| Collin Wilcox | |
|---|---|
Collin Wilcox in San Francisco in 1991 |
|
| Born | 21 September 1924 Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | 12 July 1996 (aged 71) San Francisco, California |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
Collin Wilcox (September 21, 1924 – July 12, 1996) was an American mystery writer who published 30 books in 30 years.[1]
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967),[1] featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department.[1] Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".
Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud,[1] a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).
Wilcox died in San Francisco from cancer at the age of 71.[2][3] Wilcox was survived by two sons, Christopher of Berkeley, Calif., and Jeff of Lafayette, Calif., and five grandchildren. His five grandchildren are Scotty, Conor, Hayley, Jessica, and Emma.