The complete series list for a parker novel richard stark. The books have been out of print for decades, and the fastpaced, hardboiled thrillers featuring the thief parker are brilliant. Stark wrote the parker series of hardboiled crime novels. Author richard starks complete list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability. The university of chicago began republishing the richard stark novels in 2008. Westlake includes books the damsel, the dame, the blackbird, and several more. Parker with a new face, a dwindling funds and a chance at a.
The video stared fonzworth bentley, kanye west and andre 3000. When stephen king wrote the novel the dark half in 1989, he named the central villain george stark as an homage to westlake. At first, grofield was just a companion of parkers, who eventually got his own series. Westlake explains the injoke in the films dvd commentary track, noting that he wrote. Aloysius parker, a character from the thunderbirds tv series, known mononymously as parker parker immunity doctrine, a principle in antitrust law in the united states parker v. Westlake, author of the parker novels under the name richard stark. A highoctane trip across america, the score finds parker assembling the best caper men he can find to knock over his most audacious target yet. The hunter which is the best parker novel by richard. Sign up for email notification of new releases in your field. In 2008 the everybody music video that stark edited was voted by itunes as their first ever video of the week.
This is the 6th book in a series of 24 parker books written by richard stark donald westlake between 1962 and 2008. A bumbled robbery lands parker in custody, but not for long. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Alan grofield is a fictional character created by donald e. Betrayed by the woman he loves and doublecrossed by his partner in crime, parker makes his way crosscountry with only one thought burning in his mind to coldly. Richard stark audio books, best sellers, author bio. Parker is the antihero made famous by richard stark s series of crime stories where the criminal is the main character. This series is comprised of a total of 24 books, which were released between the years 1962 and 2008. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction or other genres. They scheme, they prepare, and they execute with military precision, unaware that the whole thing is about to blow up in their faces.
An early westlake story was published under this name in mystery digest in 1958. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A ruthless career criminal, parker has almost no traditional redeeming qualities, aside from efficiency and professionalism. The following is a description of the first couple of books written by westlake. This time out, parker is fresh from plastic surgery to keep the syndicate from finding him after all the trouble he caused them. Stark s recent parker novels comeback and backflash were selected as new york times notable books of the year. Spoiler alert during this caper, parker gets outwitted, shot, and the priceless statue taken from his hands. Richard stark books list of books by author richard stark. Then one day you finish a book named the hunter under the pseudonym richard stark. Grofields first appearance was in the novel the score, which was published in 1964 a career criminal and professional thief, grofield is a devilishly handsome and. The parker series is a series of highly popular crime fiction novels written by the noteworthy us author named donald e. Buy backflash parker novels first trade printing by stark, richard isbn.
Westlake, who passed away at the end of 2008, successfully kept the film from being shown in the us during his lifetime. The parker series in order richard stark fictiondb. Richard stark is one of the preeminent authorsand inventorsof noir crime fiction. The hunter, the first book in the parker series, is the story of a man who hits new york headon like a shotgun blast to the chest. Westlake, the author received no compensation for this adaptation. Looking at the crime and mystery releases in the graphic novel world, i came across richard starks parker. The canadian eisner awardwinning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist, and animator, is known for his work on the comic books catwoman, dc. See all books authored by richard stark, including the hunter, and the man with the getaway face, and more on. A book about a ruthless, super thief named parker who finds himself up against a criminal outfit known as the outfit. But in this advernture, no one is giving grofield the privilege of being asked if he. The first crime thriller written by donald westlake was the hunter which he wrote in the year 1962.
Parker is a professional thief who is relentless and has no redeemable qualities whatsoever. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the man with the getaway face. This series features an antihero protagonist by the name of parker and is very much in the hardboiled category and the world of criminals is portrayed. See the complete alan grofield series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. Under the pseudonym richard stark, he wrote twentyfour fastpaced, hardboiled novels featuring parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists. Westlake richard stark is the author of the hunter 4.
Richard stark was one of the many pseudonyms of donald e. Parker stark novels character, a fictional character and franchise created by donald e. Read all the parker novels published by the university of chicago press. The parker novels by richard stark published by the. Richard stark was an alter ego if you will for the late donald westlake. A parker novel parker novels book 2 kindle edition by stark, richard. The video launched on bet, mtv and vh1 and received close to a million and a half views online.
Parker is cold, methodical, and perfectly willing to commit murder if he deems it necessary to get what he wants. Seven books into the series, the parker books have no business being this good. The new frontier, the spirit, and of course richard starks parker. In 1993, the mystery writers of america bestowed the societys highest honor on westlake, naming him a grand master. In this novel parker struggles to accomplish his mission.
Alan grofield is a career criminal and, like parker, is a thiefbytrade. The latest parker book by richard stark donald westlake is a series of breakouts and breakins. Browse richard starks bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. But with plot supermaster richard stark at the helm, this is not the case.
Westlake used his real names to write about john dortmunder, an unintentionally comical criminal and using richard stark, he penned down a series, which focused on the life of a criminal, and antihero who was known as parker. Though based on the jugger by richard stark donald e. Grofield is a parttime actor, but the rest of the time hes a thief. The series that he writes under the pseudonym richard stark is probably a little less well known. Where dw always wrote with at least a dash of good humor and fun, his richard stark novels are no laughing matter. Novels by richard stark edit the first novel in parkers series is the hunter adapted to film twice. Interview with donald westlake, author of the parker novels. The hunter is a genuine crime thriller revolving around the life of the fictional character named parker. The parker novels by richard stark published by the university of. Collins has written this series designed to oneup the parker series written by richard stark but it is a homage to that series. Youre a struggling writer, churning our four or five novels a year under a variety of names and across a number of genres. Westlake, writing as richard stark, offers the third alan grofield novel of suspense. His first novel, the hunter, became the classic 1967 movie point. Westlake who published the series of books under the pseudonym richard stark.
The hunter is book one of about two dozen books which chronicle the adventures of parker as he wreaks mayhem on society and especially anyone foolish enough to double cross him. Westlake 19332008, a prolific author of crime fiction. In the year 2008, the university of chicago began to republish the novels, which were published under the name of richard stark. In the mourner we learn that parker is not perfect. Order of parker books parker is a fictional character created by american author donald e. The uc press mission, to reprint the 1960s parker novels of richard stark the late donald westlake, is wholly admirable. In 1962, as richard stark, a pen name hed employed in several previous.
The first novel in parkers series is the hunter adapted to film twice. The man with the getaway face is the second novel in richard stark s parker series. Westlakes bestknown continuing pseudonym was that of richard stark. Donald edwin westlake july 12, 1933 december 31, 2008 was an american writer, with over a hundred novels and nonfiction books to his credit. Parker assembles a small crew of fellow inmates to break out of a holding facility while awaiting arraignment. Parker, the ruthless antihero of richard starks more. As an homage to westlake, renowned author stephen king decided to name the main villain in the book, dark half, george stark.
Stark was then inactive until 1997, when westlake once again began writing and publishing parker novels under stark s name. Join facebook to connect with richard stark and others you may know. Many of his books have been adapted for film, most notably the hunter, which became the 1967 noir point blank and the 1999 smash payback. The master thief is back, along with richard stark. He is the main protagonist of four of the 28 novels westlake has written under the pseudonym richard stark, and a supporting character in an additional four. Bay dvd, misadapted from one of the best novels in the series, in my opinion. Alan grofield is a character created by american author donald westlake using the pseudonym richard stark. Richard stark 19332008, wrote dozens of novels under his own name and a rainbow of other pseudonyms. Westlake used the pen name richard stark for this novel. The stories are so simple that one would expect them to be too formulaic and repetitive. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards.
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