Gavin Lyall

Gavin Lyall (born May 9, 1932 in Birmingham , Warwickshire , † January 18, 2003 in London ) was a British journalist and writer.

Life

Lyall attended King Edward's School in Birmingham. After finishing school, he signed up for two years (1951-1953) with the Royal Air Force . He then attended Pembroke College (Cambridge) ( University of Cambridge ) and was able to successfully complete this course in 1956.

During his studies Lyall began to write for the student newspaper Varsity and also invented the cartoon character "Olly" to illustrate his texts. In 1956 he was appointed editor in charge of this newspaper. After his studies he started a. a. writing for the Birmingham Gazette , Picture Post and Sunday Graphic . At the same time he began to work for the BBC during this time .

In 1958 Lyall married the writer Katharine Whitehorn (* 1928) and had two sons with her. After his marriage, Lyall and his wife settled in Hampstead ( Inner London ). Between 1959 and 1962 he worked as a journalist; mostly for the Sunday Times .

In 1961 Lyall made a successful debut with his novel "The wrong side of the sky". Lyall became a member of the Crime Writers' Association (CWA) early on and was also appointed chairman for 1966/67 . Encouraged by his successes, he gave up his job in 1963 and devoted himself only to writing.

On January 18, 2003, Gavin Lyall died in London from cancer .

reception

Lyall always thematized the Cold War in his thrillers and espionage novels and his protagonists were always connected in some way to the Air Force. After 1975, international crime became the focus of his books.

Lyall lets his protagonist , a private detective, tell stories in a pseudo-autobiographical style, but who often understands how to interpret the laws in a very idiosyncratic manner.

1973 "Spy's Honor," a thriller published by the Secret Service , who in World War plays. On the basis of the historical facts, an exciting novel develops, which until 1999 saw three sequels. The cycle about the politician and secret agent Harry Maxim also comprises four volumes .

Honors

• 1964 Silver Dagger Award (British Crime Writers' Association) for the novel The most dangerous game .
• 1965 Silver Dagger Award for the novel Midnight plus one .

Works (selection)

As an author

Standalones

• The wrong side of the sky . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1961.
  • The hard side of heaven. Novel . Ullstein, Berlin 1989, ISBN 3-548-22083-5 .
• The most dangerous game . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1990, ISBN 0-340-53023-5 (EA London 1963).
  • The most dangerous counterpart. Novel. Ullstein, Berlin 1989, ISBN 3-548-22112-2 .
• Midnight plus one . Pan Books, London 1966.
  • Midnight plus one. Novel . Ullstein, Berlin 1989, ISBN 3-548-22139-4 .
• Shooting script . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1966.
  • July! Watch out! Political thriller . Ullstein, Berlin 1989, ISBN 3-548-10629-3 .
• Venus with pistol . Thriller Books, London 1970.
  • Venus with gun. Thriller . Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1990, ISBN 3-548-10635-8 .
• Blame the Dead . Coronet Books, London 1989, ISBN 0-340-42976-3 .
  • The dead are guilty. Novel. Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1985, ISBN 3-548-10290-5 .
• Judas Country . Viking Press, New York 1975, ISBN 0-670-41030-6 .
  • Land of traitors . Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1984, ISBN 3-548-21008-2 .

Harry Maxim cycle

• The secret servant . 2nd ed. Hodder & Stoughton, London 1992, ISBN 0-340-54417-1 .
  • Until the fatal end. Novel . Heyne, Munich 1983, ISBN 3-453-01460-X .
• The conduct of Major Maxim . New edition Coronet Books, London 1993, ISBN 0-340-58865-9 .
  • Order for Major Maxim . Ullstein, Berlin 1984, ISBN 3-548-10254-9 .
• The crocus list . New edition Coronet Books, London 1993, ISBN 0-340-59797-6 .
  • The crocus list. Novel . Ullstein, Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-548-10371-5 .
• Uncle target . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1988, ISBN 0-340-41701-3 .
  • Over the Jordan. Thriller . Ullstein, Frankfurt / M. 1990, ISBN 3-548-10644-7 .

Secret Service Cycle

• Spy's honor . St. Martin's Press, New York 1995, ISBN 0-312-11898-8 .
• Flight from honor . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1996, ISBN 0-340-68189-6 .
• All honorable men . Hodder & Stoughton, London 1997, ISBN 0-340-70854-9 .
• Honorable intentions . Coronet Books, London 2000, ISBN 0-340-75076-6 .

As editor

• Freedom's Battle. Volume 2: The war in the air 1939-1945. An anthology of personal experience.

Film adaptations

script

• Roy Ward Baker (Director): Bandits on the Moon . 1969.

Novel

• Alastair Reid (Director): The secret servant. 1984.

literature

• William L. DeAndrea: Encyclopedia Mysteriosa. A comprehensive guide to the art of detection in print, film, radio and television . Macmillan, New York 1997, ISBN 0-02-861678-2 .
• Paul Lewis: Gavin Lyall, 70, Popular Author of Spy and Suspense Novels dies . In: The New York Times . dated January 20, 2003.
• Bruce F. Murphy: The encyclopedia of murder and mystery . Palgrave, New York 2001, ISBN 0-312-29414-X .
• Jay P. Pederson, Kathleen G. Klein: St. James Guide to crime and mystery writers . St. James Press, Detroit 1996, ISBN 1-55862-178-4 .
• Katharine Whitehorn: Selective memory. Autobiography . Virago Books, London 2007, ISBN 978-1-8440-8240-7 .
• John Williams: Gavin Lyall, thriller writer who really knew about the wrong side of the sky . In: The Guardian . dated January 21, 2001.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ There are three volumes in total; for The war at sea (Vol. 1) recognized John Winton ed. and responsible for The war at country (Vol. 3) Ronald Lewin.