Collin Wilcox (writer)

{{short description|American novelist}}

{{redirect|Frank Hastings|the British naval officer|Frank Abney Hastings}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2009}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Collin Wilcox

| image = Colin Wilcox.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| alt =

| caption = Collin Wilcox in San Francisco in 1991

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1924|09|21}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1996|07|12|1924|09|21}}

| death_place = San Francisco, California

| resting_place =

| occupation = Writer

| language = English

| nationality = American

}}

Collin Wilcox (September 21, 1924 – July 12, 1996) was an American mystery writer who published 30 books in 30 years.{{cite web |title=Collin Wilcox |url=https://www.amazon.com/Collin-Wilcox/e/B000APOMF4 |work=Amazon.com |accessdate=21 September 2011}}

Born in Detroit, Michigan, September 21, 1924, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".

Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970–1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote two novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1972) and The New Mexican Connection (1974).https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/collin-wilcox/ says that Wilcox wrote The Park Avenue Executioner (1975), which is wrong. The book was written by David Wilson. https://www.amazon.com/Park-Avenue-Executioner-David-Wilson/dp/0426164598

Wilcox died in San Francisco, July 12, 1996, from cancer at the age of 71.{{cite web |title=Collin Wilcox; Author of Mysteries Set in San Francisco |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-19-mn-25752-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=19 July 1996 |access-date=21 September 2011}}{{cite web |title=Collin Wilcox, Mystery Writer, 71 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/19/books/collin-wilcox-mystery-writer-71.html |work=The New York Times |date=19 July 1996 |accessdate=21 September 2011}} Wilcox was survived by two sons, Christopher of Berkeley, California, Jeff of Lafayette, California, and five grandchildren. His five grandchildren are Scotty, Conor, Hayley, Jessica, and Emma.