Nolan
Created by Max Allan Collins

No, NOLAN's not a private eye. What he is is a tough guy, a professional thief, reminiscent of Richard Stark's Parker, who no doubt influenced Nolan's creator, the then-25 Max Allan Collins. The difference, though, is that even from the beginning, in his first book, 1973's Bait Money, Nolan is looking to retire. Of course, something always seems to come up.

Aiding and abetting Nolan in his criminal entreprises is his young assistant Jon, another professional thief, albeit one with a taste for rock music and comic books (a passion shared with his creator).

In the last book of the series, 1987's Spree, Nolan finally manages to retire, running a restaurant-cum-nightclub in a mall, when something comes up.

But the last published book in the series is Mourn the Living, previously serialized in 1987 in Hardboiled, and collected into book form by Five Star Mystery in December 1999. "It was written in college -- probably around '68-'69," Max says, "and is really more of a private eye novel than a typical heist-type Nolan."

NOVELS

• Bait Money (1973)
• Blood Money (1973)
• Fly Paper (1981)
• Hush Money (1981)
• Hard Cash (1981)
• Scratch Fever (1982)
• Spree (1987)
• Mourn the Living (1999). Buy this book

SHORT STORIES

• "Enter Nolan" (1968; first published Spring 1987, Hardboiled)
• "Mourn the Living" (Part 1) (1969; the first Nolan novel, finally serialized in in three installments, Summer/Fall 1987, Hardboiled)
• "Mourn the Living" (Part 2) (1969; Winter/Spring 1988, Hardboiled)
• "Mourn the Living" (Part 3) (1969; Spring 1989, Hardboiled)

COLLECTIONS

• Two for the Money (2004)...Buy this book
  Contains two complete novels.

RELATED LINKS

• F.O.M.A.C. (Friends, Fans, and Family Of Max Allan Collins)
  Max's Official Website!  Here you can find information on Max and his latest works, all done up in a most excellent fashion by his son, Nate, who wants to go to college. So, buy his dad's stuff!
  .
• The January Magazine Interview: Killers, Cover-Ups and Max Allan Collins
  An illuminating interview with Max, conducted by J. Kingston Pierce. Lots of info on Nate Heller, and a great bit on The Two Jakes. Now there's two of us.

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.