Richard Stark is one of the preeminent authors-and inventors-of noir crime fiction. Stark's recent Parker novels Comeback and Backflash were selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year. His first novel, The Hunter, became the classic 1967 movie Point Blank. Thirty years later The Hunter was adapted again by Hollywood, in the hit Mel Gibson movie Payback.

Richard Stark is also, at times, mystery Grand Master Donald E. Westlake.