Parker wrote seventy books, including the renowned Spenser detective series, Chief Jesse Stone novels, and the famed Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch westerns, as well as the Sunny Randall novels. He died in January 2010, after winning the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award and being long regarded as the undisputed dean of American mystery fiction. Robert Knott is a writer, producer, and actor. Among his many theater, television, and picture credits is the feature film Appaloosa, based on the Robert B. Parker novel. Parker adapted and produced the film alongside actor and producer Ed Harris. It's his debut novel, and it's a good one.