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Eleanor Taylor Bland

エレノア・テイラー・ブランド

Eleanor Taylor Bland

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1944-12-31 （Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.）
Died
2010-06-02 （Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.） age 65
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Boston (birthplace) → North Chicago (Naval Station Great Lakes) → Waukegan, Illinois (later residence)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Writer, Accountant
Active Years
1981-2010

Education

Southern Illinois University
Degree: BA
Period: 1978–1981
Year of Graduation: 1981
Country: United States

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Dead Time

1992 Crime fiction

Introduces police detective Marti MacAlister, newly transferred from Chicago to the small town of Lincoln Prairie. The novel combines a police procedural with strong themes of family and community.

FamilyCommunitySocial issuesPolice procedural

Slow Burn

1993 Crime fiction

Though actually the first novel she wrote, it was published after Dead Time. The story tackles social themes alongside a personal investigation.

Personal struggleSocial tensionsFamily

Gone Quiet

1994 Crime fiction

A series entry set in Lincoln Prairie, where family dynamics and community complexity form the backdrop to the crime.

Family bondsLocal community

Done Wrong

1995 Crime fiction

Another entry in the series exploring the repercussions of characters' past actions and moral choices within an investigation.

EthicsConsequences of the past

Keep Still

1996 Crime fiction

Focuses on relationships between victims and perpetrators while continuing the series' emphasis on family and community.

Victim and perpetrator dynamicsFamily

See No Evil

1998 Crime fiction

Published by a New York press; continues to examine ties between crime and the local community.

Community and crimeJustice

Tell No Tales

1999 Crime fiction

A plot in which secrecy and refusing to speak are central to solving the crime.

SecretsCommunity

Scream in Silence

2000 Crime fiction

A psychologically-tinged novel that uses silence and stillness as thematic elements.

SilencePsychological elements

Whispers in the Dark

2001 Crime fiction

One of her novels where rumors and whispered information drive the plot.

RumorsCommunity secrets

Windy City Dying

2002 Crime fiction

Touches on connections to Chicago ('Windy City') and contrasts urban and small-town settings in the investigation.

Urban vs. small-town contrastFamily

Fatal Remains

2003 Crime fiction

Centers on investigation of remains and clues, advancing the series' ongoing threads.

RemainsInvestigation

A Cold and Silent Dying

2004 Crime fiction

Deals with a cold, silent death; places weight on character development and sense of place.

DeathCharacter-driven narrative

A Dark and Deadly Deception

2005 Crime fiction

A suspenseful entry in which deception and hidden truths are central themes.

DeceptionSearch for truth

Suddenly a Stranger

2007 Crime fiction

A later series entry where new tensions arise among familiar characters.

Interpersonal relationshipsTension

Shades of Black (editor)

2004 Anthology / Edited collection

An edited anthology collecting crime and mystery stories by African American authors; Bland served as editor.

African American voicesShort fiction

Bibliography

  • Dead Time (1992)
  • Slow Burn (1993)
  • Gone Quiet (1994)
  • Done Wrong (1995)
  • Keep Still (1996)
  • See No Evil (1998)
  • Tell No Tales (1999)
  • Scream in Silence (2000)
  • Whispers in the Dark (2001)
  • Windy City Dying (2002)
  • Fatal Remains (2003)
  • A Cold and Silent Dying (2004)
  • A Dark and Deadly Deception (2005)
  • Suddenly a Stranger (2007)
  • Shades of Black (editor, 2004)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realistic, accessible police-procedural styleDetailed portrayals of family and community lifeFrequent engagement with social issues
Recurring Motifs
Extended family dynamicsFaith and religious backgroundCommunity support and tensions

Health

  • Gardner's syndrome
    1970年代–2010年
    Diagnosed in the 1970s and lived with the condition for decades; it affected her health long-term and was ultimately the cause of death.

Legacy

Eleanor Taylor Bland is known for her series featuring an African-American woman detective and for emphasizing family and community in crime fiction. In her honor, Sisters in Crime established the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award.

In Popular Culture

  • Her legacy influenced efforts to promote diversity among crime writers, including the creation of an award in her name by Sisters in Crime.

Quotes

  • “The most significant contribution that we have made, collectively, to mystery fiction is the development of the extended family; the permanence of spouses and significant others, most of whom don't die in the first three chapters; children who are complex, wanted and loved; and even pets.”
    Source: Drew, Bernard Alger (2007). 100 Most Popular African American Authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies. (2007)

Trivia

  • Married Anthony Bland at age 14.
  • Received a BA from Southern Illinois University in 1981.
  • Worked as an accountant from 1981 to 1999.
  • Created the fictional Lincoln Prairie (based on Waukegan) and the African-American police detective Marti MacAlister.
  • After her death, Sisters in Crime established the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award in her honor.