Stephen Mertz is an American fiction author who is best known for his mainstream thrillers and novels of suspense. His work covers a wide variety of styles from paranormal dark suspense (Night Wind and Devil Creek) to historical speculative thrillers (Blood Red Sun) and hardboiled noir (Fade to Tomorrow).
Stephen Mertz | |
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Born | United States |
Pen name | Stephen Brett, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan, Jim Case, Cliff Banks |
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | American |
Genre | Mystery, Thriller, Adventure |
His novels have been well-received critically. Booklist called Nightwind, “fast-paced...a white-knuckle read.” Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine labeled Mertz, “an action specialist.”[citation needed] Edgar-winner Joe R. Lansdale supplies this career assessment: “Stephen Mertz writes a hard-edged, fast-paced thriller for those who like their tales straight and sharp and full of dark surprise,” while Booklist had this to say about The Korean Intercept: "Fans of political thrillers will relish this high-action tale. An adrenaline rush!” Ed Gorman wrote, “Stephen Mertz just keeps on getting better, each novel more dazzling in story and style.”
Mertz is also a popular lecturer on the craft of writing and has appeared as a guest speaker before writer's groups and at universities. Early in his career, he was a prolific writer of paperback originals under a variety of pseudonyms. His work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series is regarded by fans as some of the best in that series. He also created the Mark Stone: MIA Hunter and Cody's Army series, written under the pseudonyms Jack Buchanan and Jim Case respectively.[1]
Stephen Mertz has traveled widely and is a U.S. Army veteran. He presently lives in the American Southwest, and he is always at work on a new book.
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