John Lutz, né le à Dallas dans l’état du Texas et mort le à Saint-Louis, est un écrivain américain de roman policier. Il a aussi publié des œuvres sous divers pseudonymes, dont Steven Greene et Paul Shepptarton.
Biographie Il fait ses études à Saint-Louis. Tour à tour ouvrier du bâtiment, ouvreur dans un théâtre, magasinier, camionneur, standardiste, il se lance dans l'écriture et publie sa première nouvelle, Thieve’s Honor, dans le Alfred Hitchcock Mystery’s Magazine en 1966. Auteur prolifique, ses nombreuses nouvelles sont régulièrement publiés (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine…). Son premier roman, The Truth of the Matter, paraît en 1971. Il devient écrivain à plein temps en 1975.
En 1976, il crée Alo Nudger, un privé ex-policier exerçant à Saint-Louis qui apparaît dans dix romans et un recueil de nouvelles. Trois de ses aventures sont traduites à la Série noire. En 1984, il collabore avec Bill Pronzini pour le roman The Eye, traduit en France sous le titre La Traversée des enfers.
En 1986, il crée Fred Carver qui, comme Alo Nudger, est un ex-policier devenu privé. Ce héros apparaît dans dix romans et ses deux premières aventures sont traduites en France, toujours à la Série noire. Par la suite, l’auteur crée un autre série consacrée à Frank Quinn, et une série intitulée The Night. Il est également l’auteur de treize romans sans héros récurrent et il compte à son actif plus de deux cent cinquante nouvelles.
John Lutz est plusieurs fois récompensé pour son œuvre. En France, le recueil de nouvelles Better Mousetraps, traduit sous le titre Les Contes de l’amère loi, reçoit le prix de l’association 813 du meilleur recueil de nouvelles en 1989. Aux États-Unis, on lui décerne un prix Shamus en 1983 pour sa nouvelle What You Don't Know Can Hurt You, un autre en 1989 pour son roman Kiss et un prix Edgar-Allan-Poe en 1986 pour la nouvelle Ride the Lightning, traduite en France sous le titre Chevaucher la foudre, qu’il adaptera en roman en 1987. En 1995, il reçoit un Shamus Lifetime Achievement Award pour l’ensemble de son œuvre. Il a également été nommé à deux reprises, en 1986 et en 1987, aux prix Anthony pour ses nouvelles.
Deux de ses romans ont été adaptés au cinéma : JF partagerait appartement (SWF Seeks Same), publié en 1990, pour le film JF partagerait appartement (Single White Female), réalisé par Barbet Schroeder en 1992 et The Ex, paru en 1996, pour le film The Ex, réalisé par Mark L. Lester en 1997.
Il meurt le , à l'âge de 81 ans.
Œuvre Romans Série Alo Nudger Buyer Beware (1976) Night Lines (1985) The Right to Sing the Blues (1986) Ride the Lightning (1987) Dancer's Debt (1988) Time Exposure (1989) Diamond Eyes (1990) Thicker Than Blood (1993) Death by Jury (1995) Oops! (1998) The Nudger Dilemmas (2001)
Série Fred Carver Tropical Heat (1986) Scorcher (1987) Kiss (1988) Flame (1990) Bloodfire (1991) Hot (1992) Spark (1993) Torch (1994) Burn (1995) Lightning (1996)
Série Night The Night Caller (2001) The Night Watcher (2002) The Night Spider ou Night Victims (2003) Fear The Night (2005) Chill Of Night (2006)
Série Frank Quinn Darker Than Night (2004) In For The Kill (2007) Night Kills (2008) Urge To Kill (2009) Mister X (2010) Serial (2011) Pulse (2012) Twist (2013)
Autres romans The Truth of the Matter (1971) Bonegrinder (1977) Lazarus Man (1979) Jericho Man (1980) The Shadow Man (1981) Exiled (1982) (sous le pseudonyme de Steven Greene) The Eye (1984) (avec Bill Pronzini) Shadowtown (1988) Single White Female ou SWF Seeks Same (1990) Dancing with the Dead (1992) The Ex (1996) Final Seconds (1998)
Recueils de nouvelles Better Mousetraps (1988) Shadows Everywhere (1994) Until You Are Dead (1998) Endless Road: And Other Stories (2003)
Nouvelles Série Alo Nudger "The Man in the Morgue", Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1978 "Where is Harry Beal?", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1979 "Time Exposure", Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1982 "What You Don't Know Can Hurt You, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1982 "The Right to Sing the Blues, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1983 "Only One Way to Land, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1983 "Typographical Error, The Eyes Have It, 1984 "Ride the Lightning", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1985 "The Thunder of Guilt", Mean Streets, 1986 "Flotsam and Jetsam", New Black Mask #7, 1987 "DDS 10752 Libra" (coécrit avec Josh Pachter), An Eye for Justice, 1988 "Before You Leap", Deadly Allies, 1992 "The Romantics", Deadly Allies #2, 1994 "The Litigants", The Shamus Game, 2000 "Second Story Sunlight", Most Wanted, 2002
Série Fred Carver "Night Crawlers", For Crime Out Loud, 1996 et Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1997
A "Abridged", Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine, 1983 "After the Ball", Dracula: Prince of Darkness, 1994 "All Business", Ellery Queen's Prime Crimes 2, 1984 "All of a Sudden", Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Arful", Show Business is Murder, 2004 "Arm of the Law", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Autumn Madness", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1972
B "The Basement Room", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1973 "The Bear Cottage", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1981 "Big Game", Signature, 1967. "Bingo", The Mysterious West, 1994 "Booth Thirteen", Galaxy, 1968 "Buried Treasure", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1982 "Burglary in Progress", Woman's World, 1986 "Burning Evidence", bePuzzled, 1993 "But Once a Year", Cat Crimes Goes on Holiday, 1997 "The Butcher, the Baker", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1974
C "The Clarion Call", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Close Calls", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1978 "A Crazy Business", Feline and Famous, 1994 "The Creator of Spud Moran", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "The Crooked Picture", The Man From UNCLE Mystery Magazine, 1967 "Curb Service", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1974
D "Dangerous Game", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1979 "Day of Evil", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "The Day of the Picnic", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "Day Shift", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Dead Man", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Dead, You Know", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "Dear Dorie", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1981 "Death by the Numbers", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1977 "Death for Sale", Swank, 1971 "Death on the Silver Screen", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "Deeper and Deeper", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1982 "Dilemma", Unholy Orders, 2000 "Discount Fare", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1979 "DNA", For Crime Out Loud, 1997 "Dogs and Fleas", Guilty as Charged, 1996 "Doom Signal", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1969 "Double Cross", bePuzzled, 1989 "Double Murder", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1981
E "El Palacio", A Hot and Sultry Night, 2003 "Endless Road", Murder on Route 66, 1998 "Explosive Cargo", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1977 "The Explosives Expert", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1967
F "Fair Shake", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "Feline Frenzy", bePuzzled (story-puzzle), 1991 "Figure in Flight", Charlie Chan Mystery Magazine, 1974 "The Final Reel", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "Finicky", Cat Crimes, 1991 "Flowers from a Stranger", bePuzzled, 1994 "Fractions", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1972 "Franticman", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1979 "Friendly Hal", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971
G "Games for Adults", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "Garden of Dreams", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "The Gentleman on the Titanic", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1999 "A Glimpse of Evil", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1980 "Going, Going…", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Green Death", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Grounds for Murder", bePuzzled, 1995
H "Hand of Fate", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1969 "A Handgun for Protection", Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, 1984 "Hanson’s Radio", Dark Love, 1995 "Have You Ever Seen this Woman?", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1976 "Heat", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1985 "Hector Gomez Provides", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1985 "High Stakes", The Saint Mystery Magazine, 1984 "His Honor the Mayor", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Hobson’s Choice", The Blue and the Gray Undercover, 2002
I "Image", Diagnosis Dead, 1999 "In the Blood", Cavalier, 1972 "In by the Tenth", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1978 "In Memory of…", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1972 "The Infernal Machine", The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1987 "The Insomniacs’ Club", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1968 "It Could Happen to You", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1975
J "Jelly Reds", Deals with the Devil, 1993
K "A Killer Foiled", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1972 "King of the Kennel", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "King of the World", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1973 "Kitty", Cat Crimes III, 1992
L "The Landscape of Dreams", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1982 "The Last to Know", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1985 "The Laundry Room", Manhattan Noir, 2006 "Lease on Life", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1975 "The Ledge Walker", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "The Lemon Drink Queen", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Life Sentence", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Lily and Men", Flesh and Blood, Dark Desires, 2002 "The Live Tree", Mistletoe Mysteries, 1989 "Living all Alone", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1972
M "Mr. Lucrada", The Ultimate Dracula, 1991 "Machete", Mystery in the Sunshine State, 1999 "Mail Order", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Marked Down", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1978 "Men with Motives", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1975 "The Midnight Train", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "Missing Personnel", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1977 "Moon Children", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Mortal Combat", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1981 "Murder Malignant", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "Murder on the Titanic", bePuzzled, 1997 "The Music from Downstairs", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1979
N "Next to the Woman from Des Moines", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Night Chase", New Mystery, 1992 "Nighthawks", Guilty as Sin, 2003 "No Small Problem", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1968 "Not a Home", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1976 "Not Just a Number", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1976
O "Obedience School", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1969 "Objective Mirror", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1973 "Old Saying", Dick Tracy, the Secret Files, 1990 "On Guard", Mystery Scene, 1986 "On Judgment Day", Espionage, 1985 "One for All", Adam Bedside Reader #43, 1970 "One Man’s Manual", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1977 "One Way", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1969 "Open and Shut", Invitation to Murder, 1991 "The Organization Man", The Executioner Mystery Magazine, 1975 "The Other Runner", Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, 1978 "The Other Side of Reason", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1974
P "Past Perfect", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1978 "Personalized Copy", 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine, 1975 "Plague", Celebrity Vampires, 1995 "Political Decision", First Lady Murders, 1999 "The President’s Cat is Missing", Danger in D. C., 1993 "A Private, Restful Place", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1974 "Prospectus on Death", Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, 1971 "Pure Rotten", Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, 1977
Q