first novel, Blanche on the Lam (1992), introduced the protagonist Blanche White, a middle-aged mother, domestic worker and amateur detective. The Mystery Writers of America named her their 2020 Grand Master winner.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-20

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