Stephen Mertz (born May 3, 1947) is an American fiction author who is best known for his mainstream thrillers and novels of suspense. His work covers a wide variety of styles from paranormal dark suspense (Night Wind and Devil Creek) to historical speculative thrillers (Blood Red Sun) and hardboiled noir (Fade to Tomorrow).

Stephen Mertz
Born (1947-05-03) May 3, 1947 (age 77)
United States
Pen nameStephen Brett, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan, Jim Case, Cliff Banks
OccupationWriter
NationalityAmerican
GenreMystery, Thriller, Adventure

His novels have been well-received critically. Booklist called Nightwind, “fast-paced...a white-knuckle read.” Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine labeled Mertz, “an action specialist.”[citation needed] Edgar-winner Joe R. Lansdale supplies this career assessment: “Stephen Mertz writes a hard-edged, fast-paced thriller for those who like their tales straight and sharp and full of dark surprise,” while Booklist had this to say about The Korean Intercept: "Fans of political thrillers will relish this high-action tale. An adrenaline rush!” Ed Gorman wrote, “Stephen Mertz just keeps on getting better, each novel more dazzling in story and style.”

Mertz is also a popular lecturer on the craft of writing and has appeared as a guest speaker before writer's groups and at universities. Early in his career, he was a prolific writer of paperback originals under a variety of pseudonyms. His work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series is regarded by fans as some of the best in that series. He also created the Mark Stone: MIA Hunter and Cody's Army series, written under the pseudonyms Jack Buchanan and Jim Case respectively.[1]

Stephen Mertz has traveled widely and is a U.S. Army veteran. He presently lives in the American Southwest, and he is always at work on a new book.

Bibliography

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Novels

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  • Some Die Hard (1979, as Stephen Brett)
  • The Vampire Chase (1979, as Stephen Brett)
  • Blood Red Sun (1989)
  • Tunnel Rats (1989, as Cliff Banks)
  • Tunnel Rats: Mud and Blood (1990, as Cliff Banks)
  • Sudden Death (1995)
  • Night Wind (2002)
  • Fade to Tomorrow (2004)
  • Devil Creek (2004)
  • The Korean Intercept (2005)
  • Dragon Games (Five Star Books, 2010)
  • Hank & Muddy (Perfect Crime Books, 2011)
  • The Castro Directive (Crossroad Press, 2013)
  • Blaze! (Rough Edges Press, 2015)

The Executioner Series (as Don Pendleton)

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  • The Iranian Hit #42 (1982)
  • Return to Vietnam #43 (1982)
  • The Libya Connection #48 (1982)
  • Tuscany Terror #52 (1983)
  • Day of Mourning #62 (1984)
  • Dead Man Running #64 (1984)
  • Beirut Payback #67 (1984)
  • Appointment in Kabul #73 (1985)
  • Teheran Wipeout #76 (1985)
  • Dirty War (SuperBolan #4) (1985)
  • Moscow Massacre #92 (1986)
  • Save the Children #94 (1986)

Cody's Army Series (as Jim Case)

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  • Cody's Army (1986)
  • Assault into Libya (1986)
  • Philippine Hardpunch (1987)
  • Belfast Blitz (1987)
  • D.C. Firestike (1987)
  • Hellfire in Haiti (1988)
  • Sword of the Prophet (1988)

References

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