Mystery Author Donald E. Westlake Dead

Donald E. Westlake, the creator of over 100 books and 5 plays, died New Year's Eve of a heart attack. He was 75. Since his first book was published in 1960,Westlake had written under his own name and several pseudonyms, including Richard Stark, Tucker Coe, Samuel Holt and Edwin West. Most of his books shared one feature: They were set in New York City, where he was born. Later in his career, Westlake limited himself to two pen names. He used his own name to write about a comical criminal named John Dortmunder. As Richard Stark, he wrote a series about a criminal named Parker. More than 15 of his books were made into movies. Westlake also wrote a number of screenplays, including The Grifters which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1991. His next novel, Get Real, is scheduled for release in April. He typed all his manuscripts on a portable manual typewriter. Westlake received three Edgar Awards and the title of Grand Master from the Mystery Writers of America in 1993.