Crime novelist PD James passes away at 94

Crime novelist PD James passed away at her Oxford home. She was 94.

According to the reports, the author, who was born Phyllis Dorothy James on 3 August 1920, and had penned more than 20 books including The Children of Men, The Murder Room and Pride and Prejudice spin-off Death Comes to Pemberley, had a peaceful death, the BBC reported.

Her books, many featuring Adam Dalgliesh, were sold in millions around the world, and had also been adapted to television and film.

Last year, James had revealed that she was working on another detective story saying that it was "important to write one more" and while she would only stop writing, when she finally comes to a stop.

She added that she was lucky to have written as many books as she did.

Meanwhile, friends and colleagues paid tribute to the author. James's publishers since her first publication in 1962, Faber and Faber said that it was a very sad day and the loss couldn't be expressed in words.

She was an inspiration and a great friend and it had been a privilege to publish her "extraordinary books," they added.

Ruth Rendell, who was a close friend and fellow life peer, said that James was really accurate about her work, and took great care to ensure her books were close to perfect

Ian Rankin also tweeted his respects, while US crime writer Patricia Cornwell said thanked the author for encouraging her.

Val McDermid grieved saying that he lost a friend and a teacher, and Booker Prize winner AS Byatt said that "the world will be a worse place without her."

James had published her first novel, Cover Her Face, at 42, while she was still working for the Home Office, where she held a job in the forensic science department and then the criminal law department until 1979, and had gained international recognition in 1980 after the publication of her eighth book, Innocent Blood.

The author, who was also created a Conservative life peer - Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991, had served as a BBC governor from 1988 to 1993 and had famously confronted former director general Mark Thompson in 2009 during an edition of BBC Radio 4's Today.

James was awarded the Crime Writers' Association's Diamond Dagger award in 1987 for lifetime achievement, and had also received the Medal of Honour for Literature in 2005 by National Arts Club.