Rara Avians showed their appreciation last year by ranking Donald
Westlake #5 in my poll for all-time greatest crime writers.
I think I was 14 when I read my first Westlake, The Spy in the
Ointment. After that I was taking out every Westlake book I could from
the library. Hell, I might've even been reading his Alan Marshall
books back then from my dad's private stash of paperbacks.
One of the true great writers, and it's hard to imagine anyone
duplicating his production and diversity, at least anywhere near the
quality that he wrote at. The man set bar impossibly high, which both
writers and readers are eternally grateful for.
--Dave
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