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Loren D. Estleman

Author of Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula

156+ Works 5,817 Members 203 Reviews 15 Favorited

About the Author

Loren D. Estleman was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on September 15, 1952. He received a B.A. in English literature and journalism from Eastern Michigan University in 1974. He spent several years as a reporter on the police beat before leaving to write full time in 1980. He wrote book reviews for show more such newspapers as The New York Times and The Washington Post and contributed articles to such periodicals as TV Guide. He is a writer of mysteries and westerns. His first novel was published in 1976 and since then he has published more than 70 books including the Amos Walker series, Writing the Popular Novel, Roy and Lillie: A Love Story, The Confessions of Al Capone, and a The Branch and the Scaffold. He received four Shamus Awards from the Private Eye Writers of America, five Golden Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America, the Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement from Western Writers of America, and the Michigan Author's Award in 1997. (Bowker Author Biography) He lives in Whitmore Lake, Michigan. (Publisher Provided) show less
Image credit: Mark Coggins

Series

Works by Loren D. Estleman

Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula (1978) 440 copies
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes (1979) 309 copies
Motor City Blue (1980) 177 copies
Alone (2009) 121 copies
Sugartown (1985) 120 copies
Frames (2008) 117 copies
Whiskey River (1990) 114 copies
Downriver (1988) 112 copies
The Midnight Man (1982) 101 copies
The Witch Finder (1998) 101 copies
Every Brilliant Eye (1986) 99 copies
Gas City (2008) 96 copies
The Hours of the Virgin (1999) 96 copies
Angel Eyes (1981) 91 copies
The Glass Highway (1987) 91 copies
Lady Yesterday (1987) 89 copies
Never Street (1997) 86 copies
Poison Blonde (2002) 85 copies
Sweet Women Lie (1990) 83 copies
Edsel (1995) 82 copies
The Branch and the Scaffold (2009) 79 copies
Silent Thunder (1989) 78 copies
American Detective (2007) 78 copies
Jitterbug (1998) 77 copies
Retro (2004) 67 copies
King of the Corner (1992) 66 copies
Deals with the Devil (1994) — Editor — 64 copies
Sinister Heights (2002) 63 copies
Peeper (1989) 63 copies
Motown (1991) 61 copies
Nicotine Kiss (2006) 58 copies
The Undertaker's Wife (2005) 57 copies
The Left-Handed Dollar (2010) 55 copies
General Murders (1887) 54 copies
Stress (1996) 53 copies
Thunder City (1999) 53 copies
Journey of the Dead (1645) 50 copies
Kill Zone (1984) 49 copies
The Master Executioner (2001) 48 copies
Bloody Season (1987) 45 copies
Any Man's Death (1986) 42 copies
Don't Look for Me (2014) 42 copies
Burning Midnight (2012) 40 copies
You Know Who Killed Me (2014) 40 copies
Infernal Angels (2011) 40 copies
Little Black Dress (2005) 39 copies
The Book of Murdock (2010) 38 copies
Roses are Dead (1985) 37 copies
The High Rocks (1979) 35 copies
Port Hazard (2004) 34 copies
The Stranglers (1984) 34 copies
City of Widows (1994) 33 copies
Aces and Eights (1981) 33 copies
White Desert (2000) 33 copies
This Old Bill (1984) 32 copies
Black Powder, White Smoke (2002) 31 copies
Sudden Country (1991) 30 copies
Ragtime Cowboys (2014) 28 copies
Roy & Lillie: A Love Story (2010) 26 copies
Gun Man (1748) 25 copies
The Sundown Speech (2015) 25 copies
Murdock's Law (1982) 23 copies
Shoot (2016) 23 copies
Stamping Ground (1980) 23 copies
Legend (1999) 23 copies
Mister St. John (1983) 21 copies
Valentino: Film Detective (2011) 21 copies
The Lioness Is the Hunter (2017) 19 copies
The Hider (1978) 19 copies
The Ballad of Black Bart (2017) 18 copies
Red Highway (1987) 18 copies
Monkey in the Middle (2022) 17 copies
Black and White Ball (2018) 16 copies
Book Club (2012) 16 copies
Wild Justice (2018) 15 copies
Brazen (2016) 15 copies
Cutthroat Dogs (2022) 14 copies
The Long High Noon (2015) 14 copies
Paperback Jack (2022) 13 copies
Cape Hell (2016) 11 copies
The Wolfer (1981) 8 copies
Amos Walker's Detroit (2007) 5 copies
Eight Mile and Dequindre (1991) 5 copies
On s'éclate ? (1990) 3 copies
La Cave aux icônes (2017) 2 copies
Tous des tricheurs ! (2017) 2 copies
Histoires chaudes (2017) 2 copies
La Soutane en plomb (1990) 2 copies
The Used 2 copies
Black Bart 1 copy
Øjne i natten (1993) 1 copy
Downriver 1 copy
Fame 1 copy
People Who Kill (1993) 1 copy
Greed [short story] (2002) 1 copy
Faites vos jeux ! (1987) 1 copy
Detroit Blues (1994) 1 copy
Kill the Cat 1 copy

Associated Works

Fer-de-Lance (1934) — Introduction, some editions — 1,842 copies
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1976) — Contributor — 356 copies
Murder in Baker Street: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2001) — Contributor — 286 copies
The Black Lizard Anthology of Crime Fiction (1987) — Contributor — 218 copies
Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe (1988) — Contributor, some editions — 200 copies
Holmes for the Holidays (1996) — Contributor — 200 copies
The Moores Are Missing (2017) 199 copies
Sherlock Holmes in America (2009) — Contributor — 198 copies
The Best American Mystery Stories 2011 (2011) — Contributor — 189 copies
The Ultimate Frankenstein (1991) — Contributor — 167 copies
The Mammoth Book of Private Eye Stories (1988) — Contributor — 161 copies
The Best American Mystery Stories 1999 (1999) — Contributor — 156 copies
More Holmes for the Holidays (1999) — Contributor — 154 copies
The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories (2015) — Contributor — 137 copies
Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal (1931) — Introduction, some editions — 129 copies
The Night Awakens (2000) — Contributor — 114 copies
Murder, My Dear Watson: New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2002) — Contributor — 114 copies
A Century of Noir: Thirty-two Classic Crime Stories (2002) — Contributor — 78 copies
First Cases: First Appearances of Classic Private Eyes (1996) — Contributor — 68 copies
Detroit Noir (2007) — Contributor — 67 copies
Women on the Edge (1992) — Contributor — 63 copies
The Best American Mystery Stories 2017 (2017) — Contributor — 59 copies
A Modern Treasury of Great Detective and Murder Mysteries (1994) — Contributor — 57 copies
A Hot and Sultry Night for Crime (2003) — Contributor — 54 copies
The Ghosts in Baker Street : New Tales of Sherlock Holmes (2005) — Contributor — 45 copies
Wild Crimes: Stories of Mystery in the Wild (2004) — Contributor — 44 copies
More Stories from the Twilight Zone (2010) — Contributor — 43 copies
A Century of Mystery 1980-1989 (1997) — Contributor — 33 copies
The Black Moon (1989) — Contributor — 29 copies
Ghost Towns (2010) — Contributor — 28 copies
Deadly Allies II (1994) — Contributor — 26 copies
The Eyes Still Have It: The Shamus Award-Winning Stories (1995) — Contributor — 26 copies
Murder Most Divine: Ecclesiastical Tales of Unholy Crimes (2000) — Contributor — 24 copies
Law of the Gun (Pinnacle Westerns) (2010) — Contributor — 23 copies
Lost Trails (2007) — Contributor — 21 copies
The Shamus Game (2000) — Contributor — 20 copies
Mystery Street (2001) — Contributor — 20 copies
Flesh & Blood: Erotic Tales of Crime and Passion (2001) — Contributor — 19 copies
The Interrogator and Other Criminally Good Fiction (2012) — Contributor — 19 copies
New Trails: Twenty-Three Original Stories (1994) — Contributor — 17 copies
The New Black Mask Quarterly (Number 4) (1986) — Contributor — 16 copies
The Best of the American West II (1999) — Contributor — 15 copies
Tales of Zorro (2008) — Contributor — 15 copies
Home Sweet Homicide (1991) — Contributor — 12 copies
The New Frontier (1989) — Contributor — 11 copies
Prime Suspects (1987) — Contributor — 10 copies
The Western Hall of Fame Anthology (1997) — Contributor — 10 copies
Writing Mystery and Crime Fiction (1985) — Contributor — 9 copies
Homicidal Acts (1988) — Contributor — 9 copies
Murder to Go (1993) — Contributor — 5 copies
First Cases [Unabridged Audiobook] (2002) — Contributor — 3 copies

Tagged

19th century (85) Amos Walker (121) anthology (472) British (70) British literature (60) classic (161) classics (169) collection (56) crime (298) crime fiction (197) detective (382) detective fiction (69) Detroit (216) ebook (85) England (75) fiction (1,710) hardboiled (89) historical fiction (55) Holmes (55) horror (72) Kindle (83) literature (92) Michigan (68) mysteries (59) mystery (2,553) Nero Wolfe (192) novel (125) own (61) paperback (64) pastiche (75) read (138) series (103) Sherlock Holmes (647) Sherlockiana (58) short stories (644) signed (108) to-read (545) unread (65) Victorian (89) western (163)

Common Knowledge

Members

Reviews

More smart patter and dicey situations and cool character in this Amos Walker detective story. Ya gotta love Estleman's descriptions; for me, in this book, the memorable phrase was calling razor wire Michigan's state flower.
 
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ReadMeAnother | 1 other review | Nov 29, 2023 |
Film detective Valentino is a bit at loose ends as a bathroom is being installed in his restored movie theatre/home, so he is pleased when an old college friend contacts him about a new project: restoring a drive-in movie theatre, something that the builder really wants to do. He enlists Valentino’s help, and the latter brings in his old friend Leo Kalishnikov, eccentric but brilliant theatre designer, but Leo has other things on his mind - he is being blackmailed by somebody who knows something about his past. Val agrees to help his old friend, but is also contacted by a stranger, who claims to have the first two reels of the legendary Theda Bara’s Cleopatra, long missing from the world. How will Valentino find time to solve all these puzzles, especially after murder intrudes?.... Loren D. Estleman is best known for his Amos Walker series, but the Valentino books, of which this is the seventh, are a great deal of fun to read. Mr. Estleman’s Los Angeles setting reveals his familiarity with that town and all its quirks as well, and his love of film history is evident throughout, up to and including bibliographies and filmographies at the end of each book. These are not terribly serious works, but they are hugely entertaining - and the reader learns something, to boot! Start with the first book, “Framed,” and you won’t be sorry; recommended!… (more)
 
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thefirstalicat | Nov 12, 2023 |
A nice old fashioned mystery. I have always wanted to read this series and glad I have finally started it. It was fun being transported back a few decades. I also loved the setting of Detroit. I haven't read any books I can remember set there.
 
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cdaley | 8 other reviews | Nov 2, 2023 |
This is a tremendously fun book to read for those who enjoy the old-fashioned Rathbone and Bruce films of the 1940s, or those who enjoyed Sherlock Holmes in the days when radio ruled the airwaves. Light and fun, with plenty of atmosphere, Estleman has written a book which has great appeal to the aforementioned group, and young adults. Dracula fans may also enjoy it. Some Conan Doyle fans — but by no means all of them — might find this sort of crossover story a bit of a stretch.

Holmes and Watson become involved in the Sanguinary Count's attempt to leave Transylvania and make England his home in this fun adventure. This is Doctor Watson's account of Sherlock Holmes's heretofore untold part in the Dracula saga, written to rectify this important omission in Stoker's account, at the specific request of Professor Van Helsing. A sense of fun and adventure saturate the pages of Estleman's fun but not-to-be-taken-too-seriously story.

From the moment a ship is discovered off the English coast with no crew aboard except a dead captain with unusual puncture marks on his neck, and a cargo full of Transylvanian earth, Holmes and Watson know this is going to be no ordinary case. Reluctant at first to believe in the possibility of vampires, Holmes, and an even more skeptical Watson, may finally be forced to accept the existence of the undead.

When the London duo track down the "Bloofer Lady" through the strange abduction of children who are later found alive, but disoriented from blood loss, the lady in question turns out to be none other than Lucy Westerna! More shocking, however, is our favorite duo witnessing her impalement by Van Helsing, Harker, and the gang from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Van Helsing is disturbed to discover that the great detective knows much more about him and his companions than he initially thought. Forced to fill in Holmes on the Dracula legend, Van Helsing dismisses his offer of help nonetheless. Holmes and Watson then continue their pursuit alone, in this marvelously fun account of the chase.

More than one dangerous encounter with the evil Count ensues as they close in, and someone Watson loves dearly becomes a pawn in a very deadly game indeed. Watson's bravery and the help of the Baker Street Irregulars play no small part in this fast and fun read. A boat chase near the conclusion is a particular highlight and offers fun for those who just go with the narrative. I would definitely recommend this for young adults, and old-time radio fans, but purists of the original Conan Doyle might not be as enamored.

While I normally loathe a continuation of a series character by a writer other than the original, especially if it comes too quickly on the heels of their death, enough time has passed that this one does not feel like a "continuation" but rather an affectionate nod to Conan Doyle and his creation. That being said, the game is afoot, and time is of the essence for some afternoon fun with this one!
… (more)
 
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Matt_Ransom | 15 other reviews | Oct 6, 2023 |

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Associated Authors

Michael Koelsch Cover artist
Barbara Delaplace Contributor
John C. Bunnell Contributor
Esther M. Friesner Contributor
Mark C. Sumner Contributor
Anthony R. Lewis Contributor
Jack Nimersheim Contributor
Michelle Sagara Contributor
Marie A. Parsons Contributor
Gregory Feeley Contributor
Brian M. Thomsen Contributor
Mercedes Lackey Contributor
Janni Lee Simner Contributor
John Lutz Contributor
Jane Yolen Contributor
David Gerrold Contributor
Judith Tarr Contributor
Dean Wesley Smith Contributor
Robert Sheckley Contributor
Jody Lynn Nye Contributor
Pat Cadigan Contributor
Jack Dann Contributor
Barry N. Malzberg Contributor
Frank M. Robinson Contributor
Laura Resnick Contributor
Jeff Waldmann Contributor
Thomas Sullivan Contributor
Larry Dixon Contributor
Terry McGarry Contributor
Dave Smeds Contributor
Deborah Morgan Author photograph
Robert Lawrence Contributor
Fred Marcellino Cover artist
Brian Forbes Cover artist
Sibylle Bayer Translator
Jim Warren Cover artist
Sandra Burr Narrator

Statistics

Works
156
Also by
74
Members
5,817
Popularity
#4,234
Rating
3.9
Reviews
203
ISBNs
855
Languages
10
Favorited
15

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