The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives by Otto Penzler

The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives Reviews

• 
  James Thane

  This is a collection of essays written by crime fiction writers like Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, John Lescroart, and a host of others, describing how they invented the series characters for which they have become so famous. Readers who follow a lot of these authors will find this a very entertaining look behind the scene at the creation of the characters they so enjoy reading about.
• 
  judy

  What an absolute delight! Twenty-two of our best English speaking mystery writers accepted Penzler's invitation to pen a short piece on his/her most celebrated detective. Do read Penzler's intro to find out why. Some of my favorites made the list but there are others I haven't read. Some of the latter made the cut with me based on their submissions, others didn't. The only entry I thought about skipping entirely turned out to be one of the most interesting--Rambo, no less. The joy of this collection is that each author chose his or her unique approach to the subject. Some told us exactly how they came up with their detective; others carefully obscured it in a flurry of words. Most entries were interesting; some induced sleep. The way that they told their tales was every bit as revealing as the tales themselves. At the risk of being a spoiler, I was astounded at how many of these fictional detectives write their own stories and direct the authors to set them down exactly as revealed. Clearly, there needs to be a Volume 2. I'll send my recommendations to Penzler ASAP.
• 
  Jack Webb

  Entertaining read
  
  Leave it to Mr. Penzler to come up with an interesting way to find out about recurring characters in some of the popular series (and help out his independent book store, a sadly dying breed). Besides being fascinated at gaining insight into some favorites, I've also expanded my already ungainly TBR list.
• 
  Chris

  The essays in this collection are written by well-known crime fiction and mystery authors. They tell us how they created the main character that made them famous through either informational essays or short stories that give back story on the characters' history. Some authors' contributions just fell flat for me. I believe this is just because I wasn't interested in the character and series those authors had created. Overall, however, I enjoyed reading this and found it very interesting. I mean, who doesn't want to know how their favorite character came to be, am I right?
• 
  Nicola

  Lots of fun! Each author chose very different ways to write about how their primary characters were born/evolved, grew, interacted with others and so on. The book also had the benefit, for me, of introducing me to some writers and characters whom I'd not encountered before. Great last-thing-at-night reading.
• 
  Wrighty

  A great recurring character in a series you love becomes an old friend. You learn about their strange quirks and their haunted pasts and root for them every time they face danger. But where do some of the most fascinating sleuths in the mystery and thriller world really come from?
  
  What was the real-life location that inspired Michael Connelly to make Harry Bosch a Vietnam vet tunnel rat? Why is Jack Reacher a drifter? How did a brief encounter in Botswana inspire Alexander McCall Smith to create Precious Ramotswe? In THE LINEUP, some of the top mystery writers in the world tell about the genesis of their most beloved characters--or, in some cases, let their creations do the talking.
  
  I'm always fascinated by how an author comes up with a story so this was just the book for me. Perhaps the most interesting information was in the Introduction where Otto Penzler explains how this book came about. In searching for a way to bring income to his sinking bookstore he hired authors to write essays and stories that he sold in limited editions. Since they were extremely successful he decided to combine them into one book and make them available to everyone. I'm so glad he did!
  I'm not familiar with all of these twenty-two authors' work but I have read many of them. These stories are filled with creative and interesting tidbits about themselves and their characters. I'm always curious to hear more about Lee Childs, Jeffrey Deaver, Jonathan Kellerman and Laura Lippman among others.
  
  My hubby was thrilled to hear that David Morrell, the author of First Blood, was inspired to write his story about John Rambo the Vietnam war vet, after teaching at Penn State University in the 70s. Although the story isn't set in Pennsylvania, a small town near the university is the model for the town in the book. Since my hubby is from that small town he was thrilled to hear the news! He had to watch the movie, and it's two sequels, all over again and he was convinced that in the opening scene he saw the bridge that he rode his bike across as a kid. Well, he didn't really believe it since I pointed it out to him time and time again that the movie setting was only inspired by the town but hey, a guy can dream. And what a cool story!
  
  If you're a fan of mysteries you might be interested in this collection too. And if you're lucky, you may just find your own brush with fame within the pages.
  Thank you to Hatchette Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
• 
  Stephen

  Anyone who loves mystery series books will like this. Otto Penzler is not only an author and editor, but also the owner of Mysterious Bookshop in NYC. In his introduction, Mr. Penzler talks candidly about the financial problems his bookstore (as most independent bookstores) was having and how, as a promotional tool to bring clients in, he contacted authors he knew to provide small "profiles" about their signature characters.
  
  The Lineup is the collection of the character sketches, from some of mystery and thriller genre's biggest names. Each is different and cleverly done. Some authors are very calculating, seeing an existing formula and tweaking it, others focus on a city, image or even a voice, which starts a great detective series. Others tell of their rejection and how they fiddled and adapted their characters to gain interest.
  
  Some examples are:
  - Robert Crais interviews his signature character, Elvis Cole.
  - Lee Child describes how he developed Jack Reacher and gives hints to new writers
  - David Morrell relates the history, thought process and evolution of Rambo
  - Stephen Hunter talks about developing Bob Lee Swagger
  - Robert B. Parker's Spenser is interviewed by a Harvard Professor
  
  Other well know authors involved are: Lincoln Child, Michael Connelly, John Connolly, Jeffrey Deaver, Ken Bruen, Jonathan Kellerman, John Lescroart, Laura Lippman, Ridley Pearson/Douglas Preston, and others.
  
  
• 
  Cheryl

  For mystery thriller fans alike whether it be Ken Bruen and his character, Jack Taylor or Jonathan Kellerman and his character Alex Delaware, then you will enjoy The Lineup. Edited by Otto Penzler. This book lets readers into the minds of crime writers. The authors share the back ground story about how they developed their characters, why they became authors, and even share some about their next book.
  
  I enjoyed reading about Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor. It made him more interesting to me and now I will give his books another try. It was fun learning about Michael Connelly’s childhood and where he grew up. Ever wonder how Mr. Connelly came up with the name Hieronymus Bosch…well you will just have to read about it in The Lineup. There are many authors that are new to me in this book. The Lineup became like a wish list for me of authors and their books I want to read. So if you want the inside scoop on your favorite crime authors…look no further than The Lineup.
  
• 
  Jonelle

  How was your favorite detective or police officer created? Learn the scoop on a variety of authors and their main series characters. I loved the chapters by Lee Child on Jack Reacher, Michael Connelly on Harry Bosch, and Colin Dexter on Inspector Morse. I learned all kinds of fascinating things. For example, did you know that as long as Dexter lives, he has a contract clause stipulating that no one but the late John Thaw may portray Inspector Morse? Everyone who enjoys mystery fiction should pick up this book.
• 
  Kirsten

  This was a very entertaining collection of biographies. The breadth of different detectives and the style of the bios was wonderful.
  
  Also, it also gave me ideas for new books to read. I had never thought of reading the Judith Kellerman books, for example. It is a lot of fun and I recommend it to any mystery series fan.
• 
  Jenna

  this was a cool insight into the creation of some of the characters of the mystery series i read.
  i even read the ones from the writers i don't read b/c it was still interesting to see the inspiration behind ther writers method.
  
  i recommend it to anyone who reads the writers in the book. it gives great insight into some of your fave characters.
• 
  Sam Sattler

  Otto Penzler's The Lineup is a fascinating look at the origin stories of more than twenty of the most popular fictional crimefighters of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Some twenty-two writers (Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are co-authors of the Pendergast books) were turned loose to share the inspirations that created such characters as Jack Reacher, Hieronymus Bosch, Inspector Morse, Tess Monaghan, Rambo, Spenser, and Precious Ramotswe. Some chose to give a straightforward nonfictional version of how the characters that made them famous were born, and others decided to take the short story or fictional interview approach to revealing the same.
  
  Along the way, I learned some things about even those characters I was already familiar with, became curious about a few authors I haven't tried yet, and confirmed that a few of them are just not meant for me despite their immense popularity.
  
  These are some of the surprises I had:
  
  Hieronymus Bosch did not receive that name until Michael Connelly was working on the second draft of the first Bosch novel The Black Echo. Until then he was called Detective Pierce.
  
  John Connolly's Charlie Parker is American and not Irish (Connolly is Irish) mainly because "mystery fiction has never really been part of the Irish literary tradition."
  
  Colin Dexter made the decision to end his Inspector Morse series at only thirteen books because he himself was getting older and in poor health - and because he felt as if he were beginning to repeat himself.
  
  Carol O'Connell's Mallory is a genuine sociopath, and as such, the character does not change over time. Take her or leave her is the author's attitude and that's why each of the novels can be read as a standalone.
  
  I was pleased to see that the twenty-one fictional characters or teams include five of my all-time favorites: Jack Taylor, Harry Bosch, Charlie Resnick, Spenser, and John Rebus. Of the five, two are American, one Irish, one English, and one Scottish...where are the great Welsh fictional detectives/cops? Of the ones I haven't tried yet, I'm most curious about Elvis Cole and Joe Pike (Robert Crais), Alex Delaware (Jonathan Kellerman), and Lincoln Rhyme (Jeffery Deaver). On the flip side, I'm also certain now that Aloysius X.L. Pendergast, Rambo, and Precious Ramotswe are just not for me so I can check them off the list. And then there's the sleeper in the bunch, a writer so personally repellant to me that I haven't read them in over a decade and never will read them again.
  
  As you can see, there are a lot of good reasons to read The Lineup: a chance to learn something new about an old favorite, the possibility that you will learn about a character that will become a new favorite, and the chance maybe to eliminate quickly a couple of series you've been wondering about for a long time.
• 
  Eden Thompson

  From my book blog
  www.JetBlackDragonfly.blogspot.com
  The Lineup is a gem of a book for mystery fans. Edited by Otto Penzler, it features the World's greatest crime writers telling in their own words how they created their famous detectives. There is a wide range of detective styles represented, and I found it interesting to read about the ones I knew, as well as discover new authors. Even hearing from some authors I don't like was interesting. Didn't make me want to read them again (!) but I respect their process.
  
  Featured are: Ken Braun, Lee Child, Lincoln Child, Michael Connelly, John Connelly, Robert Crais, Jeffery Deaver, Colin Dexter, John Harvey, Stephen Hunter, Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, John Lescroart, Laura Lippman, David Morrell, Carol O'Connell, Robert B. Parker, Ridley Pearson, Anne Perry, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Ian Rankin, and Alexander McCall-Smith.
  
  Each section is prefaced by a brief biography of the writer by Otto and then the writer takes over, each in their own style. I found it fascinating as a mystery fan to hear how long they had been gestating the character before beginning, all the nuances they added or deleted.
  One of the surprises was hearing from David Morrell, a name I didn't recognize. He writes about the 36 year history of his novel First Blood, and his character John Rambo. The journey from his original intention, the success of the book and then the films, and the cultural effects of it all - the name Rambo is now in the Oxford English Dictionary.
  
  Mystery and Crime Fiction fans are devoted and if you like an author, you tend to read every book in the series. The Linup is a great way to add to your favourite characters history and each section is a quick read, just right.
  
  Penzler is the editor of the Best American Mystery Stories series, as well as collections from Black Lizard and Black Mask, the Best American Crime Writing series, and many other compilations. He has won the Ellery Queen Award and the Raven Award.
• 
  Andrew Templeton

  A great recurring character in a series you love becomes an old friend. You learn about their strange quirks and their haunted pasts and root for them every time they face danger. But where do some of the most fascinating sleuths in the mystery and thriller world really come from?

  
  

  What was the real-life location that inspired Michael Connelly to make Harry Bosch a Vietnam vet tunnel rat? Why is Jack Reacher a drifter? How did a brief encounter in Botswana inspire Alexander McCall Smith to create Precious Ramotswe? In THE LINEUP, some of the top mystery writers in the world tell about the genesis of their most beloved characters--or, in some cases, let their creations do the talking.
• 
  Roger Woods

  This book was an excellent find and most enjoyable. Otto Penzler has persuaded some of the top mystery writers in the world to write about how their main characters were arrived at. Some write in an autobiographical style whilst others create a short story letting their characters tell the story in different ways. The authors include Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver, Colin Dexter, Robert B. Parker, Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and others so a good selection. Lots of ideas for series to follow up on.
• 
  MELISSIA LENOX

  Excellent compendium of genesis stories from the creators of the best known and most loved detectives and amateur sleuths in fictional crime series in the mid-1990s through 2008.
  
  Recommended to fans of fictional crime/police procedurals and murder mysteries, participating authors and/or subject series gumshoes, as well as other writers seeking methods of character creation and development.
• 
  Fiberluver

  Otto Penzler was a great editor, helming many compilations over his illustrious career. At first this seemed like a great listen when I discovered it on my library’s digital platform but came to quickly realize there are not that many female authors and no authors of color. Disappointing.
• 
  Michael

  An excellent collection of essays/interviews. Penzler did a terrific job.
• 
  Eddie

  Excellent background on the books you read for years and learn about new series to experience.
• 
  Jennifer Baratta

  Have a listen and learn about some of the characters.
• 
  Jack Goodstein

  A clinker here and there, but especially worthwhile when it is a writer with whom you are acquainted.
• 
  David Burnham

  A highly enjoyable collection of essays. Some interesting information and opinions from some of the finest mystery writers around.
• 
  Aimee

  DNF. Got bored.
• 
  Linda

  Informative
• 
  Cecelia K Buckley

  Detective stories
  
  The genesis of many of your favorite detectives. Cleverly written! I went to investigate Teacher and stayed for many more.
• 
  Thomas Roth

  So very many books to read
  
  So many books that need to be read and a limited life span to accomplish it. This list will be fun.
• 
  Carrie

  I am familiar with most of the authors. Some "interviews" were very precious (i.e. Robert B. Parker). It's inspired me to read some new authors.