author
C. Vincent Patrick
Known for gritty, streetwise stories of hustlers and mobsters, he brought a vivid New York edge to both novels and screenplays. His best-known books, The Pope of Greenwich Village and Family Business, were both adapted for the screen by their author.
1 Audiobook
The Case Against Spirit Photographs
by C. Vincent Patrick, W. Whately (Walter Whately) Smith
About the author
Born in the Bronx in 1935, C. Vincent Patrick — usually credited as Vincent Patrick — was an American author and screenwriter whose work was closely tied to New York life. He became especially known for crime fiction that focused on strivers, schemers, and family loyalties under pressure.
His most recognized novels are The Pope of Greenwich Village and Family Business, and he adapted both into films himself. He also received screenwriting credit for projects including The Devil's Own, building a career that moved comfortably between fiction and film.
Patrick died in Manhattan in 2023 at the age of 88. Even in brief summary, his appeal is easy to see: he wrote tough, fast-moving stories with a strong feel for place and for people living close to the edge.