"You know," Peggy told me two years ago, "all three of our favorite authors are getting up there in age." And yes indeed, in close succession we lost Evan Hunter (aka Ed McBain), author of the superb 87th Precinct cop dramas; and George Macdonald Fraser, author of the Flashman series and the hilarious book The Pyrates.

Well, last might we lost the third. Donald E. Westlake passed away from a heart attack while on vacation on Mexico. He wrote more than 90 books, and pretty much defined the modern caper novel. My favorite of his books are the Dortmunder novels about a very competent and unlucky burglar. If you haven't read "Hot Rock," in which the same emerald is burgled eight times, go pick it up. It's hilarious.

One more Dortmunder novel is coming out in April, I believe - "Get Real." I'm just sorry it's the last. Westlake is one of the reasons I became interested in writing.