Reed Farrel Coleman Books In Order

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Reed Farrel Coleman, born in 1956 in the United States, is a mystery author known for creating the Moe Prager Series. Brooklyn born and raised, Reed is a former executive vice president of the Mystery Writers of America; he is an adjunct instructor of English at Hofstra University and one of the founding members of MWA University. He met his wife in a writing class in Manhattan at the New School; he now lives with his family; his wife, teenage children and two cats Knish and Cleo- in Suffolk County at Long Island.

How Reed developed mystery writing

Before resolving to the genre of mystery and thriller writing, Reed worked as a food salesman, a car leasing agent, a restaurant trainer, an air freight manager, a truck driver, as a cab driver. Having studied poetry originally and his first published work in poetry, for several years, he was also the co-editor of a well-known poetry journal. About twenty years ago he got bored with his day job and decided to take a night class in the detective fiction at the Brooklyn College. That sealed his fate as a mystery writer.

Reed Farrel Coleman’s love of creative story telling originated in the streets of Brooklyn where it was nurtured by his family, friends and teachers. He began writing during his high school days; however he did not consider making it a career till he took evening classes in detective fiction at the Brooklyn College.

People that influenced Reed’s writing

Known as a hard-boiled poet by the “noir poet Laureate” within the Huffington Post, Coleman is the author of different poetry, short stories and novels. Coleman’s style is constantly evolving; people that influenced his writing in the early years were renowned writers like William Blake, Wallace Stevens, Chandler among others. However, in later years, his work has been largely influenced by his colleagues. Looking closely at his recent work, you can find echoes of his colleagues like Peter Blauner, SJ Rozan and Ken Bruen. However, above all these people Coleman states that his greatest influence was his college poetry professor, David Lehman.

Reed’s novels and series

Reed Farrel Coleman has published fourteen novels under his own name and a pen name Tony Spinosa. He began with Life Goes Sleeping (1991), which led to the three-volume Dylan Klein Series. In 2001, Reed Coleman published Walking the Perfect Square, a gritty story about Moe Prager, a retired New York cop that becomes embroiled in the hunt of a missing college student. After putting a sizable blacklist with that first novel, Coleman continued to gather energetic raves for subsequent Prager novels such as the Redemption Street published in 2004 and the Shamus-award winning, Anthony, Barry winning The James Dean published in 2005. The Bleak House publishers also liked The James Deans, therefore in 2007; Moe returned with his 1990’s based Soul Patch. The novel is thought to have a George Pelecanos story in it rooted in the early 70s and the 90s. The mystery Writers of America thought so highly of it too and nominated Coleman for the Edgar Award. Since then, Coleman has written one more novel starring Prager; Empty Ever After.

Reed is also a graphic novel writer with a high concept; in 2011 he wrote a novel with the title Hurt Machine, the following year the Gun church was published.

The Soul Patch Novel

Soul Patch refers to quite an African American neighborhood where murder that occurred within the late 1970s finally resonates down through later years. Soul Patch is the fourth volume in Coleman’s Moe Prager series. The novel is about P.I Moe Prager, a retired NYPD officer, who for over twenty years has been haunted by the secret that would eventually bring destruction to his family. Two years after that fallout from truth, more secrets begin to haunt the Prager family. Moe Prager one night follows a trail of grave robbers from one cemetery to another, from ashes to ashes repeatedly. This he does, to solve the great mystery of his dead brother-in-law called Patrick. He goes deeper to the dark retreats of his past than he had ever done before. Will Moe, in the long run, put the past to an end? Will he find the exact man that belongs to the vacant grain or does it remain empty and forever empty.

As a series protagonist Prager could be conflicted, he could be quite sure about his choices in life or could be referred to as one reluctant investigator found in this genre. He is however more interesting and engages the private eyes to come in after some time.

Short stories and poems

Reed is a published poet and for several years worked as a co-editor of the journal Poetry Bone. He has edited the short story collection Hard-boiled Brooklyn. His essays and short stories have appeared in Mystery Readers Journal, Wall Street Noir, Damn Near Dead, Brooklyn Noir 3, Crime Spree Magazine, These Guns for Hire, Expletive Deleted among several other publications.

Awards

If there is something like second chances, none deserves more than Reed Coleman. He garnered a well-earned title in 2002 with his Moe Prager Series; from there it looked like he was on a track to become the next break-out star of the private genre. However success did not happen on an overnight basis. Reed has been nominated three times for the Edgar awards and has worn three Shamus awards in the category of the best detective novel category. His three-time Edgar Award nominee was within three different categories; best paperback Original, Best Novel and Best short story. Reed’s sixth novel, The James Deans won the Shamus, Barry and Anthony Awards. This novel was then nominated for the Macavity, Edgar and Gumshoe Awards.

Coleman has employed a depth touch in the creation of characters. His books are populated by realistic individuals. They not only are flawed but are conflict driven fiction. They further display surprising superiority which is part of human character.

In reality, there is a lot going on and a lot to expect from Reed’s next writing, his new novel Towel is quite a different novel for him and could actually be a departure for Reed in the Moe Prager Series.