Peter Straub, Legendary Horror and Supernatural Author, Dies at 79: Cause of Death Explained


Peter Straub, the famed author of horror, mystery, and supernatural novels and stories, passed away on Sunday. Read on to know how did Peter Straub die, what happened to him, and what was the cause of his death.

Straub rose to prominence amidst the horror-fiction boom of the 1970s and the ‘80s. He is best known for penning 1984’s Talisman collaborating with Stephen King, and its 2001 sequel Black House.

He was among the top terror and supernatural writers of the era alongside the likes of Ira Levin, Anne Rice, and his close friend and collaborator Stephen King.


How did Peter Straub die?


Peter Straub died on Sunday, September 4, 2022, in the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Manhattan. He was 79 years old. His death came following treatment for a broken hip as confirmed by his wife, Susan Straub.

Straub’s friend and collaborator Stephen King announced the tragic news of his death on Twitter.

“It’s a sad day because my good friend and amazingly talented colleague and collaborator, Peter Straub, has passed away. Working with him was one of the great joys of my creative life,” he wrote in a tweet.


Peter Straub dead: What was the cause of his death?


Straub’s wife Susan revealed that Straub took a fall and broke suffered multiple injuries including a broken hip. He was admitted to the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his injuries on Sunday.

Straub’s old page made the situation worst as his body couldn’t recover quickly. Eventually, the legendary author succumbed to the complications.


Peter Straub was among the best Horror-Fiction Writers of his era

Peter Francis Straub was born on March 2, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School on a scholarship and started writing there. He later earned an honors B.A. in English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1965, and an MA at Columbia University a year later.

Straub was an avid reader from a very young age. However, his parents didn’t like his literary interests as his father wanted him to become a professional athlete while his mother wanted him to be a Lutheran minister.

Straub suffered serious injuries in a car accident when he was just seven years old. He stated that the accident made him prematurely aware of his own mortality. His first two books, Marriages and Under Venus, received mixed success.

He turned to the paranormal genre with 1975’s Julia which led him to eternal success. 1979’s novel Ghost Story was another gem in his career. It was a story of four aging men haunted by something they did inadvertently in their youth.

The book was also adapted into a 1981 horror film starring Fred Astaire and Alice Krige. Straub’s best work came with Stephen King when the two collaborated for The Talisman (1984) and its sequel Black House (2001).

He penned numerous horror and supernatural novels including If You Could See Me Now, Shadowland, Floating Dragon, Koko, Mystery, The Throat, The Hellfire Club, and A Dark Matter. Straub was also a highly acclaimed poet.


Peter Straub is survived by his Family

Peter Straub married Susan Bitker in 1966. The loving couple stayed together until his death. They had two children, Emma Straub, who is also a popular novelist, and Benjamin Straub, who works for a production company that represents his father’s film interests.

He is also survived by his brother John Straubs, and three grandchildren. The Straubs moved to Ireland in 1969 as Straub wanted to pursue a doctorate in English at University College Dublin. However, he dropped out and jotted his first novel there.

At the time of his death, the family lived in Brooklyn. Our heart goes out to the Straub family in this tough time. May God let the departed soul rest in peace.