In 2017 we joyfully announced the publication of Barbara’s final Amelia book, completed by her close friend and writing confidante, Joan Hess. The book was clearly the product of both authors, although Joan had been in tight coordination about PQ up to Barbara’s final weeks. Joan kept working on the book as she herself suffered increasing health challenges, but managed to finish shortly before she herself passed away. Like Barbara’s own effort to finish Charlotte MacLeod’s final book, this was a labor of love and support between “sisters in cozy crimes.”

There were multiple book launches, including one in NYC featuring Barbara Rosenblatt reading from PQ, a heavily attended costumes-welcome one in Barbara’s own Frederick Maryland at the bookstore of MPM fan and WonderBook owner Charles Roberts and featuring a brief talk by Egyptologist Raymond Johnson — also a dear friend of Barbara’s. Christina S., a huge MPM fan on social media, was a key behind-the-scences organizer. Meanwhile, Joan was attending book launches in Oak Park Illinois and Madison Wisconsin: see our Remembering Barbara blog for details and pictures and in general CHECK OUT THE 2017 POSTS ON THE REMEMBERING BARBARA BLOG for more on PQ in 2017!