Mary Francis Shura Craig (née Young; 23 February 1923 – 12 January 1991) was an American writer of over 50 novels from 1960 to 1990. She wrote children's adventures and young adult romances as Mary Francis Shura, M. F. Craig, and Meredith Hill; gothic novels as Mary Craig; romance novels as Alexis Hill, Mary Shura Craig and Mary S. Craig; and suspense novels as M. S. Craig. She was a recipient of the Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Award in 1985, and was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America in 1990.

Biography

Mary Francis Young was born on 23 February 1923 in Pratt, Kansas, the daughter of Jackson Fant and Mary Francis (Milstead) Young. She studied at Maryville State College. Her family moved to the Pacific Northwest. On 24 October 1943, she married Daniel Charles Shura, who died in 1959. They had three children: Marianne Francis Shura (Sprague), Daniel Charles Shura, and Alice Barrett Shura Craig (Stout). On 8 December 1961, she married Raymond C. Craig. They had a daughter Mary Forshay Craig (Shay Craig) before their divorce. On 12 January 1991, she died of injuries suffered in a fire in her apartment on 13 December 1990.

As Mary Francis Shura

Children's literature

Single novels

Kids of the Neighborhood series

Young adult romances

Sunfire

Other novels

As Mary Craig

Gothic novels

As Alexis Hill

Riviere Saga (romance)

As M. S. Craig

Romance novels

Suspense novels

As Mary Shura Craig

Romance novels

As Meredith Hill

Young adult romances

Individual novels

Chrystal Falls series

As M. F. Craig

Children's literature

As Mary S. Craig

Romance novels

References and sources