Hail and Farewell

I usually put together an end-of-the-year wrap-up post recalling all of the people from the crime-fiction community who died over the previous 12 months, but this time, B.V. Lawson of In Reference to Murder has beat me to the punch.

Among the many deceased standouts she mentions are George C. Chesbro, author of the “Mongo the Magnificent” thrillers; Michael Crichton; James Crumley, perhaps best remembered for his 1978 novel, The Last Good Kiss; social maven and author Elaine Flinn; Tony Hillerman; short-story master Edward D. Hoch; the much-underappreciated Arthur Lyons, creator of private eye Jacob Asch; Stephen Marlowe, known for his novels featuring world-traveling private eye Chester Drum; Fletch creator Gregory Mcdonald; Julian Rathbone; Shamus- and Edgar-winning author Benjamin M. Schutz; former first daughter-turned-author Margaret Truman (Daniel); Dutch crime novelist Janwillem van de Wetering, known for his yarns about Amsterdam cops Henk Grijpstra and Rinus de Gier; and author Phyllis A. Whitney, who passed away in February of this year at age 104.

To Lawson’s list, I would like to add Matthew J. Bruccoli, onetime co-editor of The New Black Mask magazine; Susanna Yager, crime-fiction critic for Britain’s Sunday Telegraph; the great actor Paul Newman, who twice delivered Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer to movie screens; Barry Morse, co-star of the original series The Fugitive; authors Hillary Waugh (Last Seen Wearing) and Meg O’Brien; and of course composer Isaac Hayes, made famous by his memorable Shaft movie theme.

They will be missed, one and all.