Collins, Max Allan 1948- (Barbara Allen, a joint pseudonym, Peter Brackett, Max Collins, Max Allan Collins, Jr., Peter Culhane)

PERSONAL:

Born March 3, 1948, in Muscatine, IA; son of Max Allan, Sr. (an executive) and Patricia Ann Collins; married Barbara Jane Mull (a writer), June 1, 1968; children: Nathan Allan. Education: Muscatine Community College, A.A., 1968; University of Iowa, B.A., 1970, M.F.A., 1972. Politics: Independent.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Muscatine, IA. Agent—Dominick Abel Literary Agency, Inc., 146 W. 82nd St., 1B, New York, NY 10024.

CAREER:

Writer, journalist, film producer, screenwriter, educator, and musician. Professional musician, 1966-72, 1976-79, 1986—, including musician in the rock group "The Daybreakers"; songwriter for Tree International, Nashville, TN, 1967-71; reporter for Muscatine Journal, 1968-70; writer, 1972—; Muscatine Community College, Muscatine, IA, instructor in English, journalism, and creative writing, 1971-77; instructor at Mississippi Valley Writers Conference 1973—; film producer/director/screenwriter, 1994—. Has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Nightly CBS News, Nightly ABC News, Good Morning America, and game shows To Tell the Truth and Third Degree.

MEMBER:

Mystery Writers of America (board of directors, 1980—), Private Eye Writers of America (board of directors, 1991—), Horror Writers of America (board of directors, 1997—), Iowa Motion Picture Association (board of directors, 1994—; president, 1998-2000), Iowa Screenwriters Alliance (board of directors, 1997—).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Inkpot Award for outstanding achievement in comic arts, San Diego Comic Convention, 1982; Shamus Award for best hardcover novel, Private Eye Writers of America (PEWA), 1983, for True Detective, and 1991, for Stolen Away: A Novel of the Lindbergh Kidnapping; Edgar Allan Poe Special Award for critical/biographical work, Mystery Writers of America, 1984, for One Lonely Knight: Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer; distinguished alumnus award, Muscatine Community College, 1985; Susan Glaspell Award for fiction, Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA, 1990; Edgar Award nominee for best short story, Mystery Writers of America, 1992, for "Louise"; Best Screenplay, Iowa Motion Picture Awards, 1996, for Mommy's Day; Best Unproduced Screenplay, Iowa Motion Picture Awards, 1996, for Blue Christmas; Best Unproduced Screenplay, Iowa Motion Picture Awards, 1997, for Spree, and 2000, for Real Time: Siege at Lucas Street Market; Best Entertainment Program, Iowa Motion Picture Awards, 1999, for Mike Hammer's Mickey Spillane; Agatha Award nomination for nonfiction, 2002, for The History of Mystery; also various civic/public service awards for writing of "Dick Tracy," including citations from Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., Crime Prevention Coalition and Iowa Department of Public Safety.

WRITINGS:

"NOLAN" SUSPENSE NOVEL SERIES

(Under name Max Collins) Bait Money, Curtis Books (New York, NY), 1973, revised edition, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1981.

(Under name Max Collins) Blood Money, Curtis Books (New York, NY), 1973, revised edition, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1981.

(Under name Max Collins) Fly Paper, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1981.

(Under name Max Collins) Hush Money, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1981.

(Under name Max Collins) Hard Cash, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1982.

(Under name Max Collins) Scratch Fever, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1982.

Spree, Tor Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Mourn the Living, Five Star (Unity, ME), 1999.

Hard Case Crime released the first two Nolan novels under the title Two for the Money.

"QUARRY" SERIES

(Originally published under name Max Collins) The Broker, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1976, published as Quarry, Foul Play (Woodstock, NY), 1985.

(Originally published under name Max Collins) The Broker's Wife, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1976, published as Quarry's List, Foul Play (Woodstock, NY), 1985.

(Originally published under name Max Collins) The Dealer, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1976, published as Quarry's Deal, Foul Play (Woodstock, NY), 1986.

(Originally published under name Max Collins) The Slasher, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1977, published as Quarry's Cut, Foul Play (Woodstock, NY), 1986.

Primary Target, Foul Play (Woodstock, NY), 1987.

Quarry's Greatest Hits, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2003.

The Last Quarry, Dorchester (New York, NY), 2006.

"MALLORY" SERIES

(Under name Max Collins) The Baby Blue Rip-Off, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1983.

No Cure for Death, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1983.

Kill Your Darlings, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1984.

A Shroud for Aquarius, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1985.

Nice Weekend for a Murder, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1986.

"MEMOIRS OF NATHAN HELLER" HISTORICAL PRIVATE-EYE SERIES

True Detective, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1983.

True Crime, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1984.

The Million-Dollar Wound, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1986.

Neon Mirage, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1988.

Stolen Away: A Novel of the Lindbergh Kidnapping, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Dying in the Postwar World (short stories), Countryman Press (Woodstock, VT), 1991.

Carnal Hours, Dutton (New York, NY), 1994.

Blood and Thunder, Dutton (New York, NY), 1995.

Damned in Paradise, Dutton (New York, NY), 1996.

Flying Blind, Signet (New York, NY), 1999.

Majic Man, Dutton (New York, NY), 1999.

Kisses of Death, Crippen & Landru (Norfolk, VA), 2001.

Angel in Black, New American Library (New York, NY), 2001.

Chicago Confidential, New American Library (New York, NY), 2002.

"ELIOT NESS" HISTORICAL NOVEL SERIES

The Dark City, Bantam (New York, NY), 1987.

Butcher's Dozen, Bantam (New York, NY), 1988.

Bullet Proof, Bantam (New York, NY), 1989.

Murder by the Numbers, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1993.

NONFICTION

(With Ed Gorman) Jim Thompson: The Killers Inside Him, Fedora Press (Cedar Rapids, IA), 1983.

(With James L. Traylor) One Lonely Knight: Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Popular Press (Bowling Green, OH), 1984.

(With John Javna) The Best of Crime and Detective TV: Perry Mason to Hill Street Blues, The Rockford Files to Murder She Wrote, Harmony (New York, NY), 1988.

COMIC-STRIP COLLECTIONS

(Under name Max Collins) Dick Tracy Meets Angeltop, Ace Books (New York, NY), 1980.

(Under name Max Collins) Dick Tracy Meets the Punks, Ace Books (New York, NY), 1980.

(Under name Max Collins) The Mike Mist Minute Misteries, Eclipse Enterprises, 1981.

(With Terry Beatty) The Files of Ms. Tree, Volume 1, Aardvark-Vanaheim (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada), 1984, Volume 2: The Cold Dish, Renegade Press (Canada), 1985.

(With Dick Locher) Dick Tracy: Tracy's Wartime Memories, Ken Pierce (Park Forest, IL), 1986.

(With Terry Beatty) Ms. Tree, Paper Jacks (Markham, Ontario, Canada), 1988.

(Editor, with Dick Locher) The Dick Tracy Casebook: Favorite Adventures, 1931-1990, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1990.

(Editor, with Dick Locher) Dick Tracy: The Secret Files, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1990.

(Editor, with Dick Locher) Dick Tracy's Fiendish Foes: A Sixtieth Anniversary Celebration, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1991.

SCREENPLAYS

The Expert, HBO, 1995.

(And director) Mommy, 1995.

(And director) Mommy's Day, 1997.

(And director) Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, 1999.

(And director) Real Time: Siege at Lucas Street Market, 2000.

Also author of dialogue for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 2003; author of film A Matter of Principal (short film based on author's short story of the same name), 2003; and author of script for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation—Dark Motives, 2004.

OTHER

(Coeditor) Mickey Spillane, Mike Hammer: The Comic Strip, Ken Pierce (Park Forest, IL), Volume 1, 1982, Volume 2, 1985.

(Editor) Mickey Spillane, Tomorrow I Die, Mysterious Press (New York, NY), 1984.

Midnight Haul, Foul Play (Woodstock, VT), 1986.

Dick Tracy (novelization of film), Bantam (New York, NY), 1990.

Dick Tracy Goes to War, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Dick Tracy Meets His Match, Bantam (New York, NY), 1992.

In the Line of Fire (novelization of film), Jove (New York, NY), 1993.

Maverick (novelization of film), Signet (New York, NY), 1994.

(Under pseudonym Peter Brackett) I Love Trouble (novelization of film), Signet (New York, NY), 1994.

(Editor, with Mickey Spillane) Murder Is My Business, Dutton (New York, NY), 1994.

Waterworld (novelization of film), Boulevard (New York, NY), 1995.

NYPD Blue: Blue Beginning, Signet (New York, NY), 1995.

Daylight (novelization of film), Boulevard (New York, NY), 1996.

The Mystery Scene Movie Guide: A Personal Filmography of Modern Crime Pictures, Brownstone Books (San Bernardino, CA), 1996.

Earl MacPherson: The Sketchbook Pin-ups, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1997.

NYPD Blue: Blue Blood, Signet (New York, NY), 1997.

Mommy, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 1997.

Air Force One (novelization of film), Ballantine (New York, NY), 1997.

Gil Elvgren: The Wartime Pin-ups, Volume 1, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1997.

Pin-up Poster Book: The Billy DeVorss Collection, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1997.

Road to Perdition (graphic novel), illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner, Paradox Press (New York, NY), 1998.

U.S. Marshals (novelization of film), Boulevard (New York, NY), 1998.

Mommy's Day, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 1998.

(With Drake Elvgren) Elvgren: His Life and Art, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1998.

Saving Private Ryan (novelization of film), Signet (New York, NY), 1998.

Swimsuit Sweeties, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

Varga Girls I, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

Varga Girls II, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

Elvgren Girls I, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

Elvgren Girls II, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

Exotic Ladies, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 1999.

The Mummy (novelization of film), Boulevard (New York, NY), 1999.

The Titanic Murders, Berkley (New York, NY), 1999.

(With Barbara Collins) Regeneration, Leisure Books (New York, NY), 1999.

For the Boys! The Racy Pin-ups of WWII, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2000.

(Editor and author of introduction) Barbara Collins, Too Many Tomcats and Other Feline Tales of Suspense, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2000.

U-571 (novelization of film), Avon (New York, NY), 2000.

(Editor, with Jeff Gelb) Flesh and Blood: Erotic Tales of Crime and Passion, Mysterious Press (New York, NY), 2001.

Indian Maidens, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2001.

Pirate & Gypsy Girls, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2001.

Pin-up Nudes, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2001.

Seaside Sweethearts, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2001.

Blue Christmas and Other Holiday Homicides, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2001.

(With Barbara Collins) Murder—His and Hers (short stories), Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2001.

The History of Mystery, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2001.

The Pearl Harbor Murders, Berkley Prime Crime (New York, NY), 2001.

The Mummy Returns (novelization of film), Berkley Boulevard Books (New York, NY), 2001.

(Editor and author of introduction) Mickey Spillane, Together We Kill: The Uncollected Stories of Mickey Spillane, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2001.

The Lusitania Murders, Berkley Prime Crime (New York, NY), 2001.

(Editor, with Mickey Spillane) A Century of Noir: Thirty-two Classic Crime Stories, New American Library (New York, NY), 2002.

The Scorpion King (novelization of film), Berkley Boulevard Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Before the Dawn (based on television series), Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2002.

I Spy (novelization of screenplay), HarperEntertainment (New York, NY), 2002.

Patriotic Pin-ups, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2002.

Pin-up Nudes II, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2002.

Cowgirl Pin-ups, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2002.

Playful Pin-ups, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2002.

Sin City, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2002.

(Editor, with Jeff Gelb) Flesh and Blood: Dark Desires, Mysterious Press (New York, NY), 2002.

Calendar Girl: Sweet & Sexy Pin-ups of the Postwar Era, Collectors Press (Portland, OR), 2003.

(Editor, with Jeff Gelb) Flesh and Blood: Guilty as Sin; Erotic Tales of Crime and Passion, Mysterious Press (New York, NY), 2003.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, IDW Publications (San Diego, CA), 2003.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Body of Evidence, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2003.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Cold Burn, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Skin Game, Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Batman: Child of Dreams (English adaptation), DC Comics (New York, NY), 2003.

Florida Getaway, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2003.

On the Road to Perdition: Oasis (graphic novel), Paradox Press (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Steve Lieber) On the Road to Perdition: Sanctuary (graphic novel), Paradox Press (New York, NY), 2003.

On the Road to Perdition: Detour (graphic novel), illustrated by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Paradox Press (New York, NY), 2004.

(With wife, Barbara Collins) Bombshell, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2004.

The London Blitz Murders, Berkley Prime Crime (New York, NY), 2004.

Road to Purgatory, William Morrow (New York, NY), 2004.

Road to Paradise, William Morrow (New York, NY), 2005.

(With Kathy Reichs) Bones: Buried Deep, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Snake Eyes (a "CSI" book), Pocket Star (New York, NY), 2006.

A Killing in Comics (novel), artwork by Terry Beatty, Berkley Prime Crime (New York, NY), 2007.

(As Patrick Culhane) Black Hats: A Novel of Wyatt Earp and Al Capone, Morrow/HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.

(As Barbara Allan; with wife, Barbara Jane Mull) Antiques Maul, Kensington (New York, NY), 2007.

Author, under name Max Collins, of comic strip "Dick Tracy," distributed by Chicago Tribune/New York News Syndicate, 1977-93; writer of "The Comics Page," 1979-80, and of monthly Ms. Tree comic book. Contributor of scripts to Batman and other DC comic books; cocreator, with Terry Beatty, of Wild Dog comic-book feature; cocreator and writer of Mickey Spillane's Mike Danger comic book. Movie columnist for Mystery Scene. Contributor of short stories to numerous anthologies. Contributor of articles to magazines, including Armchair Detective, Comics Feature, and Mystery Scene.

Collins's manuscripts are collected at Bowling Green State University, Ohio.

ADAPTATIONS:

Road to Perdition was directed by Sam Mendes, starred Tom Hanks, Jude Law, and Paul Newman, and was released by Twentieth Century-Fox and Dreamworks, 2002; author's books have been adapted for audio, including The Million-Dollar Wound, Ashland, 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Max Allan Collins is a prolific novelist and freelance writer who has won widespread praise for his original detective fiction, yet among his best-known work is undoubtedly the "Dick Tracy" comic strip, which he wrote from 1977 to 1993. Collins also is the author for the "Nathan Heller" history-based mystery novels and has penned a number of television and movie novelizations, among them book versions of popular films such as U-571, The Scorpion King, Saving Private Ryan, and The Mummy Returns.

"Dick Tracy," created by Chester Gould in 1931, was the first comic intended not to be humorous. The title character, a hard-boiled, two-fisted detective, quickly became a nationwide favorite. Collins and artist Richard Fletcher took over the series after Gould's retirement in 1977; when Fletcher died in 1983, Collins continued with artist Dick Locher. The two have edited several collections of the "Dick Tracy" strip, and Collins has also written three novels featuring the detective—one a novelization of the film Dick Tracy, and two sequels to it. Many reviewers agree that although the "Dick Tracy" novels are minor compared to Collins's other work, they are still worthwhile reading. "I consider my work in comics to play a supporting role in my career; … still, it often tends to take centerstage, since Dick Tracy is obviously more famous than anyone who merely writes it," a St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor quoted the author as saying.

"For many years now I've been in love with the private-eye novel: the lean prose, the sharp dialogue, the understated poetry at least as found in the works of those three proponents of the form, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Mickey Spillane," the St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor further quoted Collins. "But when I began writing my own suspense novels in the early 1970s I found myself uncomfortable with the private eye: my heroes tended to be antiheroes, perhaps reflecting the troubled times around me as I worked." Collins's first protagonist was Nolan, an aging thief who frequently becomes involved in detective work. His next creation was Quarry, a Vietnam veteran who now works as a hired killer. A St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor named Quarry as "possibly the first detective in fiction to commit the murder before trying to solve it. He is among the least admirable characters (I think intentionally so) to be the protagonist of a series of crime novels. That he is acceptable in that role … is a tribute to Collins's talent." Quarry's Greatest Hits is an anthology of three "Quarry" short stories and one novel. Wes Lukowsky wrote in a Booklist review of the 2003 work that "the three stories included here reflect Collins' sardonic humor and his extraordinary ability to take his plots on an unexpected detour or two."

In the "Mallory" series, Collins introduces a young, small-town mystery writer who delivers meals to shut-ins and also solves mysterious crimes. Unlike Quarry and Nolan, Mallory is firmly on the right side of the law. A St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor noted that "the ‘Mallory’ novels are softer edged, appropriate to a more conservative hardcover market, but in certain stretches the author's hard-boiled roots are apparent. Most notable about the Mallory books is their understanding depiction of the Vietnam generation and their sense of nostalgia for the recent past." The contributor singled out A Shroud for Aquarius as the best of the "Mallory" novels, one that provides "a poignant look back at the 1960s."

One of Collins's historical series relates the fictional adventures of real-life gangbuster Eliot Ness during his days as a public safety officer in Cleveland. His most highly praised series, however, is probably the one featuring Nate Heller, a Chicago cop turned private investigator. In a St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor's estimation, the "Nate Heller" series represents Collins's "major contribution to date." Over the course of several books, Heller becomes involved with notable, real-life historical figures including Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and Charles Lindbergh. "It's easier to bring a wholly fictitious creation to life in a novel than to animate real-life guest stars, but Collins does the job amazingly well," affirmed the St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers essayist. Collins has also been praised for the careful research that goes into his historical fiction. In the St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers contributor's opinion: "Collins achieves something else that many bestselling blockbuster writers do not: getting full measure from his thorough research without ever sounding like a history term paper."

The "Heller" novels often propose alternative solutions to mysterious crimes of the past. In Stolen Away: A Novel of the Lindbergh Kidnapping, Heller discovers the Lindbergh baby living in the Midwest, years after the world-famous early-twentieth-century abduction of the child of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindberg. A Publishers Weekly contributor enthused: "Collins's … reconstruction of the Lindbergh case is so believable, one forgets that this is fiction," and a Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that Stolen Away is "a meaty, satisfying rehash of the crime of the century—required reading for people who still wonder." A collection of short stories about Heller, Dying in the Postwar World, was judged by a Booklist contributor to have at least five stories that are "gems: period yarns set in the postwar thirties and crisp with melodramatic cop slang and hard-nosed Chinatown urban detailing."

In Blood and Thunder, Heller is hired as a bodyguard to protect high-profile Louisiana senator Huey Long. "Collins's sense of place and time is unerringly acute, and he happily indulges in re-creating Long's fiery stump style," noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. Wes Lukowsky rated Blood and Thunder a "highly recommended" title in Booklist.

Majic Man revolves around the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico. The novel was lauded by critics. Wes Lukowsky in Booklist called the book a "typically intelligent, witty, and exciting examination of a real-life mystery." A Publishers Weekly contributor noted: "There's magic of a literary kind here: full-bore suspense coupled with an ingenious take on an overworked pop-historical touchstone."

In Chicago Confidential, set in the 1950s, Heller returns to the streets of Chicago, trying to dodge federal investigators examining the city's underworld—until a friend is killed. Library Journal reviewer Michael Rogers noted of the novel: "When it comes to noirish, hard-boiled PI thrillers, few writers can compete with Collins: the sex is hot and the killings cold. What else could you ask for?"

In the late 1990s, Collectors Press, a specialized publisher showcasing commercial art, issued a number of Collins's books on pin-up artists, including Billy DeVorss, Earl MacPherson, Gil Elvgren, and Alberto Vargas. "Elvgren, MacPherson, and Vargas are hardcore pinup artists, although pinup hard-core is perky, pert, clean as a whistle—in short, wholesomely sexy," commented Ray Olson in Booklist. Olson called Collins's text "apt and informative," and praised the quality reproductions. Mike Tribby lauded Elvgren: His Life and Art in a Booklist review, noting: "This glowing volume offers an authoritative biography of Elvgren, analysis of his career, and lush reproduction of his work."

A St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers essayist called the author "solidly entrenched in the hard and tough school of crime fiction. His protagonists have often been professional criminals. But his sense of humor and underlying humanity, coupled with a gift for intricate plotting and cinematically effective action scenes, make his novels palatable even to readers who normally would eschew the very hard-boiled."

In 2004, the author came out with a sequel to Road to Perdition titled Road to Purgatory, which Library Journal contributor Thomas L. Kilpatrick called a "tale of surprise and intrigue." The novel begins after the death of Mike O'Sullivan and follows the junior Michael, who killed his father's murderer in the first novel. Michael is adopted and takes on his adopted family's name of Satariano. As World War II commences, he becomes an efficient and deadly soldier in the Philippines. When General Douglas MacArthur is taken from the islands in retreat, Michael is also ordered to go so he can do "PR" for the army as a hero. Eventually, Michael finds himself recruited by Elliot Ness to infiltrate Al Capone's gang, where Michael is determined to seek further revenge for his father's death. Guy Powers, writing in the Detroit Free Press, called Road to Purgatory "an explosive, action-packed blockbuster." A Mystery Ink Web site contributor referred to the novel as "a delight for fans of the original story and newcomers as well."

Road to Paradise continues Michael's story. Michael is no longer known as an efficient killer but as a manager of a casino in Reno. His own son is now in Vietnam and has gone missing. In the meantime, gangster Sam Giancana recruits Michael for a "hit," but Michael refuses, realizing that his violent past will never leave him. Wes Lukowsky, writing in Booklist, called Michael "a fully realized, fascinating character" adding that "readers will be pleased to know how his life turned out." A Publishers Weekly contributor commented that the author's "compelling mix of history, bloodshed and retribution is … irresistible."

Collins has also written a trio of graphic novels following the "Perdition" characters: On the Road to Perdition: Oasis, On the Road to Perdition: Sanctuary, and On the Road to Perdition: Detour. Gordon Flagg, writing in Booklist, noted that in On the Road to Perdition: Detour, "fast-paced action leads to a suspenseful confrontation"

The author's antihero, Quarry, returns after a nearly two-decade hiatus in The Last Quarry. This time Quarry falls in love with his intended victim, a librarian who Quarry was hired to kill by a Chicago millionaire. Bill Ott, writing in Booklist, noted that the novel has "all the stand-up pleasures of dime-store pulp with a beguiling level of complexity." Bob Cannon, writing in Entertainment Weekly, commented that the author's "witty, hard-boiled prose would make Raymond Chandler proud."

Writing under the pseudonym Patrick Culhane, Collins pits a legend from the Old West against a famous 1930s mobster in Black Hats: A Novel of Wyatt Earp and Al Capone. Now in his seventies, Earp is working odd jobs when he is recruited by Doc Holliday's widow, whose son with Doc, Johnny Holliday, has fallen in with prohibition gangsters. Earp heads east to help out and meets some interesting characters along the way, including Bat Masterson. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that "the clash of cultures makes for an interesting setup."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers, 4th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1996.

PERIODICALS

Armchair Detective, winter, 1996, review of Blood and Thunder, p. 109.

Booklist, July, 1990, review of The Dick Tracy Casebook: Favorite Adventures, 1931-1990, p. 2075; March 15, 1991, review of Stolen Away: A Novel of the Lindbergh Kidnapping, p. 1435; October 15, 1991, review of Dying in the Postwar World, p. 412; March 1, 1994, Wes Lukowsky, review of Carnal Hours, p. 1183; August, 1995, Wes Lukowsky, review of Blood and Thunder, p. 1931; September 15, 1996, Wes Lukowsky, review of Damned in Paradise, p. 223; January 1, 1998, Ray Olson, review of The Billy DeVorss Collection, p. 761; August, 1998, Wes Lukowsky, review of Flying Blind, p. 1974; September 15, 1998, Mike Tribby, review of Elvgren: His Life and Art, p. 183; September 1, 1999, Wes Lukowsky, review of Majic Man, p. 71; May 1, 2003, Gordon Flagg, review of On the Road to Perdition: Oasis, p. 1538; October 15, 2003, Wes Lukowsky, review of Quarry's Greatest Hits, p. 393; May 1, 2004, Wes Lukowsky, review of Bombshell, p. 1503; September 1, 2004, Gordon Flagg, review of On the Road to Perdition: Detour, p. 76; December 1, 2004, Wes Lukowsky, review of Road to Purgatory, p. 638; November 15, 2005, Wes Lukowsky, review of Road to Paradise, p. 29; August 1, 2006, Bill Ott, review of The Last Quarry, p. 48.

Christian Century, July 17, 2002, John Petrakis, "Boys Will Be Men," review of film Road to Perdition, p. 43.

Detroit Free Press, January 5, 2005, Guy Powers, "‘Load’ Author Pens Another Blockbuster."

Entertainment Weekly, November 26, 2004, Marc Bernardin, review of Road to Purgatory, p. 125; December 2, 2005, Jennifer Reese, review of Road to Paradise; July 28, 2006, Bob Cannon, review of The Last Quarry, p. 71.

Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 1991, review of Stolen Away, p. 343; September 1, 1991, review of Dying in the Postwar World, p. 1118; February 1, 1994, review of Carnal Hours, p. 97; July 1, 1995, review of Blood and Thunder, p. 898; February 15, 2003, review of Flesh and Blood: Guilty as Sin: Erotic Tales of Crime and Passion, p. 272; November 1, 2004, review of Road to Purgatory, p. 1021; October 1, 2005, review of Road to Paradise, p. 1043; January 15, 2007, review of Black Hats: A Novel of Wyatt Earp and Al Capone, p. 40.

Library Journal, April 1, 1994, Rex E. Klett, review of Carnal Hours, p. 137; September 1, 1999, Rex E. Klett, review of Majic Man, p. 237; May 1, 2002, Michael Rogers, review of Chicago Confidential, p. 139; April 1, 2004, review of Bombshell, p. 128; January 1, 2005, Thomas L. Kilpatrick, review of Road to Purgatory, p. 95.

New York Times Book Review, April 17, 1994, Marilyn Stasio, review of Carnal Hours, p. 19.

Publishers Weekly, April 5, 1991, Penny Kaganoff, review of Stolen Away, p. 139; September 13, 1991, review of Dying in the Postwar World, p. 66; February 14, 1994, review of Carnal Hours, p. 81; June 26, 1995, review of Carnal Hours, p. 93; August 23, 1999, review of Majic Man, p. 51; April 1, 2002, review of Flesh and Blood: Dark Desires, p. 56; March 17, 2003, review of Flesh and Blood: Guilty as Sin, p. 58; September 22, 2003, review of C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation: Serial, p. 86; February 16, 2004, review of On the Road to Perdition: Sanctuary, p. 154; November 22, 2004, review of Road to Purgatory, p. 39; September 26, 2005, review of Road to Paradise, p. 62; June 5, 2006, review of The Last Quarry, p. 43; March 19, 2007, review of A Killing in Comics, p. 47.

Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 1991, review of Dick Tracy Goes to War, p. 223.

Waterloo Courier, September 10, 2006, Melody Parker, "Max Allan Collins Film Expo to Spotlight Iowa Filmmakers Sept. 22-24"; September 23, 2006, Emily Christensen, "New Festival Features Iowa Film Makers."

ONLINE

Allan Guthrie's Noir Originals Web site,http://www.allanguthrie.co.uk/ (September 24, 2007), Duane Swierczynski, "This Time, It's Personal: Nolan Returns," interview with author.

Connect eBooks,http://ebooks.connect.com/ (September 23, 2007), brief biography of author.

F.O.M.A.C. Max Allan Collins Home Page,http://www.maxallancollins.com (September 23, 2007).

International Association of Media Tie-in Writers,http://iamtw.org/ (September 23, 2007), brief profile of author as association officer.

Internet Movie Database,http://www.imdb.com/ (September 23, 2007), information on author's film work.

January,http://januarymagazine.com/ (September 23, 2007), J. Kingston Pierce, "Killers & Cover-ups & Max Allan Collins," profile of author.

Mystery Ink,http://www.mysteryinkonline.com/ (September 23, 2007), review of Road to Purgatory.

Thrilling Detective,http://www.thrillingdetective.com/ (September 23, 2007), "Max Allan Collins," profile of author.

Waterloo Center for the Arts—Max Allan Film Expo,http://www.waterloocenterforthearts.org/ (September 24, 2007), information about author's films.