Ross Thomas revolutionized the political thriller genre with a faultless mix of intrigue, accidental heroes, and understated, yet riveting, dialogue. Mr. Thomas's novels conjure up finely blended memories of Elmore Leonard, John le Carre, and Raymond Chandler. Read one of his books and you'll find yourself laughing out loud one moment, squirming the next - often on the same page.

Prior to writing his first novel, The Cold War Swap, in 1965, he had spent time working as a small town newspaper reporter, a foreign correspondent, and a PR agency executive. His travels had him splitting time between the U.S., Europe, and the deserts of Africa. His globe trotting years served him well as he based his novels in a variety of exotic locales ranging from the shadowy streets of Washington, D.C. to the tropical wilds of Manila.

The Cold War Swap won the Edgar Award for best first novel. He wrote 24 more before his death in 1995, each featuring a unique and memorable mix of characters from the worlds of oily international politics, shadowy spy organizations, and streetwise mercenary gangs. You'd be hard-pressed to label his protagonists heroes, but the stories of Quincy Durant, Artie Wu, Michael Padillo, Otherguy Overby, and the rest of his recurring characters make for "can't put it down" reading for any fan of the mystery, suspense, or thriller genres.

There is an element of continuity that is maintained through most of Thomas's novels, and the same characters frequently pop in and out of the various "series" he has written. I highly recommend the McCorkle/Padillo and Wu/Durant books as true classics in the thriller series arena. Check out Mr. Thomas's author listing at TKC to learn more.

You won't find many of Mr. Thomas's novels in your local Barnes & Noble, as they are out of print. But, I scoured my local used mystery book stores and have located the paperback editions of most of them.

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