John Katzenbach

John Katzenbach is the New York Times bestselling author of such novels as the Edgar Award-nominated In the Heat of the Summer, which was adapted for the screen as The Mean Season; The Traveler; Day of Reckoning; Just Cause and Hart's War, which were also made into movies; The Shadow Man, another Edgar nominee; State of Mind; The Analyst; and The Madman's Tale. Katzenbach has been a criminal court reporter for the Miami Herald and Miami News and a featured writer for the Herald's Tropic magazine.

His new novel is The Architect.

Recently I asked Katzenbach about what he was reading. His reply:

Fact is, I like to read my friends. After them if I have any spare energy, re-read some classics. And then, from time to time, I try to work in something that my wife – a far more accomplished and ardent reader than I am – recommends.

Very rarely do I read anything in my own genre of “psychological thrillers.” This is because even after many writing decades and publishing many books in many languages, I still possess the lurking fear that all those other thriller writing men and women lurking out there are... well... better? Cleverer? More adept with words and phrases? Smarter when it comes to plots and twists? Or maybe just luckier?

I just don’t want to prove the accuracy of this paranoia to myself. I am very happy in my ignorance.

That said, on my desk now are two collections of short stories.

The first Wandering Souls is by Phil Caputo – who passed away a few short weeks ago, so this is his last work in an extraordinarily distinguished writing career. Bestsellers, Pulitzers and respect. What more could one ask for? The stories in this collection often return to the themes of war and emotional conflict and the impact experienced by men after battle that characterizes much of Phil’s output. The writing is brisk, intense and always spot-on. Each character and every setting in each story is painted with his typical prose vibrancy. As I said, Phil was a great friend – forty plus years with only a couple of life-threatening activities – and his voice, so strong and often elegant on these pages, is one that will be sorely missed and is not easily forgotten.

Beside Phil’s work, is Don Winslow’s The Final Score.

Just started, and, as with everything Don writes, it is edgy, direct and evocative. There are few writers today who can command a simple declarative sentence with the style and skill that Don owns. Here is a personal aside: there are stacks of writers around today with claims on various bestseller lists – but very few who rival Don for narrative control and explosive plot. He is the writer I direct my “literary” friends towards, because his stories are never indulgent. They are hard-edged without losing psychological depth. Doubt my word? Read the first two chapters of The Kings of Cool or Savages. Simplicity, yet profundity. My jealous imagination knows no limits.

Two other books that bear mentioning:

In the classic realm, I’ve been re-reading for the one millionth time Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It. And every time I am immersed in his tale of brothers, fly fishing, religion and Montana, I see something new. And, as a slight, parenthetical addition, I consider the initial sentence of A River and the opening page of Maclean’s Young Men and Fire to be two of the finest beginnings to any work. Right up there with “Call me Ishmael...” and “It was the best of times, the worst of times...” and “Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday. I can’t be sure...” among my other favorites.

And finally, the book I’m currently writing is set in a part of the world I am curiously very fond of: Miami and South Florida. The curious part of my affection is the recognition that Miami is a place of mixed cultures, mingled madness and subterranean angers, bizarre conflicts and far too damn much traffic beneath skies that are perfect in February and threatening in August. Regardless, what I’m writing is – as is often the case – admittedly dark. So, to lighten up, I’ve got a copy of my old friend Dave Barry’s Best. State. Ever. This is his paean to the wonderfully bizarre nature of Florida – where truth so often outstrips anything another of my old friends, Carl Hiaasen, imagines even on his most fevered and wonderfully productive days. Carl would likely agree with that observation.

Visit John Katzenbach's website.

My Book, The Movie: Red 1-2-3.

Writers Read: John Katzenbach (January 2014).

The Page 69 Test: Red 1-2-3.

--Marshal Zeringue