WASHINGTON , — Petra Mayer was the books editor at National Public Radio. The cause of death was believed to be a pulmonary embolism. She was 46.
Mayer is best remembered for her reporting on Comic-Con and creating NPR’s Book Concierge. This interactive guide filters titles based upon interest to recommend to readers. Her colleagues described her as a proud geek who loved comics and science fiction.
Nancy Barnes, NPR’s senior vice-president for news, stated in an email to staff she had died suddenly at Holy Cross Hospital, Maryland.
Barnes wrote that Petra was NPR through-and-through.
After working on weekends as an associate producer/director for “All Things Considered”, Mayer joined NPR Books in 2012. He also handles the books coverage.
According to NPR’s website, she joined NPR in 1994 as an engineering assistant while at Amherst College. She left several years later for a job in news writing at Boston’s WBUR. In 2000, she returned to NPR.
