John Lutz (mystery writer)

John Lutz
BornJohn Thomas Lutz
September 11, 1939 (1939-09-11)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 9, 2021(2021-01-09) (aged 81)
Chesterfield, Missouri, U.S.
GenreMystery fiction
Notable awards
Website
www.johnlutzonline.com

John Thomas Lutz (September 11, 1939[1] – January 9, 2021)[2] was an American writer who mainly wrote mystery novels.

Career

Lutz's work included political suspense, private eye novels, urban suspense, humor, occult, crime caper, police procedural, espionage, historical, futuristic, amateur detective, thriller; virtually every mystery sub-genre. He was the author of more than forty novels and over 200 short stories and articles. His novel Single White Female was the basis for the 1992 film starring Bridget Fonda[3][4][5][6] and his novel The Ex was made into the HBO original movie of the same title, for which he co-authored the screenplay. Lutz's novels and short fiction have been translated into almost every language and adapted for almost every medium.

Lutz served as president of both Mystery Writers of America and Private Eye Writers of America. Among his awards are the MWA Edgar Award, the Shamus Award (twice), The Trophee 813 Award for best mystery short story collection translated into the French language, the PWA Life Achievement Award, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award. John Lutz also wrote stories for jigsaw puzzles.[7][8]

Personal life and death

He and his wife, Barbara, split their time between St. Louis, Missouri, and Sarasota, Florida. Together, they had three children and eight grandchildren.

Lutz died as a result of complications from Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease, and COVID-19 in Chesterfield, Missouri, on January 9, 2021, at age 81, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Missouri.[2][9]

Awards

In 1995, Lutz received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America.[10]

Awards for Lutz's writing[11]
Year Title Awards Result
1985 Nightlines Shamus Award for Best Novel Finalist
1987 Tropical Heat Anthony Award for Best Novel Finalist
1988 Ride the Lightning Shamus Award for Best Novel Finalist
1989 Kiss Shamus Award for Best Novel Winner
2003 The Night Watcher Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original Finalist
2010 Urge To Kill International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Finalist
2011 Mister X Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original Finalist
2012 Serial Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original Finalist
2013 Pulse Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original Finalist

Bibliography

Series

  • Alo Nudger
  • Fred Carver
  • Night
  • Frank Quinn

Standalone novels

  • The Truth of the Matter (1971)
  • Bonegrinder (1977)
  • Lazarus Man (1979)
  • Jericho Man (1980)
  • The Shadow Man (1981)
  • Exiled (1982) (with Steven Greene)
  • The Eye (1984) (with Bill Pronzini)
  • Shadowtown (1988)
  • Single White Female (1990; original title: SWF Seeks Same; see also movie page Single White Female)
  • Dancing with the Dead (1992)
  • The Ex (1996) (adapted into a film — see The Ex (1997 film))
  • Final Seconds (1998) (with David August)

References

  1. ^ Francis M. Nevins (July 2010). "John Lutz". Cornucopia of Crime: Memories and Summations. Lulu.com. p. 209. ISBN 9781605434582.
  2. ^ a b "John Thomas Lutz". Legacy. July 4, 2021. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "Edgar Award Winners and Nominees in the Private Eye Genre". Thrillingdetective.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  4. ^ "The Private Eye Writers of America and The Shamus Awards". Thrillingdetective.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  5. ^ Canby, Vincent (1992-08-14). "Movie Review - Single White Female - Review/Film; A Devoted (and Deadly) Roommate - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  6. ^ Peter Travers (1992-08-14). "Single White Female | Movie Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  7. ^ "Grounds for Murder". Mysterygamecentral.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
  8. ^ "John Lutz Online". John Lutz. Archived from the original on 2015-02-23. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  9. ^ "John Lutz, master of crime fiction, dies in Chesterfield at age 81 | Obituaries | stltoday.com". 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  10. ^ "The Private Eye Writers of America and The Shamus Awards". Thrilling Detective. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  11. ^ "John Lutz". Stop, You're Killing Me!. Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-12.