In Memoriam: Edith Mary Rosen Skom, 1929-2016

Edith Skom, a bestselling author of mystery novels who taught in the creative writing program at Northwestern University for more than 30 years, died on February 3. She was 86 years old.

Dr. Skom was the author of a series of detective novels featuring the main character Beth Austin, who was a professor at fictional Midwestern University. The books in the series were The Mark Twain Murders (Council Oaks Books, 1989), The George Eliot Murders (Delacorte Press, 1995) and The Charles Dickens Murders (Delacorte Press, 1998).

Professor Skom joined the faculty at Northwestern in 1978 and taught in the Cook Family Writing Program until her retirement in 2012 as a Distinguished Senior Lecturer.

Dr. Skom was a graduate of the University of Chicago. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in English at Northwestern University.