Thomas Chastain
Encyclopedia
Thomas Chastain was an American author of crime fiction. He is best known for his bestseller Who Killed the Robins Family? And Where and When and Why and How Did They Die? as well as the sequel to that work. He was born January 17, 1921 and died in September 1994. He served as the president of Mystery Writers of America
in 1989. He was also known as Nick Carter and Thomas Chastain, Jr.
but grew up in the south of the United States
. He attended Johns Hopkins University
and worked in Baltimore, Maryland and New York City
writing copy for newspapers, magazines and advertising.
Chastain has worked as an author of crime fiction and mystery since his first work, Judgment Day, was published in 1962. He became a novelist full-time in 1974. Before the success of those novels, Chastain wrote a series of crime novels featuring Max Kauffman the Deputy Chief Inspector for New York City.
His most well known work, Who Killed the Robins Family? And Where and When and Why and How Did They Die? (1983), was a mystery novel about the murder of a wealthly cosmetics frim owning family, in which the solution to the mystery was not revealed. Readers were to guess who had committed the crimes and submit their guesses to the publisher. The first reader to guess correctly received a cash prize. Four married couples from Denver answered 39 of the 40 questions in the book correctly and won the $10,000 prize. The book sold over 1 million copies and was top of the New York Times best-seller in January 1984. A sequel entitled The Revenge of the Robins Family (1984) was released; while not as successful it also sold well.
He served as the president of Mystery Writers of America
in 1989. Chastain authored several other novels including Pandora's Box (1974), Where the Truth Lies (1988) with Helen Hayes
and The Prosecutor (1992). Over the course of his career he also worked as a newspaper reporter and editor. He co-wrote (with Sam Simon
) the story of The Simpsons
episode "Black Widower
".
Chastain died September 1, 1994 aged 73 from lung cancer
at Lenox Hill Hospital
in Manhattan
. He was married to Louise until his death and had a brother and a sister.
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
in 1989. He was also known as Nick Carter and Thomas Chastain, Jr.
Career
Chastain was born in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
but grew up in the south of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He attended Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and worked in Baltimore, Maryland and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
writing copy for newspapers, magazines and advertising.
Chastain has worked as an author of crime fiction and mystery since his first work, Judgment Day, was published in 1962. He became a novelist full-time in 1974. Before the success of those novels, Chastain wrote a series of crime novels featuring Max Kauffman the Deputy Chief Inspector for New York City.
His most well known work, Who Killed the Robins Family? And Where and When and Why and How Did They Die? (1983), was a mystery novel about the murder of a wealthly cosmetics frim owning family, in which the solution to the mystery was not revealed. Readers were to guess who had committed the crimes and submit their guesses to the publisher. The first reader to guess correctly received a cash prize. Four married couples from Denver answered 39 of the 40 questions in the book correctly and won the $10,000 prize. The book sold over 1 million copies and was top of the New York Times best-seller in January 1984. A sequel entitled The Revenge of the Robins Family (1984) was released; while not as successful it also sold well.
He served as the president of Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
in 1989. Chastain authored several other novels including Pandora's Box (1974), Where the Truth Lies (1988) with Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
and The Prosecutor (1992). Over the course of his career he also worked as a newspaper reporter and editor. He co-wrote (with Sam Simon
Sam Simon
Samuel "Sam" Simon is an American director, producer, writer, boxing manager and philanthropist. While at Stanford University, Simon worked as a newspaper cartoonist and after graduating became a storyboard artist at Filmation Studios. He submitted a spec script for the sitcom Taxi, which was...
) the story of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Black Widower
Black Widower
"Black Widower" is the 21st episode of The Simpsons third season, originally airing on the Fox network in the United States on April 9, 1992. It was written by Jon Vitti, directed by David Silverman, and saw Kelsey Grammer guest star as Sideshow Bob for the second time. In the episode, Sideshow...
".
Chastain died September 1, 1994 aged 73 from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at Lenox Hill Hospital
Lenox Hill Hospital
Lenox Hill Hospital, on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City, is a 652-bed, acute care hospital and a major teaching affiliate of New York University Medical Center. Founded in 1857 as the German Dispensary, today's 10-building Lenox Hill Hospital complex has occupied its present site since...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He was married to Louise until his death and had a brother and a sister.
Selected bibliography
- Judgment Day (1962)
- Death Walk (1971)
- Assassination Brigade (under the pseudonym Nick Carter) (1974)
- Pandora's Box (1974)
- 911 (1976)
- Vital Statistics (1977)
- High Voltage (1979)
- The Diamond Exchange (1981)
- Nightscape (1982)
- Who Killed the Robins Family? And Where and When and Why and How Did They Die? (1983)
- Where The Truth Lies (1988)
- Perry Mason in the Case of Too Many Murders (1989)
- Perry Mason in the Case of the Burning Bequest (1990)
- The Prosecutor (1992)
External links
- Thomas Chastain bibliography at Classic Crime Fiction
- The official Thomas Chastain website