Created by Ed Lynskey Pseudonyms include Lyn Key (1956--) A former Army MP, FRANK JOHNSON is a thirtyish-divorcee working as a private eye and sometime gunsmith in the fictitious town of Pelham, Virginia. The town, once rural, is now being swallowed by the suburban sprawl from Washington, DC. Franks gripes a lot about his staff … Continue reading Frank Johnson
Tag: Ex-MP
John Ryan
Created by Roger Torrey Pseudonyms include Sam Drake, Samuel Drake, John Ryan, R.D. Torrey (1901-46) Yet another of pulpster Torey's seemingly endless supply of hard-boiled private eyes, JOHN RYAN--occasionally accompanied by his bull terrier companion/bodyguard Toby--appeared in at least six stories in 1943-44. And possibly more. With authors as prolific (and hungry) as as some … Continue reading John Ryan
John Francis Cuddy
Created by Jeremiah Healy (1948-2014) Private investigator JOHN FRANCIS CUDDY is based in Boston and, at least in the early novels, seemed to have been based quite clearly on that 1980's Boston success story Spenser. He grew up in the Irish-American neighborhood of South Boston, educated by the Jesuits at Holy Cross College, and served in … Continue reading John Francis Cuddy
Giff Speer
Created by Don Tracy Pseudonyms include Barnaby Ross, Roger Fuller (1905-1976) GIFF SPEERÂ is a special agent of sorts for the Military Police, occasionally even going undercover to investigate crimes involving the U.S. Army. So what's he doing here? Well, about halfway through the series by Don Tracy, following events in Pot of Trouble (1971), Giff … Continue reading Giff Speer
Patrick Hardy
Created by Martin Meyers (1934-2014) "Breasts to the left of him, breasts to the right..." -- Patrick notices these things (from Spy and Die) New York's PATRICK HARDY is your "classic, 1970's paperback private eye", according to Max Allan Collins, in his intro to the 1998 anthology Private Eyes that he co-edited with Mickey Spillane, … Continue reading Patrick Hardy
Michael Brennen
Created by Fred Zackel "Playing detective is like being a gravedigger. There's always dirt to be dug up, people willing to pay to have it dug up. But what kind of a man wants to spend his life scrounging for human rot six feet underground?" -- Brennen in Cocaine and Blue Eyes Middle-aged San Francisco … Continue reading Michael Brennen
Matthew Dain
Created by Christopher Mills From Stephen King country comes thirty-something ("Too young to be called a baby boomer and too old for Generation X") private eye MATTHEW AARON DAIN. Matt walks the not-so-mean streets of Portland, Maine, although his work (and his personal life, such as it is) takes him all over the Pine Tree … Continue reading Matthew Dain