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Behind the Mystery: Top Mystery Writers Interviewed by Stuart Kaminsky And Photographed by Laurie Roberts Hardcover – January 1, 2005

by Laurie Roberts (Author, Photographer)

3.9 12 ratings

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The past president of the Mystery Writers of America shares the results of his nationwide interviews with eighteen of the top mystery writers in the country, including Tony Hillerman, Mickey Spillane, Sara Paretsky, Martin Cruz Smith, Sue Grafton, and others.

Print length

237 pages
Language

English
Publisher

UNKNO
Publication date

January 1, 2005
Dimensions

7.75 x 0.5 x 10.25 inches
ISBN-10

0975524526
ISBN-13

978-0975524527
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Hallie Ephron
194
Paperback
68 offers from $3.41
Martin Edwards
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Mickey Spillane is a Jehovah's Witness. That may be the most startling revelation in this fascinating collection of interviews with leading crime writers, but it is hardly the only one. That interviewer Kaminsky is an acclaimed mystery author himself--and friends with all of his subjects--lends these conversations an air of relaxed informality that is very different from the tone of most similar collections. The roster of authors--including Tony Hillerman, Elmore Leonard, Robert Parker, Michael Connelly, and Sue Grafton, among many other, equally celebrated names--is an attraction in itself, but Kaminsky and photographer Laurie Roberts manage to take fans inside their favorite crime writers' personal lives with a combination of casual chat and revealing images of homes and offices. Perhaps most interesting are the interviews with veteran genre writers--Leonard, Spillane, Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block--who have worked up from the pulps to the best-seller lists and understand the business and craft of fiction writing at every level. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Inside Flap

Edgar award winner and past President of the Mystery Writers of America Stuart Kaminsky brings mystery fans into the living rooms, offices, and gardens of his most talented friends and fellow writers in this tribute to the mystery genre. Professional photographer Laurie Roberts captures the writers, their families, homes, and pets while Kaminsky probes into their personal lives and writing to go "behind the mystery" writer.

Readers will be entertained and enlightened by Faye and Jonathan Kellerman's introspect into how religion plays a role in their lives and writing while Elmore Leonard shares his Ten Rules of Writing. Ann Rule explains her obsession with serial killers; Robert Parker unveils his wall of baseball memorabilia; Sue Grafton answers what comes after Z; and Mickey Spillane reminisces about his flying days. Kaminsky encompasses everything from film adaptations of their books to old writing habits that never die. Behind the Mystery takes its readers on a tour of the homes, lives, and idiosyncrasies of America's talented mystery writers.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ UNKNO (January 1, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 237 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0975524526
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0975524527
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 0.5 x 10.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,004,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #14,879 in Author Biographies

Customer Reviews:
3.9 12 ratings

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Stuart M. Kaminsky

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Stuart M. Kaminsky (1934–2009) was one of the most prolific crime fiction authors of the last four decades. Born in Chicago, he spent his youth immersed in pulp fiction and classic cinema—two forms of popular entertainment which he would make his life’s work. After college and a stint in the army, Kaminsky wrote film criticism and biographies of the great actors and directors of Hollywood’s Golden Age. In 1977, when a planned biography of Charlton Heston fell through, Kaminsky wrote Bullet for a Star, his first Toby Peters novel, beginning a fiction career that would last the rest of his life.

Kaminsky penned twenty-four novels starring the detective, whom he described as “the anti-Philip Marlowe.” In 1981’s Death of a Dissident, Kaminsky debuted Moscow police detective Porfiry Rostnikov, whose stories were praised for their accurate depiction of Soviet life. His other two series starred Abe Lieberman, a hardened Chicago cop, and Lew Fonseca, a process server. In all, Kaminsky wrote more than sixty novels. He died in St. Louis in 2009.

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3.9 out of 5

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Lou H.

Writers as human beings

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2012

Kaminsky visited writer friends around the United States, in their homes, and wrote of the visits as a friend should, tastefully and with insight. I liked that the book is not verbose, yet in its own way reveals more about its subjects than whole volumes would have. Martin Cruz Smith left Kaminsky babysitting a baby grandson so he could get away to run an errand. Sue Grafton had it rough when she was young--but sure not later. Mickey Spillaine was religious and drank nothing stonger than milk. Tony Hillerman was a practicing Catholic with six kids--no surprise--but five were adopted. And so forth.
Kaminsky had hepatitis and has since died. He was one of my favorite authors and prolific up to the end. He did this book only because he wanted to. Maybe he was saying goodby to his friends, I don't know. Maybe he was memorializing them; they belong to a generation that has pretty much passed. (Sara Paretsky I'd guess was the youngest writer visited.) In any case, this is a sincere book produced by a writer about writers, mature in tone, well done.

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2006

Verified Purchase

Considering its potential, this book is almost a total dud. Kaminsky would be right at home in one of those magazines where they grill stars on their favorite color. And while some of the photos are intriguing, many of them are out of focus or poorly-framed.

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just Jack

Essential reading for all budding writers

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2007

I picked up 'Behind the Mystery' after listening to Stuart Kaminsky at the Sarasota Creative Writers' Circle. A circle I can highly recommend. I'm not a great mystery fan, especially of the cops and murder kind, but NYPD Blue got me hooked. What was more important then and in "Behind the Mystery' was listening and talking to a real life very successful author.

Kaminsky comes across as a humane person; a clear, relaxed and knowledgeable speaker with a touch of mystery about himself. In "Behind the Mystery", Kaminsky's style is not dissimilar to his speaking style or the dialogue of a novel. The book is very readable. The questions he asks appear to be standard to all the authors he interviews, but his personal friendship with writer draws out the questions most relevant to them.

Kaminsky has taught creative writing. "Behind the Mystery" carries on his teaching. Through interviews it introduces the reader to 17 masters of the art. Kaminsky asks the questions important to every budding writer. Whatever the differing life circumstances or styles, the same message comes across. It was a struggle to get started; whether you succeed or not, its not the end of the world; people who want to write will write. Writing is a job, a job that a writer does every day of the week. Writers' block does not exist, its just an excuse. Writing is a fascinating and very enjoyable job, with dozens of friends and acquaintances acting out a movie in your head.

For a Brit like myself, "Behind the Mystery" is especially useful in getting to know many of the major US mystery writers. Some jump off the page, others were unknown to me. Probably all are well known to US readers. 'Behind the Mystery' makes that assumption, which can be very frustrating. It leaves the reader wondering just who the writer is and what they are known for. However Kaminsky leaves the reader with sufficient liking for each writer, to go find out. That is what research is about and what the INTERNET is for.

Studying the masters is essential to all arts. Kaminsky portrays them as humans, amongst whom one can stand, if one is prepared to work at it.

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2006

This book is made up of interviews with 17 mystery authors including Ann Rule (my favorite!), Michael Connelly, Joesph Wambaugh, and Sue Grafton. It contains beautiful black and white photos of the author, their home, the place they write, and sometimes their pets.

It allows the reader a glimpse into the lives of some of their favorite mystery writers and there are some surprises. I loved reading about their writing schedules and how they work. Some like to write all day and others only a few hours.

My only gripe with this book is that I felt that there could have been more to these interviews. I read a fabulous book of this same type called "Jazzwomen" which was so much more detailed and full. This one seems a bit more commercial.

However, all in all, it is an interesting book and definately worth it even if only for the photos!

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2005

This book examines some of my favorite authors' lives as novelists-their views on creativity, inspiration, writer's block and what it means to be a writer. But most striking is its revelation of what really matters to each writer on a personal level-their families, childhoods, insights, politics and spiritual beliefs.

Each page reveals new and surprising details. Did you know Mickey Spillane was a fighter pilor in World War II? Both Ann Rule and Jonathan Kellerman are avid painters, and James Lee Burke was once a forest ranger in Kentucky. Kaminsky's casual interviews are full of unexpected discoveries. And while listening in these telling conversations, readers catch glimpses of the authors at ease in their private homes, with their families and pets and at their typewriters and laptops.

Kaminsky and Roberts bring us the mysteries behind the mystery makers. Often poignant or humorous, but always stunningly honest, Behind the Mystery dares to examine our favorite masters of suspense, not just as writers, but as people.

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Steven Kirby

It's a little bit sad, as some of the interviewees have already finished ...

Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

Some decent candid pictures. A few surprising tidbits about the private lives of some famous authors. This really is the Who's Who of American crime fiction. It's a little bit sad, as some of the interviewees have already finished their long goodbyes and eased their way into the big sleep. Robert B. Parker, Elmore Leonard, Tony Hillerman and Ed McBain, are all gone, as is the interviewer & writer, Stuart Kaminsky.

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Behind the Mystery: Top Mystery Writers Interviewed by Stuart Kaminsky And Photographed by Laurie Roberts Hardcover – January 1, 2005

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