William H Hallahan Books In Order

Publication Order of Charlie Brewer Books

Publication Order of William H. Hallahan Standalone Novels

Publication Order of William H. Hallahan Non-Fiction Books

William H Hallahan was an American history, thriller and mystery author from Brooklyn New York. He was born in 1925 to William and Berenice Hallahan and was the third born of six siblings. During the Second World War, he was a radioman second class posted in the province of Natal in Brazil. This was a critical location for troop and logistical support for the Northern African front. After coming back from the war he got married to his childhood sweetheart Marion E. Wakefield, with whom he lived for more than four decades. For his college studies, he went to Philadelphia’s Temple University courtesy of the G.I. Bill. He graduated cum laude with a Journalism degree before proceeding to acquire a master’s in English at the same institution. He made history by being the first of his family to go to college. His first job after graduation was in the Temple University alumni department before he became a writer-editor at the Chilton Publications. In 1957 he moved up to become a copywriter at a Philadelphia ad agency named M. Russell Berger. A few months later, he got a job at N.W. Ayer an international ad agency where he worked on the accounts of the likes of Chrysler and United Airlines.

Throughout his life, William H Hallahan was a man of many interests most of which he totally immersed himself into. He was passionate about the languages and taught himself Italian, and French. He also traveled extensively in Europe and played the banjo. However, writing was his first love and he wrote until his death in 2018 when he wrote a memoir on his mother. Despite being diagnosed with rheumatoid fever as a youth and being forbidden from running, he maintained an active lifestyle as he took up handball instead. During the latter years of his life, he resumed running and ran religiously and lifted weights until the week before his decease. He has credited his longevity to his positive attitude, holistic eating and fitness. In later years, he also loved spending a lot of time with Diane Pregartner his partner. He leaves behind his daughter Janet V. Hallan.

Hallahan first started getting interested in authorship during the late sixties. He gave his manuscript to his wife in 1971 and she sent it to a literary agent. On Christmas Eve, the agent called to give them the good news, saying that his novel titled “The Dead of Winter” would be published in early 1972. Once it was published, it became an instant hit and launched his career as a professional author. The novel was nominated for a Best First Mystery at the Edgar Awards in 1972. He was also nominated for Best Mystery Novel at the Poe Awards for this novel “Catch Me: Kill Me” in 1978. Hallahan loved to write novels in the nonfiction, occult and mystery genres most of which were translated into several languages and printed across the globe. While he had become an accomplished author he continued to work as both author and advertising executive for many years. During the 1970s, he set up Hallahan & Hayden that then became Hallahan Incorporated. His daughter Janet also worked in the agency which partnered with The Hal Lewis Group an art studio to serve clients such as Merck during the 1980s. Together they won several industry awards. During the 1990s, Hallahan decided to shift from literary fiction and wrote nonfiction such as “Misfire: The History of How America’s Small Arms Failed Our Military” and “The Day the Revolution Ended: Yorktown 19 0ctober 1781” among several others.

“Catch Me: Kill Me” that Hallahan published in 1977 is a novel about Boris Kotlikoff. He is a Russian poet that had defected to the US two years ago though he had nothing of value to give to the Americans. Nonetheless, while he is not a threat to the Russians, he is a prize hostage and they got to him and buried him alive somewhere in New York City. The American government is treading on cat’s paws though it clearly neglected to take into account how dogged Ben Leary can be. Leary is one of the best agents at the Department of Naturalization and Immigration and he is determined to find the kidnapped man. The government also failed to take into consideration that a hatchet man for the CIA named Gus Geller was running a parallel search. Geller has contracted the services of ex CIA agent, the discredited Charlie Brewer to lead the search for the Russian poet. There is potential for infighting among the three forces and this may work against time and squander opportunities that may doom Kotlikoffthe poet. It is a novel of juxtapositions as it compares and contrasts characters that find themselves in difficult situations.

William H. Hallahan’s “The Trade” is a stunning thriller set in the unnerving backdrop of the global arms business. An ex-US intelligence operative was killed in the Paris underground and his last words are about the “Doomsday Book.” The document had inspired more than two decades of plots by the most powerful players in the European arms trade. The book has an ominous plan that if put into motion could plunge China, Russia and the United States into what would clearly be World War III. Ex American agent Charlie Brewer teams up with a gritty and shrewd international trader who sells everything from jet fighters to grenades. They are soon wrestling with the cunning daughter of one of the most influential intelligence officers in Germany. Together, they unearth a shocking conspiracy that will rope in not only the major powers but most of the nations of the world.

“Foxcatcher” the third novel of the Charlie Brewer series by Hallahan is another suspense thriller that will have its readers on the edge of their seats. Charlie Brewer who is the best agent the US has working against the illegal trade in arms is being sent to jail after he was set up. When his boss learns that some Iranian terrorist has been trying to acquire some sophisticated equipment he decides to take action. The weapons in question are American built arms that the US had sold to the Shah. If the terrorist acquired them, they could be used to reactivate a surveillance system that could blow up any target they chose in the Middle East. McCall decides that to teach the terrorists a lesson, he is going to send a message: kill three of them in different locations on the same day. In the meantime, Brewer got out of prison for parole and is soon bribed by the Iranians to get them the equipment. The action moves across the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean, and America as McCall and Brewer butt heads as the story heads for a delicious finale.