@beardalaxy @applejack Donald E. Westlake wrote "The Hunter" which became Point Blank with Lee Marvin, becoming Payback with Mel Gibson, and Parker became a staple of the anti-hero genre. As well he wrote on international affairs having at one time been a literary analyst. Lots of connections to the intelligence community and wrote on the coffee wars of the past. Quite, literally the guy was an enigma while also writing horror such as "The Stepfather".

His work also took comedic turns with John Dortmunder novels such as "The Hot Rock" and "Bank shot" Robert Redford played Dortmunder in "The Hot Rock" and Martin Lawerence took a turn in "What's the Worst that Could Happen". I've been collecting Westlake novels since I watched Payback.