At one time, Mickey Spillane had authored seven of the top ten bestsellers in history, and may have been the most widely read author in the world. Spillane masterful storytelling grabs his readers with his first paragraph and leads them spellbound toward his climax. Along with Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ross Macdonald, he remains one of America’s greatest mystery writers. This book is a convenient guide to his works.

An opening chronology lists the chief events in his life and career. The bulk of the volume presents several hundred alphabetically arranged entries on his writings. Lengthier entries summarize the plots of his works, including I, the Jury; My Gun Is Quick; Vengeance Is Mine!; and The Long Wait. Shorter entries identify his numerous characters, including his particularly memorable detective, Mike Hammer. Select entries list works for further reading, and the volume concludes with a brief bibliography.