Mickey Spillane ​

Frank Morrison Spillane, popularly known as Mickey Spillane, was an American crime novel author. He is best known for his series of hardboiled detective novels featuring private eye Mike Hammer. Mickey Spillane's books sold more than 225 million copies worldwide.

Quick Facts ​

• His debut novel, I, the Jury (1947), sold more than 6 million copies.
• He was the world's bestselling author until Harold Robbins took the title.
• Several of his works were adapted for cinema and television.
• His books have sold more than 225 million copies.
• Known for his Mike Hammer detective series.
• He was posthumously awarded the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award.

Background ​

Spillane was born in 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated in a Catholic school and then attended Fort Hays State College in Kansas before joining the Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, he took up writing comic books, including original characters such as Mike Danger. He made his breakthrough in 1947 with his first Mike Hammer novel, I, the Jury. From there, his career took off, with several of his novels being adapted into films. Spillane's writing style was gritty and fast-paced, with a focus on crime, tough guys, and sexy women. He wrote a total of 30 novels, all of them best-sellers. He continued to write until his death in 2006 at the age of 88.

Writing Style and Impact ​

Spillane's writing style is marked by terse prose, violent action, and fast-paced plots. His work often features hardboiled detectives and gritty settings. Despite criticisms related to his masculine, sometimes misogynistic themes, his work made an indelible impact on the crime and detective genre. His influence has been felt in literature, film, and television, helping to reshape crime fiction and popular culture's view of the mysterious, tough-talking private eye.

Notable Works ​

• I, the Jury (1947)
• My Gun is Quick (1950)
• Vengeance is Mine! (1950)
• The Long Wait (1951)
• Kiss Me, Deadly (1952)
• Primal Spillane: Early Stories 1941-1942 (2003)