Tue 20 Mar 2007
Obituary: LELIA KELLY (1958-2007)
Posted by Steve under Authors , Characters , Crime Fiction IV , Obituaries / Deaths Noted[15] Comments
Jiro Kimura, who has now owned and operated The Gumshoe Site for 11 years, reports that legal-thriller writer Lelia Kelly lost a long battle with breast cancer on March 13th. She was only 48.
According to information on her website, Ms. Kelly, a banker for 15 years, left the world of finance in 1998 and turned to writing instead. Her first two books are included in Crime Fiction IV: 1749-2000, by Allen J. Hubin. A third title has since been added to her bibliography, all in her Atlanta-based Laura Chastain series:
KELLY, LELIA (1958-2007)
* * Presumption of Guilt (NYC & London: Kensington, 1998, hc)
* * False Witness (Kensington, 2000, hc)
* * Officer of the Court (Kensington, 2001, pbo)
In her first appearance, Presumption of Guilt, Laura Chastain is a senior associate at a prestigious Atlanta law firm, but when the situation arises, she is surprised to discover she is good at criminal defense work, which is far from being a specialty of the firm.
According to the Booklist review of the book: “After she successfully defends the son of a corporate client against highly publicized rape charges, an Atlanta policeman strolls into her office, asking for help with charges that he killed a suspected child molester in custody at a police station. Despite management’s misgivings, Laura’s supervisor, poetry-spouting Tom Bailey, supports her desire to take the tabloid-ready, racially divisive brutality case.”
By the time False Witness appeared, Laura had become an assistant DA, giving up her former (and much higher paying) position. Publishers Weekly described the story thusly: “Wealthy Christine Stanley has been murdered in her upscale Atlanta residence, leaving behind two shocked and bewildered children. Suspicion falls upon her husband, financial manager James T. Stanley, even though his alibi seems airtight (he was out of town on business).” Laura is also said to have a “a sweet, low-key romance.”
In Officer of the Court, according to one reviewer on Amazon.com: “Lelia Kelly’s heroine once more surprises the reader by not following any pre-established rules of the game as a prosecutor. Kelly presents the interesting point of view, of what a prosecutor faces, when he/she knows the person on trial is really innocent of the crime. Chastain follows her own moral code, and not necessarily what the law, or the pattern of activities we have allowed to surround the law, dictates.” As of this date, all six reviewers on Amazon have given the book the maximum five stars out of five.
A fourth book was promised, but in a letter she posted on her website in October 2002, Ms. Kelly saddened her readers by saying that her cancer had returned. There would be a wait, she said, before Laura’s next case could be told. Sadly, it appears that the next chapter was not to be.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
To the family and friends of Ms Kelly, we all leave our prayers. As a new reader of Ms Kelly’s, I loved the Laura Chastian series.
I am sad to hear of her passing … wish all of her family — our deepest sympathy.
Sincerely
Marietta Gillum, Elizabethtown Kentucky
April 6th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I recently discovered Lelia Kelly’s books and was looking forward to finding more. I wish her family well. We lost a truly enjoyable author.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Weight, Portland, OR
April 21st, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Having just completed ” Presumption of Guilt” I came to my PC to find out more about this enjoyable author..
I am saddened to discover that she has passed from this life..
I will find and read her 2 other published works..
My best to those she left behind..
Ross Cowart
Lebanon, MO
January 29th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Looking through a bookcase this morning, I found my 3 Lelia Kelly books, and wanting to know if she had written any more Laura Chastain mysteries, googled her. I was saddened and surprised to find she had died. My sympathy to her family and friends. Readers have lost a wonderful voice in mystery.
Mary Crossland
Fresno, Calif.
January 10th, 2011 at 10:59 am
I love Lelia Kelly’s books and I look every few months for a new one and just ran across this sad information. She was so talented. Such a loss at such a young age. From someone who just lost a 21 year old son a few short weeks ago I know how this must be on the family. My condolences to all.
March 24th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Found Presumption of Guilt, among my books. The story was so amazing. Turns and twists along the way. I, too came looking for more Lelia Kelly novels. I am saddened that this talented, beautiful lady lost her life so soon. Heaven sure is blessed with talent galore.
June 21st, 2013 at 11:34 am
I am really sad to find that Lelia passed away. Her books were one of my favorite series. I finally googled her and it led me to this site. Best wishes to the family even though I am 6 years late!
October 6th, 2013 at 9:24 pm
I just finished my 3rd book in the Laura Chastain series, “Officer of the Court”. I came my PC to find others since I saw that one was promised in the back cover. I was deeply saddened to see that she passed in 2007 at such a young age. My deep sympathy goes out to her family. I thoroughly enjoyed her books!!!
August 14th, 2014 at 3:23 pm
I, too, am saddened to know of Ms Kelly’s passing. I just recently read her, “Officer of the Court”. I was looking forward to reading more of her books. She provided very good reading!
January 14th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
I just finished reading “False Witness” and loved it. I checked to see what other books Lelia had written and was sad to find that she had passed. Condolences to her family even though quite late. I truly enjoyed Laura Chastain and was looking forward to more.
August 6th, 2016 at 9:23 pm
I’m currently reading False Witness & enjoying it a great deal. I googled Lelia Kelly, who I had not previously heard of, only to find she has passed. What a shame. She was a talented author with a career that was short lived.
September 14th, 2016 at 12:02 pm
As others before me, I found great pleasure in reading my first introduction to Laura Chastain (“Officer of the Court”) and was looking forward to more from Lelia Kelly. Her untimely passing is a loss for mystery readers and more so for her family. Her talent will permit her to live on for many years beyond her time, as one remains among us so long as one is remembered!
March 24th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Like the readers above, I too have ached to read the fourth installment in the Laura Chastain series. I had read the other three about ten years ago and enjoyed them immensely . I recently read them all again with much enjoyment. this time , I logged on to my computer to find out what happened to book number 4 . Here I sit, feeling so sad upon learning of Leila’s passing . God bless you , Ms. Kelly, and thank you for the hours of pleasure you have given me .
June 8th, 2019 at 11:50 am
I started with the third book and enjoyed it so much I looked up the others and bought them. Curious as to why there weren’t more, I then looked up Ms. Kelly and am deeply saddened to learn she is no longer with us. Very talented and a big loss to the mystery writers clan and the readers who have so enjoyed the series. My condolences to your family and loved ones and thank you for choosing to be a writer.
February 18th, 2020 at 11:58 pm
I just read Ms Kelly’s second book and was looking forward to many more. I was greatly saddened to learn of her passing, especially at such a young age. As a two time breast cancer survivor, I know how evil this disease can be. I have been fortunate to have won the battle. My condolences to your family.