NPR Books editor Petra Mayer, 46, died suddenly on Saturday at Holy Cross Hospital in Maryland, of what is believed to have been a pulmonary embolism. Described by colleagues as “a proud nerd,” Mayer shared with listeners her love of science fiction, comics and cats. Nancy Barnes, NPR’s senior vice president for news, wrote in an email to staff, “Petra was NPR through and through. To say that Petra will be missed simply seems inadequate.” Novelist Wilbur Smith, 88, died on November 13 in his home in Cape Town, South Africa. The Zambia-born author of 49 novels, his books have […]