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 American
mystery writer, one of the modern masters of the genre. Despite
his achievements in the novel, Ellin is best known for his short
stories, beginning with the 'The Specialty of the House' (1948).
The story about a New York restaurant with a special treat for gourmets
was an immediate sensation. It was later dramatized on the television
series 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' as many other Ellin's tales.
Often Ellin's short stories deal with ethical problems, as in the
'Question'. The narrator is an executioner or 'electrocutioner,'
as he likes to be called, and takes a pride in what he is doing
for the state.
"Well, you ought to make up your mind one way
or the other,' I told him. 'I'd hate to think you were like every
other hypocrite around who says it's all right to condemn a man
to the electric chair and all wrong to pull the switch.'
'Do I have to be to one to pull it?' he said. 'Do
you?'
(from 'The Question')
Ellin was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated at Brooklyn
College, receiving his B.A. in 1936. Next year he married Jeann
Michael; they had one daughter. Ellin worked as a teacher, steelworker,
a dairy farmer, and served in the United States Army from 1944 to
1945. In 1946, encouraged by his wife, Ellin became a full-time
writer. 'The Specialty of the House' appeared in Ellery Queen's
Mystery Magazine in May 1948. In the story Laffler, a gourmet,
goes with his assistant for a dinner at an exclusive restaurant.
The kitchen is what Laffler wants to see - which is a great mistake.
In 1954 Ellin received Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers
of America for the short story 'The House Party', a suburban story
with an element of fantasy. Two years later he was awarded for the
short story 'The Blessington Method', a comment on the social rights
of the elderly, and in 1958 for novel THE EIGHT CIRCLE, which was
an attempt at a long, serious novel about a modern private detective.
The title was derived from Dante's Inferno, referring to
the dwelling of, among others, the liars, hypocrites, thieves, and
pimps. However, Ellin left the protagonist, Murray Kirk, and concentrated
on short stories. Ellin's exploration of macho self-hatred and violence,
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, won in 1975 Le Grand Prix de Littérature
Policière. H.R.F. Keating selected it in 1987 for his list of the
one hundred best crime novels.
As a novelist Ellin made his debut with DREADFUL SUMMIT (1948).
It dealt with father-son relationship, as a sixteen-year-old boy
obtains a gun and sets out to avenge his father's beating and humiliation.
The action is squeezed into twenty-four hours. MYSTERY STORIES (1956)
was hailed by Julian Symons as 'the finest collection of stories
in the crime form published in the past half century.' It included
such works as 'The Cat's Paw,' 'The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby,'
in which the most important thing in the protagonist's life is his
antique and curio shop, 'Broker's Special,' and 'The Moment of Decision',
in which a dispute between neighbours leads to a fatal decision.
Ellin's Edgar-winning short story 'The Blessington Method' gave
the title for the second book. After his third collection, KINDLY
DIG YOUR GRAVE (1975), Ellin published in 1979 his complete mystery
tales 1948-1978. Ellin's last story was 'Unacceptable Procedures'
(1985), which questioned the morals of economic development. Ellin
was a member of Mystery Writers of America and its past president.
He died of a heart attack on July 31, 1986 in Brooklyn. His works
were a long time out of print, until Foul Play Press reprinted two
of his novels in 1996.
In his novel STRONGHOLD (1975) Ellin explored his own religious
background and portrayed a family of non-violent Quakers at the
mercy of four murderous criminals. Ellin's private eye hero John
Milano appeared first in STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT (1979), in which
Milano tried to prevent the murder of a renowned mystic guru who
begins to receive threatening letters.
The second John Milano book, THE DARK FANTASTIC (1983), was rejected
by Random House because of its insufficient political correctness
in dealing with racial problems and attitudes in New York. For most
of the readers it was clear, that the author did not share the racist,
hate-filled opinions of his character, Professor Kirwan. In the
psychological thriller with international intrigue, HOUSE OF CARDS
(1963), former prize fighter Reno Davis, an American at loose ends
in Paris, takes a job as guardian of young Paul de Villemont, son
of an aristocratic family in decline. In the barred de Villemont
mansion Reno becomes involved with Paul's beautiful, neurotic mother.
Reno discovers a right-wing group, which then pursues him throughout
Europe.
For further reading: Conversations with Writers II, ed.
by Stanley Ellin et al (1978); Twentieth Century Mystery and Crime
Writers, ed. by John M.Reilly (1985); 1001 Midnights by Bill Pronzini
and Marcia Muller (1986); St. James Guide to Crime & Mystery Writers,
ed. by Jay P. Pederson (1996); Encyclopaedia Mysteriosa by William
L. DeAndrea (1997)
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