Marvin H. Albert (January 22, 1924 – March 25, 1996) was an American writer of mystery, crime and adventure novels including ones featuring Pete (Pierre-Ange [French: Stone Angel]) Sawyer, a French-American private investigator living and working in France.

Biography

During World War II Albert served in the United States Merchant Marine as a radio operator. After working as the director of a Philadelphia children's theater troupe he moved to New York in 1950 and began writing and editing for Quick and Look magazines. He began writing full-time over the success of his 1956 Western novel The Law and Jake Wade. He sometimes wrote under pseudonyms such as Albert Conroy, Ian McAlister, Nick Quarry and Anthony Rome. Settings for his novels include France (where he lived for some time), Miami and the Old West. A 1975 international suspense thriller, The Gargoyle Conspiracy, written under his own name, was an Edgar nominee in the category of Best Mystery Novel.

Novels

Westerns

Westerns written under the name Al Conroy

A series featuring the common character Clayburn. They were later reprinted in 1989-90 under Marvin Albert's own name.

Detective novels written under the name Al Conroy

Jake Barrow Private Eye written under the name Nick Quarry

Tony Rome series

A series featuring the private detective Tony Rome. A 1967 television pilot under the name Nick Quarry was based on Tony Rome

as Nick Quarry

Mafia fiction as Al Conroy

Series character: Johnny Morini, Soldato: Man Against the Mafia.

Stone Angel series

A series featuring the common character Pete Sawyer.

as Ian McAlister

Other crime thrillers

Non fiction works

Film novelizations

TV tie-ins

Screenplays

Other works

As J. D. Christilian - "Scarlet Women" (1996). As Marvin H. Albert - "Operation Lila" (1983), "The Medusa Complex", "Dancer's Progress and Schrodingers Cat"(1993 - possibly two stories in one volume) and "Hidden Lives" (1981).

Personal life

He was survived by his artist wife Xenia Klar, one son, and one grandchild.

In popular culture

In the movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the character Rick Dalton is seen reading and discussing a western-themed paperback novel that features a character named Tom Breezy. The novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood includes an ad for the fictitious Tom Breezy book, which is identified as Ride a Wild Bronc by Marvin H. Albert.