The Chill

Ross Macdonald's real name was Kenneth Millar.  Born near San Francisco and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Millar returned to the U.S. as a young man and published his first novel in 1944.  Macdonald was a prolific writer and published numerous mystery novels.  He was one of the few mystery writers whose books were taken seriously by literary critics during his time.  His bestselling series of detective stories featuring private investigator Lew Archer began with The Moving Target in 1949.  Lew Archer is characterized by a deep compassion for people in trouble and his reluctance to employ violent methods to resolve a conflict.  Archer himself said "I have a secret passion for mercy.  But justice is what keeps happening to people."  Macdonald's stories are singular for their deep psychological insight and vivid metaphors and similes.  He was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America and in 1974 was awarded their highest honor: the Grand Master Award.  His approach to crime writing was heavily influenced by Raymond Chandler, with whom Macdonald shared the belief that a well-written mystery is as artistically valuable as any other type of literature.

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