Career
He has authored more than 500 published books and has edited more than 30 anthologies of short stories. Booklist magazine said he "may be the last of the pulp writers."
He co-founded and edited Mystery Scene magazine and co-founded the American Crime Writers League. He has co-written several mystery novels with soap opera actress Eileen Davidson: Death in Daytime (2008), Dial Emmy for Murder (2009), Diva Las Vegas (2010), and Swinging in the Rain (2011)
Notable characters appearing in some of his novels include "Miles Jacoby," "Joe Keough," "Nick Delvecchio," "Gil and Claire Hunt," Truxton Lerwis," "Eddie G." and "The Rat Pack.".