Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic (2006)
Sample of authors
Ellroy, James
Having revolutionized crime fiction in terms of language and style, James Ellroy is now one of America’s foremost contemporary crime writers. He was born Lee Earle Ellroy in Los Angles. His father, Armand Ellroy, was an accountant who moved in dubious Hollywood circles, for example as Rita Hayworth’s financial advisor. Ellroy’s mother, Geneva "Jean" Hilliker, was a nurse. Both parents were alcoh...
Ellery Queen (Lee and Dannay) Photo: Bettmann / Getty Images
Sample of authors
Queen, Ellery
Ellery Queen is a pen name shared by Frederic Dannay, born Daniel Nathan, and Manfred B. (Bennington) Lee, born Manford Lepofsky, both from New York. They were cousins who attended Boy's High School, Brooklyn, together and later worked independently within PR and advertising before they started writing full time in 1931.
Ellery Queen is something of institution in the detective genre; the books...