Lawrence Block

As the Scudder and Rhodenbarr novels became more popular, Block's began to garner critical praise. His third novel in the Scudder series, Time to Murder and Create (1978), earned him his first Edgar Award nomination for Best Paperback Original. However it was ironically Eight Million Ways to Die (1982), which Block intended to end the Scudder series, that expanded his sphere of influence. In 1983, he was on the shortlist of that year's Edgar Award for Best Novel but walked away with the top honors at the Shamus Awards for Best Novel. The novel was turned into the film "8 Million Ways to Die" (1986), which starred Jeff Bridges as Block's iconic alcoholic private investigator. Four year's later, Block's Burglar series was adapted into the comedy film "Burglar" (1987). Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr was changed to an female African-American named Bernice, who was portrayed by Academy Award-winner Whoopi Goldberg, with alternative comedian Bobcat Goldthwaite as her partner in crime; Block's subtle but pointed introduction to the film tie-in edition of The Burglar in the Closet made it clear that he did not approve of the alterations.Block's status as a preeminent author of mystery novels was cemented when he was won the Edgar Award for Best Novel for his book A Dance at the Slaughterhouse (1991). He had an especially terrific year in 1994 when the Mystery Writers of America awarded him Best Short Story for "Keller's Therapy" (1993), as well as honoring him the title of Grand Master, a recognition for lifetime achievement and consistent quality. Over a decade later, he was honored with the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. Block co-wrote his first original screenplay for the film "My Blueberry Nights" (2007), which was directed by acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai and starred Grammy Winner Norah Jones, Natalie Portman, and Jude Law. In 2014, another Scudder novel was adapted into the film "A Walk Among the Tombstones" (2014), based on Block's 1982 novel of the same name and starring Liam Neeson as the author's most famed character.