Ed Lacy Explained

Ed Lacy (August 25, 1911 - January 7, 1968), born Leonard S. Zinberg, was an American writer of crime and detective fiction. Lacy, who was Jewish American, is credited with creating "the first credible African American PI" character in fiction, Toussaint "Touie" Marcus Moore.^[1] Room to Swing, his 1957 novel that introduced Touie Moore, received the 1958 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Biography

Lacy was born in New York City.^[1] He was a member of the League of American Writers, and served on its Keep America Out of War Committee in January 1940 during the period of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.^[2] He died of a heart attack in Harlem in 1968, at the age of 56.^[1]

Series

David Wintino

There are 2 novels and 2 short stories featuring detective, David Wintino.

1. Lead with Your Left (1957)
2. Double Trouble (1967)
3. "Say 'Cheese'" (1964), "The Taut Alibi" (1968)

Toussaint M. Moore

There are 2 novels and 1 short story featuring detective, Toussaint M. Moore

1. Room to Swing (1957)
2. Moment of Untruth (1964)
3. "The Death Of El Indio" (1961) (Original short story version of Moment of Untruth)

Lee Hayes

1. Harlem Underground (1965)
2. In Black & Whitey (1967)

Other Novels

• Walk Hard—Talk Loud (1940)
• Hold with the Hares (1948)
• End to Violence (1950)
• The Woman Aroused (1951)
• Sin in Their Blood (also issued as Death in Passing) (1952)
• Strip for Violence (1953)
• Enter Without Desire (1954)
• Go for the Body (1954)
• The Best That Ever Did It (also issued as Visa to Death) (1955)
• The Men from the Boys (1956)
• Breathe No More, My Lady (1958)
• Shakedown for Murder (1958)
• Be Careful How You Live (also issued as Dead End) (1959)
• Blonde Bait (1959)
• The Big Fix (1960)
• A Deadly Affair (1960)
• Bugged for Murder (1961)
• The Freeloaders (1961)
• South Pacific Affair (1961)
• The Sex Castle (also issued as Shoot It Again) (1963)
• Two Hot to Handle (two novellas: The Coin of Adventure and Murder in Paradise) (1963)
• Pity the Honest (1965)
• The Hotel Dwellers (1966)
• The Napalm Bugle (1968)
• The Big Bust (1969)
• The Woman Aroused (1969)
• Sleep in Thunder (1972

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ed Lacy: New York City Crime Author. Lynskey, Ed. August 2004. Mystery*File #45. July 1, 2010.
2. Book: Folsom, Franklin. Days of Anger, Days of Hope. 1994. University Press of Colorado. Boulder, CO. 0-87081-332-3. registration.