Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer, with over a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction and other genres. He was a three-time Edgar Award winner, one of only two writers to win Edgars in three different categories. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for his adaptation of The Grifters. Westlake was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Albany, New York. He attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. After his discharge, he worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency in New York City. Westlake began writing in the late 1950s, and his first novel, The Mercenaries, was published in 1960. He wrote under several pseudonyms, including Richard Stark, Tucker Coe, and Timothy J. Culver. He wrote over 100 novels, including the John Dortmunder series, the Parker series, and the "Kai Lung" series of humorous fantasy stories. He also wrote several non-fiction books, including a biography of the Marx Brothers. Westlake was a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, and the Writers Guild of America. He was also a member of the Authors Guild, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the Screen Actors Guild. He was married twice and had two children. He died in 2008 at the age of 75.
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