Davis, an adopted child, was born in Chicago in 1916[1] and raised in Illinois by Margaret (née Greer) and Alfred J.
[2] She worked in Chicago in advertising as a research librarian and as an editor of The Merchandiser, prior to taking up fiction writing.
Her novels explore psychological suspense, as was popular for many decades, and has 'an especially strong way of sharing with readers the minds of female characters confronting hazards and crisis'.
[citation needed] She was nominated for an Edgar Award eight times, served as President[5] of the Mystery Writers of America in 1956 and was declared a Grand Master by that organization in 1985.
She was on the initial steering committee of Sisters in Crime when it was formed in 1986 and her support was influential in dampening attacks on the new organization.