Donald E. Westlake

Born in Brooklyn in 1933, Donald E. Westlake became one of the most versatile and productive crime writers of his generation. Over a long career he wrote dozens of novels and stories, often shifting between caper comedy, noir, and suspense, and he published under several pen names, most famously Richard Stark.

Many readers know him best for the Dortmunder books, whose brilliantly planned crimes tend to collapse in wonderfully exasperating ways. Under the Stark name, he wrote the Parker novels, admired for their lean, tough style and cool professionalism. That range helped make him a rare writer who could be both very funny and genuinely tense.

Westlake also worked as a screenwriter and earned major recognition for his crime writing, including multiple Edgar Awards. He died in 2008, but his books remain a touchstone for readers who love clever plots, memorable crooks, and stories that move with confidence and wit.