David Thompson

Outfit member emeritus, Sara Paretsky, asked if she could post this about David Thompson. Please feel free to add your thoughts.

By now, the mystery community knows the sad death of David Thompson, who was the founder of Busted Flush Press, and managed Murder by the Book in Houston. Everyone who’s ever been to the store knows how extraordinary David’s experience and expertise were. He started work as a shelver in the late 1980’s, when the legendary Martha Farrington still owned the store. I remember him as a shy teenager, but one who had a mature knowledge of books, writers, and how to bring readers and writers together.

Every loss makes me want to say “It isn’t fair,” but never more so than David’s. He was only 38. He had just started a marriage with McKenna Jordan, the current owner of Murder by the Book, after a long storybook courtship. He had made a modest success of Busted Flush, no mean feat in today’s killer publishing world, and had recently completed a sale of the press to Tyrus Books.

If you will be in Houston on September 26, please drink margaritas in David’s honor at The Briar Club, between 2 and 5 p.m. Alafair Burke, David’s lifelong friend, has set up fund in his honor; the charity will be determined later, but checks should be made out to “In Memory of David Thompson” and mailed to Alafair at 7 E. 14th St, #1206, New York 10003.

For tributes from people who knew David well, go to Sarah Weinman’s blog.
We are all made less by his passing. And all of us should make sure we give our heartiest support to McKenna and the store during this terrible time in her life.