Stephen Mertz

Stephen Mertz (born May 3, 1947) is an American fiction author who is best known for his mainstream thrillers and novels of suspense. His work covers a wide variety of styles from paranormal dark suspense (Night Wind and Devil Creek) to historical speculative thrillers (Blood Red Sun) and hardboiled noir (Fade to Tomorrow).

Stephen Mertz
Born	(1947-05-03) May 3, 1947 United States
Pen name	Stephen Brett, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan, Jim Case, Cliff Banks
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	American
Genre	Mystery, Thriller, Adventure

His novels have been well-received critically. Booklist called Nightwind, “fast-paced...a white-knuckle read.” Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine labeled Mertz, “an action specialist.” Edgar-winner Joe R. Lansdale supplies this career assessment: “Stephen Mertz writes a hard-edged, fast-paced thriller for those who like their tales straight and sharp and full of dark surprise,” while Booklist had this to say about The Korean Intercept: "Fans of political thrillers will relish this high-action tale. An adrenaline rush!” Ed Gorman wrote, “Stephen Mertz just keeps on getting better, each novel more dazzling in story and style.”

Mertz is also a popular lecturer on the craft of writing and has appeared as a guest speaker before writer's groups and at universities. Early in his career, he was a prolific writer of paperback originals under a variety of pseudonyms. His work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series is regarded by fans as some of the best in that series. He also created the Mark Stone: MIA Hunter and Cody's Army series, written under the pseudonyms Jack Buchanan and Jim Case respectively.

Stephen Mertz has traveled widely and is a U.S. Army veteran. He presently lives in the American Southwest, and he is always at work on a new book.

Bibliography

Novels

• Some Die Hard (1979, as Stephen Brett)
• The Vampire Chase (1979, as Stephen Brett)
• Blood Red Sun (1989)
• Tunnel Rats (1989, as Cliff Banks)
• Tunnel Rats: Mud and Blood (1990, as Cliff Banks)
• Sudden Death (1995)
• Night Wind (2002)
• Fade to Tomorrow (2004)
• Devil Creek (2004)
• The Korean Intercept (2005)
• Dragon Games (Five Star Books, 2010)
• Hank & Muddy (Perfect Crime Books, 2011)
• The Castro Directive (Crossroad Press, 2013)
• Blaze! (Rough Edges Press, 2015)

The Executioner Series (as Don Pendleton)

• The Iranian Hit #42 (1982)
• Return to Vietnam #43 (1982)
• The Libya Connection #48 (1982)
• Tuscany Terror #52 (1983)
• Day of Mourning #62 (1984)
• Dead Man Running #64 (1984)
• Beirut Payback #67 (1984)
• Appointment in Kabul #73 (1985)
• Teheran Wipeout #76 (1985)
• Dirty War (SuperBolan #4) (1985)
• Moscow Massacre #92 (1986)
• Save the Children #94 (1986)

Cody's Army Series (as Jim Case)

• Cody's Army (1986)
• Assault into Libya (1986)
• Philippine Hardpunch (1987)
• Belfast Blitz (1987)
• D.C. Firestike (1987)
• Hellfire in Haiti (1988)
• Sword of the Prophet (1988)