One of the few to truly perfect modern noir is Don Winslow. Since 1992, he has written more than twenty novels, which have been translated into over thirty languages and sold millions of copies. Several of his books have been adapted into successful films, further cementing his reputation as a crime fiction master.
Winslow began work on his first novel while juggling various careers—leading tours in Africa and China, managing a movie theater chain, and working as a private investigator. A Cool Breeze on the Underground was published in 1991, introducing Neal Carey, a bookish but resourceful PI who lives very much in the past while solving modern problems around the globe. Despite critical recognition—including an Edgar Award nomination for Best First Novel—sales lagged for Cool Breeze and the Carey mysteries that followed. That is, until the release of The Death and Life of Bobby Z in 1997. Diverging from more traditional crime novel structures, Bobby Z hinged on meticulous research about drug cartels and featured druglords, grifters, prostitutes, and a deeply flawed protagonist struggling for survival. In addition to marking a stylistic change for Winslow, the book was a commercial success that drew readers to his previous works and paved the way for others.
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