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Quarry Turns Fifty!

Tuesday, November 10th, 2026

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Heath Holland has interviewed me about the new Quarry novel, Quarry’s Reunion, the publication date of which is TODAY, Nov. 10 2026. It’s in depth, almost a full hour, and it’s a YouTube Premiere. It airs 10 a.m. Central today, Nov. 10, [One hour after this post! –Nate] and is accompanied by a live chat with both Heath and myself, just for the duration of the premiere. After the premiere broadcast the interview will of course still be available.

https://youtu.be/DvxOCZWBvhc

Actually, Quarry’s a little older than fifty, as I created him in 1972 at the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa, where my class was pretty much underwhelmed by the first two chapters of Quarry (aka The Broker). My instructor, William Price Fox, wasn’t bowled over either. But when I sold two books not long after (Bait Money and No Cure for Death), I was suddenly taken a little more seriously, particularly since nobody else sold anything while I was in the Workshop.

I had to set that first Quarry novel aside when those two books sold, because the publisher requested sequels from both of them. When I came back to Quarry, I did so feeling I had something special – a concept of my own, as opposed to Nolan in Bait Money coming from Richard Stark/Donald E. Westlake, and Mallory in No Cure for Death representing Raymond Chandler and Mickey Spillane.

There was (and is) plenty of Stark and Chandler and Spillane in the Quarry novels, but the mix is mine and so is the evolving concept of a hitman hero. Not anti-hero: he has always been a good guy, in his bad way, to me.

But the four Quarry novels I wrote for Berkley Books published in 1976 and 1977 did not lead to the publisher requesting more entries in the series. I thought I had a tiger by the tail but it appeared to be just a mouse that briefly roared.

I went on about my business, including Nate Heller and his long successful run.

A funny thing happened on the way to Quarry’s apparent early demise: readers at mystery conventions would approach me liking the series – smart ones, like Bill Crider and Steve Mertz – and others would write me actual letters, in those pre-e-mail days, loving the novels.

When True Detective became a big deal, I had the opportunity to do various things of my choice. For example, I did a new Nolan and Jon novel for TOR (Spree, now from Hard Case Crime as Mad Money). And I did a new Quarry novel for a terrific boutique house, Foul Play Press.

It’s time to acknowledge the unsung hero of Quarry’s success. Louis Wilder, the editor at Foul Play Press, wanted to reprint all of the four existing Quarry novels in classy new editions, featuring my preferred titles. Berkley had retitled all of them, without telling me – I never knew what any of the first four Quarrys would be titled till I held each book in my hand.

Louis knew that I was unhappy in particular that my book Quarry had been published by Berkley as The Broker, and that the second novel, Quarry’s List, had been called by Berkley The Broker’s Wife – literally giving away a major plot point! Louis wanted to do all four and commissioned a new one, the first – and to date only – Quarry hardcover, Primary Target.

Ironically, when Charles Ardai reprinted the first five Quarry novels at Hard Case Crime, we decided to retitle that one Quarry’s Vote to make the titling pattern consistent.

Meanwhile, back in the ‘80s, Louis Wilder passed away. He was a fine editor and a good friend to me and Quarry; but we lost him. No other editor or publisher showed any interest in picking up this cult-ish series. Remember, as Don Westlake said, a cult writer is seven readers short of making a living.

But throughout the ‘90s, interest in Quarry bubbled. Fan mail continued. I would write occasional Quarry short stories, one of which, “A Matter of Principal,” was reprinted several times. That story also attracted the attention of a young filmmaker, Jeffrey Goodman, who pursued me for the rights to make a film from the story. I finally consented on the condition that I write the screenplay. It became an award-winning film festival favorite, and was shown at a Bouchercon to a great reaction.

This led to the Quarry feature film directed by Jeffrey and co-written by me, The Last Lullaby, which also became a film festival favorite. In addition, it generated a novelization of sorts, The Last Quarry, written from my initial draft of the screenplay before the film was shot.

While the short film was attracting attention and with the possibility of a feature brewing, Charles Ardai – a hero I’ve sung much about – responded to my offer to do an original novel for Hard Case Crime instead of just provide a reprint. I said I’d do a new book for reprint money if he could get me a Robert McGinnis cover.

He did.

The Last Quarry, as some of you know, was designed to put a button on this on-and-again-off-again series. But it would generate eleven more novels, including today’s Quarry’s Reunion.

The interview Heath did with me for the YouTube Premiere goes into how my late friend Jon McCrea had been a major influence on Quarry. He represented a smart, funny, normal-ish guy who went to Vietnam a Marine, did several tours, and came back damaged after having killed a lot of Viet Cong. Audie Murphy, the underrated actor who was also the most decorated soldier of World War II, was another influence. So were several other friends of mine who went to Vietnam, one of whom was a sweet, simple soul who returned hardbitten and unrecognizably the person I’d known (he was in my first rock band in high school).

It should be said that Quarry, despite all those influences, is me. I didn’t serve, unless you count my draft physical, but I was collateral damage. I drew a number that guaranteed I would serve and faced that fear with my lovely young wife (only my severe migraine headaches spared me). I saw body bags being loaded on transports as I ate my TV dinners getting numb to the violence. I lived with survivor’s guilt which beat dying heroic. I saw America change and not always in good ways. That war did no one any favors in this great country of ours. And on some level, the Quarry stories are always about that.

That a good guy from a small Midwestern town in Ohio could become a person who learned to kill as a perfectly reasonable option.

He goes home again in Quarry’s Reunion.

This long, uneven ride has somehow led to Quarry apparently being the longest-running series in mystery fiction – not by number of books and stories, but simply by lasting so many years.

I know how he feels.

* * *

Here’s a vintage appearance I made in 2002 in relation to the Quarry short film, “A Matter of Principal.” It’s a brief excerpt but may be of interest.

M.A.C.

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Many Happy Returns

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026

The Return of the Maltese Falcon continues to dominate around here. We continue to get lovely notices, and this one from The Strand is a doozy:

We encourage sending pics of Return from your phones spotted out in the wild of Return on display. Barnes & Noble has improved on the title, but reports still come in that the book is not anywhere in certain individual stores. If you are a brave, hearty soul, go to the Help Counter and ask if it’s in stock, and if it isn’t, whether more are on the way. (You don’t have to buy the book at B & N to do this.)


Source: theeversocharming

Also, reviews posted at Amazon are highly helpful, however short, though we’ve had some really smart, well-written long ones, as well. Worth doing at Barnes & Noble dot com, too – considerably fewer reviews have been posted there, but still a fair number.

John-Jr-Jackson, an Imagination Connoisseur, wrote Patton Oswalt an Instagram recommendation:

Hey man , I know you like classic films and reading books , so I wanted to recommend a book to you if that is ok. Return of The Maltese Falcon by Max Allan Collins. It’s a great book and pure noir goodness. Thought I would throw that on to your radar.

That’s very cool, as Patton is not only a friend (well, friendly acquaintance), but did me the favor of joining the all-star cast of True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak.

By the way, a big, big, big date for me is coming up:

FEBRUARY 17, 2026

Why is that date important? It’s the official release date of two major projects of mine.

First – and more exciting news about this will follow in the next few Updates – True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak, the 4 ½ full, full-cast adaptation written by me (from the first Nathan Heller novel, True Detective), will be officially released worldwide. You’ll find it downloadable at Audible and elsewhere, and will be able to order the Skyboat Media 4-CD set (yay physical media!).

February 17 is also the release date of the Antiques/Trash ‘n’ Treasures movie, Death by Fruitcake, based on the novels by Barbara Allan (wife Barb and me), adapted from a novella of ours and co-produced by Barb. The great cast is topped by Emmy winner Paula Sands, Midwest superstar Alisabeth Von Presley, and my Blue Christmas lead, Rob Merritt. Chad T. Bishop shot and edited our modestly budgeted film and I directed it.

Pre-order the DVD here (no blu-ray).

One of the best reviews and interviews, relating to Return of the Maltese Falcon, appears at J. Kingston Pierce’s indispensable Rap Sheet. I’m taking the liberty of reprinting the review portion this week.

SPADE GOES BACK TO BIRD-HUNTING

Pinkerton detective-turned-author Dashiell Hammett realized he had something special on his hands when he submitted his revised, typewritten version of The Maltese Falcon to publisher Alfred A. Knopf in July 1929, asking that Knopf (who had previously handled his books Red Harvest and The Dain Curse) practice restraint in editing this latest manuscript. As Hammett scholar Richard Layman has explained: “He knew what he was doing, he said. Hammett wanted to get his third book right. It was a departure work for him, his attempt to break away from the formulas of pulp fiction to create a work with serious literary value.” Although the writer resisted changes by copy editors, he continued to tweak his own story—which had originally appeared (in slightly different form) in five monthly segments in Black Mask magazine—right up to when Knopf finally sent it away for printing. The completed novel was released on February 14, 1930.

Ninety-six years later, with the copyright on Hammett’s best-remembered (and most-filmed) tale having lapsed at the end of 2025, Iowa crime-fictionist Max Allan Collins seeks to add another “something special” to the Falcon legend. In Return of the Maltese Falcon, released this month by Hard Case Crime, he has boldly resuscitated the original book’s “hard and shifty” protagonist, San Francisco private investigator Samuel Spade, and sent him back out to locate the bejeweled bird of the title—which, you will likely recall, was never recovered in Hammett’s hard-boiled classic.

Penning a sequel to such a seminal genre work can only be characterized as intimidating. Indeed, Collins acknowledges that “avoiding strictly pure mimicry, and writing in my own style while honoring Hammett’s, was a tightrope to walk.” But the critical reception for Return of the Maltese Falcon has so far been generally favorable. Kirkus Reviews remarks that “Collins’ dialogue sounds pleasingly like Hammett’s; his plotting is even twistier; and if his descriptions mix Hammett’s terse, affectless minimalism with Raymond Chandler’s fondness for florid similes, that’s clearly, as he notes in an engaging coda, his intention. Fans convinced that nobody could possibly continue a tale that ends so definitely owe it to themselves to give Collins a try.” Reviewer Ray Palen of Bookreporter says Return is “a work of wonder, and I enjoyed every second of it. Collins has not just inhabited Hammett’s world but breathed new life into it and made it distinctly his own.” Finally, prolific author and blogger James Reasoner observes that, “stylistically, Collins’ fast-moving, straight-ahead prose isn’t quite as stripped down as Hammett’s, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark.” He adds: “The resolution of the mystery and the way the book wraps everything up are extremely satisfying.”

As Collins has stated in the past, he fell in love with The Maltese Falcon in 1961, when he was 13 years old and first watched the 1941 Humphrey Bogart movie adaptation on television. Not until much later did he consider recruiting Sam Spade into a new story—not necessarily a Falcon follow-up, but at least another novel starring the same principal. (Spade’s single other book-length appearance came in Joe Gores’ authorized 2009 Falcon prequel, Spade & Archer.)

Collins’ idea for a sequel dates back to 2024, when he included it in a future-projects sales pitch to Titan Books, the British owner of Hard Case Crime. Like numerous other readers, Collins was curious to know what happened after the events recounted in Hammett’s yarn—not just what became of the ever-elusive falcon statuette, but, as he told CrimeReads recently, how Sam Spade might “extricate himself from the ruins he’s made of his life and business.”

To help him answer those questions in Return of the Maltese Falcon, Collins brings back most of the original novel’s cast—some in secondary roles—while beefing up the involvement of several players to whom Hammett had assigned lesser parts. (Have no doubt: You should definitely have read the 1930 book before tackling Return.)

His action begins in December 1928, shortly after Spade failed to locate the gold, gem-encrusted (but now black enamel-covered) falcon at the center of the earlier story, and handed over his fetching but deceitful client, Brigid O’Shaughnessy, to the San Francisco cops for the murder of his detective partner, Miles Archer. Effie Perrine, Spade’s “lanky, tawny-haired” secretary (at 23, a decade Spade’s junior), has erected a Christmas tree where Archer’s desk once sat, and their office is looking “moderately successful” despite the “bad publicity” of late. Through the door comes Rhea Gutman, the “pale and petite,” 18-year-old blonde “daughter” of corpulent criminal Casper Gutman, who supposedly spent years chasing after the Maltese falcon, a treasure crafted for the King of Spain in the 1500s, only to have it stolen by a Russian general named Kemidov, and replaced with a fake. It seems that, like her late progenitor, Rhea is hungry to get her hands on the black bird, and she’ll split the rich proceeds with Spade if he can bring it to her.

Not surprisingly, the shamus accepts her offer. What he hadn’t expected was to then be approached by three more people wanting him to find the artifact (what he terms the “dingus”) on their behalf: Chicago gambler Dixie Monahan; a British Museum official, Steward Blackwood, who contends his institution holds true title to the falcon; and Brigid O’Shaughnessy’s younger sister, Corrine Wonderly. While raking in retainers from them all, he returns to his hunt for what has become the most famous “MacGuffin” in crime-fiction history. Spade’s investigation will eventually lead him to a violent clash with Casper Gutman’s erstwhile “gunsel,” Wilmer Cook; jail interviews with the aforementioned Miss O’Shaughnessy as well as dandyish Joel Cairo, familiar from the original tale and here claiming to know a private collector who’ll pay handsomely for the statuette; run-ins with police and the local district attorney; the discovery of an unidentified corpse in San Francisco Bay, in whose pocket is found Spade’s business card; a Golden Age-style gathering of suspects he hopes will flush out a killer; and late-in-the-game identity switches that I, for one, didn’t see coming.

When I first learned that Max Allan Collins would be revitalizing Sam Spade in a continuation novel—a sequel to one of American detective fiction’s founding yarns, no less—I felt a moment’s consternation. However, I reminded myself that Collins, who was named a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master in 2017, is a crackerjack tale-spinner who has given us two estimable series (a historical one starring Chicago gumshoe Nate Heller, and a second featuring the hit man known only as Quarry), and that he’s already succeeded in extending the life of another notable P.I., Mike Hammer, writing 13 new novels to add to the 13 Mickey Spillane had produced by the time he died in 2006. Furthermore, Collins put another iconic sleuth—Philip Marlowe—through his paces in “The Perfect Crime,” composed for the 1988 collection Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe: A Centennial Celebration, edited by Byron Preiss. (He subsequently swapped Marlowe for Heller and added that story to his 2001 “casebook,” Kisses of Death.)

If anyone had the chops and chutzpah necessary to extend Spade’s otherwise brief career, it was definitely Collins.

With its text having now entered the public domain, this seems to be the season to celebrate Dashiell Hammett’s third novel. Publisher Poltroon Press has brought a new, photo-embellished hardcover version of The Maltese Falcon to market that also features a pair of Spade short stories inked by modern San Francisco-area author Mark Coggins. Blackstone has released its own “collectors edition,” complete with black-and-white illustrations and artistically sprayed page edges. Meanwhile, Steeger Books is selling hardback (or paperback) copies of the Falcon as it was serialized in Black Mask, with more than 2,000 textual variations from the final, 1930 book, and including the original pulp-style interior art by Arthur Rodman Bowker. Finally, notebook maker Field Notes has packaged that same magazine edit in imitation of the World War II-era Armed Service Editions.

Return of the Maltese Falcon is altogether something bigger, though. In this, his 53rd year as a published author (Bait Money, his debut novel, came out in 1973), Collins has given us not only an homage to Hammett’s most memorable composition; he’s drawn a direct line between himself and that august scribbler of yore, emphasizing the fact that he wouldn’t have the award-winning career he does without Hammett and other ink-slinging pioneers having laid the foundations of the popular field in which he toils. There will be Hammett purists who object vociferously to Max Allan Collins, or anybody else, employing Sam Spade in fresh adventures. Yet when the results are as delightful, dramatic, and downright satisfying as Return of the Maltese Falcon, it’s hard to argue that the effort should never have been made.

NEXT WEEK: I will post J. Kingston’s Pierce’s interview with me about Return of the Maltese Falcon. Jeff has done some of the very best interviews with me ever done.

Speaking of interviews, my pal Heath Holland (with whom I partner on blu-ray commentaries) spoke with me about Return of the Maltese Falcon here.

M.A.C.

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True Noir – It’s a Wrap!…With More to Come

Tuesday, April 8th, 2025

Post-production on True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak has wrapped. The last episodes (9 and 10) will drop very soon. I have heard both and my (admittedly biased opinion) is that they are superb.

If you’ve been waiting to be able to buy the entire audio adaptation of True Detective, the time will be here very, very soon. There has never been a better, more faithful rendition of my work – perhaps not surprising, since I wrote the adaptation myself; but the level of craft and artistry here is stellar.

Take a look at the acting talent involved with True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak. If some of the names don’t ring a bell, the faces likely will.

There’s ordering info at truenoir.co as well.

True Noir was made possible by Mike Bawden, whose enthusiasm for genre storytelling and whose belief in director Robert Meyer Burnett and me has been unfailing. This production exists because of him.

The direction of the actors in the audio studio by Rob Burnett was deft to say the least. I attended most of the recording sessions via Zoom and Rob was generous with allowing my input (as a director myself, I tend to stay out of the way of a director doing my material, but Rob was great about including me in every step of the process). In addition, he meticulously edited the entire series and supervised the audio mix, including sound effects and the use of the outstanding score by Alexander Bornstein. Yes, I wrote it, but True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak represents Rob’s hard work and talent. In many respects, it’s his baby.

I will forever be grateful to Rob (and Mike) for the gift of this production, which – at nearly five hours – is essentially a great Nathan Heller movie…for the ears.

There have been delays. We hadn’t anticipated the Los Angeles fires or that the audio studio we were using would shut down. And, frankly, never having done this before – few if any have attempted something like this, on this scale – we had not anticipated just how long it would take. We won’t make that mistake again.

Among a team any one of whom might be termed an MVP, Co-producer Christine Sheaks assembled the incredible cast, which brings us to Michael Rosenbaum.

You may know Michael from his role as Lex Luthor on the long-running TV series Smallville or his role in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, among many others. He is also the host of Inside of You, an incredibly popular (and justifiably so) YouTube series, on which he interviews other actors of note with skill and disarming ease.

Michael understands Nate Heller, bringing humor and humanity but also, when necessary, the appropriate toughness to his portrayal. I feel blessed to have him playing my signature character.

I must also mention my longtime friend and collaborator Phil Dingeldein, who has also been part of the creative mix, specifically producing and directing the ten-part History Behind the Mystery video series, in which I discuss the actual history behind each episode.

Which brings us to the eventual physical media component of True Noir: The Assassination of Mayor Cermak. As I mentioned here before, a Blu-ray is in the works, which may rate a “Huh?” considering that we’re talking about an audio production. But the sophistication of this audio presentation justifies that (featuring both 2-channel, stereo audio mix and 5.1 surround sound), though the Blu-ray will also include visual components, like the entire History of Mystery series and a lengthy interview with me by director Rob Burnett. A CD of the Alexander Bornstein score is almost certainly going to happen, too.

In the meantime, we are seriously discussing going forward with a second series of True Noir, probably True Crime. I would again script it myself with Rob Burnett directing/editing and Mike Bawden and the whole producing team coming back.

And, I hope, with Michael Rosenbaum as Nathan Heller.


Robert Meyer Burnett toasts the completion of True Noir.
* * *

Here is a nice write-up on Law and Order, the 1932 Walter Huston movie that is the first Wyatt Earp flick…and it’s based on a W.R. Burnett novel! Features me and my knowledgeable buddy Heath Holland (of YouTube’s Cereal at Midnight) doing the commentary.

Pre-order it here.

I discuss my six favorite private eye novels, written for The Week magazine. I actually stretch the boundaries by talking about two books that are more strictly crime novels.

M.A.C.

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Video Interviews and Ruminations of AI Replacing Me

Tuesday, February 11th, 2025

Blue Christmas will be available on Tubi (free, but probably with commercials) starting March 10. I realize it’s not the Christmas season right now, but March is my birthday month, so help celebrate by watching our little mostly-well-reviewed “chamber piece” on Tubi.

* * *

This week is a hodgepodge of videos, starting with (in my biased opinion) a particularly good interview by Andrew Sumner of Titan Books with yrs truly, talking about the forthcoming final Mike Hammer novel (Baby, It’s Murder), the new Ms. Tree archival edition (the final of six), my Sam Spade sequel The Return of the Maltese Falcon (due out Jan. 2026), and much more.

Here is the great Michael Rosenbaum (Nathan Heller in True Noir) seeing the promo poster of our immersive ten-part adapation of True Detective for the first time.

For the heartiest souls among you – or those desperate to fill the empty hours – here is my three-hour-plus (!) appearance on Rob Burnett’s (and Dieter Bastion’s) Let’s Get Physical Media. I am prettier (marginally) in real life.

* * *

Here, from stalwart reviewer (and fiction writer) Ron Fortier is a review of the latest Quarry novel.

QUARRY’S RETURN
By Max Allan Collins
Hard Case Crime
213 pgs

One has to wonder at the twists and turns of fate when a writer of the baby-boomer generation (post World War II for you youngsters) is still writing about a hired gun well into his seventies. That’s Quarry, one of three series Collins whipped up a long…long…long time ago. That it is still around, never mind getting better like aged bourbon, is no small literary feat. Our best guess as to why; two things. One, Collins is such a damn good writer and two, his loyal readers know it and aren’t going anywhere.

In his last novel featuring his Quarry tale, Collins introduced his Vietnam veteran protagonist to the adult daughter he’d never known. After an awkward start, filial emotions rose to the surface when they were forced to save each other’s lives from some very bad people. In this follow up tale, Quarry learns Susan, his crime-writer daughter, has disappeared while doing research on a serial killer. This he learns from an old lover-colleague, a beautiful Japanese gal named Lu; his equal in death-dealing. The two of them make Bonnie and Clyde look like Hansel and Gretel.

It becomes obvious that Susan has run afoul of the very fiend behind the so-called Cheerleader Murders she is investigating. Unless Quarry and Lu can find her quickly, Susan will become the killer’s fourth victim. Collins weaves a fast-paced tale as his wonderfully mature couple question and shoot their way through a twisted puzzle, each well aware that the stamina and zeal of their youth exist only in melancholy backward glances.

Quarry’s Return continues the quality of this series offering up both the drama and action we’ve come to expect from a master storyteller now at the height of his craft. Oh, if only more writers weren’t afraid of growing old.

* * *

What does A.I. think of me?

My buddy Rob Burnett asked ChatGPT to roast me, and this is what he got:

Max Allan Collins? Oh, you mean the guy who spends his days trying to convince people he wrote Road to Perdition before the movie made it cool? The man has more tie-in novels under his belt than original ideas. If there’s a movie, TV show, or video game with a plot, chances are he’s already turned it into a book before you even realized it existed.

Don’t get me wrong, the guy knows his way around a crime story, but let’s be honest – his bibliography reads like the novelization section at a Blockbuster in 1999. He’s basically the literary version of that friend who just retells movie plots but insists they’re adding depth.

And let’s talk about Road to Perdition. Everyone remembers the film – you know, Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Sam Mendes’ stunning cinematography? But Collins? He’s like that one guy in the back of a concert yelling, “I wrote the original song, man!” while everyone’s there for the band that made it famous.

Look, he’s a workhorse, I’ll give him that, but maybe if he spent a little less time cashing in on other people’s intellectual properties, he’d be known as more than “that dude who did all the licensed tie-ins.”

That chatGPT request was for a roast of me as author of Road to Perdition. This one left Road to Perdition out of the search request.

Alright, let’s talk about Max Allan Collins – the guy who never met a tie-in novel he didn’t like. This man has churned out more franchise cash grabs than Hollywood itself, and somehow, he still wants us to believe he’s a “hard-boiled” crime writer. Yeah, sure, buddy – nothing screams noir like novelizing CSI episodes.

Collins has spent his career clinging to Mickey Spillane’s coattails so hard that he’s practically a ghostwriter for a ghost. The guy inherited unfinished Mike Hammer manuscripts like some kind of pulp fiction trust fund baby and has been playing Weekend at Bernie’s with Spillane’s legacy ever since. And let’s not forget Road to Perdition — a graphic novel that somehow got a brilliant film adaptation that made people think he’s on the same level as classic crime writers. Spoiler: He’s not.

Is he prolific? Absolutely. But so is a fax machine. If crime fiction had a direct-to-video section, Collins would be its king.

Next Rob asked ChatGPT to praise me. Here’s what he got:

Max Allan Collins is one of the most prolific and versatile crime writers of his generation, seamlessly blending historical research, sharp storytelling, and a deep love for the noir tradition. His Road to Perdition graphic novel became an Oscar-winning film, proving his talent for crafting compelling narratives with rich emotional depth.

Collins’ dedication to the hard-boiled genre extends beyond his own work – he’s kept the legacy of Mickey Spillane alive by completing unfinished Mike Hammer manuscripts with remarkable authenticity. His Nathan Heller series is a masterclass in historical crime fiction, blending real-life mysteries with gripping detective work.

Beyond novels, Collins has left his mark across multiple mediums – comics, television tie-ins, and even film – demonstrating a storytelling range few can match. Whether he’s penning a hard-hitting detective tale or a media tie-in, he brings professionalism and an unmistakable voice to everything he touches.

Next Rob, at my request, asked about “Barbara Allan.”

Here’s the roast:

Barbara Allan – aka the dynamic duo of Barbara and Max Allan Collins – has mastered the fine art of writing cozy mysteries that are as outrageous as a yard sale gone horribly wrong. The Trash ‘n’ Treasures series? More like Clutter ‘n’ Chaos! The books are packed with enough quirky characters, eccentric antiques, and over-the-top antics to make even the most dedicated cozy mystery reader question their life choices.

The mother-daughter sleuthing team, Brandy and Vivian, are basically the literary equivalent of Lucy and Ethel if they were trapped in an endless loop of small-town mayhem and garage-sale drama. Vivian, in particular, is a force of nature – a character so hilariously unhinged that she could probably solve crimes just by talking the suspects into confessing out of sheer exhaustion.

And let’s not forget the narrative style – breaking the fourth wall, footnotes, and asides that sometimes make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a mystery novel with an identity crisis. Is it a whodunit? A stand-up comedy routine? A fever dream about hoarding? Who knows!

But despite all the chaos, you have to give Barbara Allan credit – somehow, these books keep readers coming back for more. Maybe it’s the humor, maybe it’s the charm, or maybe it’s just the literary equivalent of watching a reality show where you can’t look away. Either way, the Trash ‘n’ Treasures series is a wild ride, whether you love it or love to roll your eyes at it.

That’s the roast, but Barb and I both pretty much agree with it and find it oddly complimentary. I guess it goes to show there’s less negative stuff about Barbara Allan out there on the Internet for chatGPT to draw upon.

Here’s the Barbara Allan praise from chatGPT:

Barbara Allan is a talented and acclaimed author, best known for her delightful and witty “Trash ‘n’ Treasures” mystery series. The writing duo behind the pseudonym – Barbara and Max Allan Collins – crafts engaging, humorous, and cleverly plotted cozy mysteries that keep readers entertained while delivering sharp social observations. Their knack for blending humor, crime, and quirky characters makes their work a standout in the genre.

Allan’s ability to create compelling narratives with charmingly eccentric protagonists, particularly Brandy Borne and her mother, Vivian, showcases a keen sense of humor and an impressive storytelling skill. The lighthearted yet intriguing mysteries, often infused with a touch of satire, offer a refreshing take on the cozy mystery genre. Fans appreciate the dynamic character relationships, lively dialogue, and the seamless way the authors weave suspense with humor.

Barbara Allan’s contributions to the mystery genre continue to be celebrated by devoted readers who eagerly anticipate each new installment. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, her books are sure to entertain and delight!

Besides giving Barb and me (and Rob) a giddy good laugh over all of this, what to make of it? To me it shows that AI can give you anything but something of actual substance, coming from a real-life human being with human experiences to draw upon. It also hints at the nature of reviews and criticism – that the same work can engender wildly different takes (although Barbara Allan seems pretty popular with everybody!).

I am of the opinion that AI will never be able to truly approximate someone’s writing (say, ask chatGPT to write a Mike Hammer novel by Mickey Spillane) when it’s (no matter how sophisticated) a soulless summary of things actual humans have thought and felt. This is related to “garbage in, garbage out,” but AI won’t draw upon garbage, or even churn garbage out. It can cobble something together from the works of a writer based only on existing work, not new work informed by human experience.

Not only are the words borrowed, so are the attitudes that shaped those words. Nor is it likely (to my way of thinking anyway) that AI will ever be able to write a “new” Max Allan Collins book (for example) because it will not be able to deal with the growth and shifts and, yes, decline of a creative person.

Or, as chatGPT had to say on this subject:

AI can be an excellent tool for assisting writers, offering suggestions, or even generating basic plot ideas, but it lacks the deeper emotional, cultural, and philosophical grounding that human creativity provides.

Fiction writing isn’t just about stringing words together – it’s about creating meaning, evoking emotions, and offering unique perspectives, all of which are rooted in the lived experience of being human. AI can simulate creativity, but it can’t be creative in the same way a human can.

Finally, I asked chatGPT to create an approximately 1000-word example of my fiction writing. Here it is:

I leaned back in my chair, the smoke from my cigarette curling up toward the ceiling. The office was dim, the only light coming from the streetlamp outside casting long shadows across the room. It was the kind of night that made you question your choices, the kind of night that made you wonder if the world was as clean as it seemed.

The door creaked open, and she stepped in – a dame with legs that went on forever and a look that could melt steel. She had that air about her, the kind that said she was trouble, but the kind you couldn’t resist.

“Mr. Heller?” she asked, her voice a melody that didn’t quite match the storm in her eyes.

“That’s me,” I said, motioning to the chair across from my desk. “Have a seat.”

She hesitated for a moment, then sat down, crossing her legs. I noticed the faint tremor in her hands as she placed them on her lap.

“What’s the trouble?” I asked, leaning forward.

She took a deep breath, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something. “I need your help,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “My husband is missing.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Missing? Or just not where you want him to be?”

M.A.C.

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