Robert B. Parker was the author of seventy books, including the legendary Spenser detective series, the novels featuring police chief Jesse Stone, and the acclaimed Virgil ColeтАУEverett Hitch westerns, as well as the Sunny Randall novels. Winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award and long considered the undisputed dean of American crime fiction, he died in January 2010.
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Ace Atkins┬аis the┬аNew York Times┬аbestselling author of the Quinn Colson novels, the first two of whichтАФThe Ranger┬аand┬аThe Lost OnesтАФwere nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel (he also has a third Edgar nomination for his short story, тАЬLast Fair Deal Gone DownтАЭ). In addition, he is the author of several┬аNew York Times┬аbestselling novels in the continuation of Robert B. ParkerтАЩs Spenser series. Before turning to fiction, he was a correspondent for the┬аSt. Petersburg Times, a crime reporter for the┬аTampa Tribune, and, in college, played defensive end for the undefeated Auburn University football team (for which he was featured on the cover of┬аSports Illustrated). He lives in Oxford, Mississippi.