R.I.P., John Dortmunder
Those of us who devoured the endlessly entertaining crime novels about the pessimistic crook John Dortmunder and his pals Andy Kelp, Stan Murch and Tiny Bulcher, plus the dark novels about a killer named only Parker, are saddened to read of the death in Mexico of the great writer Donald E. Westlake. He was 75.
Westlake wrote at a relentless pace in his prime and needed several pseudonyms to disguise from publishers the fact that he could write four or more novels a year. He used a portable manual typewriter.
He wrote the Dortmunder books (The Hot Rock" and dozens of others) under his real name and wrote the dark Parker novels as Richard Stark.
A final Dortmunder book reportedly is due in April.
Westlake wrote at a relentless pace in his prime and needed several pseudonyms to disguise from publishers the fact that he could write four or more novels a year. He used a portable manual typewriter.
He wrote the Dortmunder books (The Hot Rock" and dozens of others) under his real name and wrote the dark Parker novels as Richard Stark.
A final Dortmunder book reportedly is due in April.
Comments
"God help us, everyone."
Posted by: Zarathustra![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 3, 2009 04:21 PM
Go with God, Donald. I have great hopes of you, John D. MacDonald and Robert A Heinlein getting together and talking over old days and new plot lines and ideas.
It would be neat to see Dortmunder, McGhee, Kelp, Murch, Meyer, Lazarus, Libby get together for a caper or two.
Posted by: docholliday![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 3, 2009 09:06 PM
Sigh. Too many favorites gone, and the rest gettin up there . . . Selfish, I want to tell them, "Write fast!" I just can't seem to embrace many of the younger writers I've checked out.
Posted by: Doigotta![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 3, 2009 11:34 PM