Author of Maine Massacre dies at 77

Those of you who have discovered the work of detective fiction master Janwillem van de Vetering through his books about Dutch policemen Grijpstra and de Gier will be sad to know that he succumbed to complications due to cancer at the age of 77 on July 4th. That same police team that charmed so many of us won him the French Grand Prix de Littérature Policiere for their antics in The Maine Massacre, which landed them out of their Amsterdam element, here in the Pine Tree State.

Back in 2003, the Portland Phoenix printed an article by Christopher Thompson about the author and his relationship to the state of Maine, please click here to read.
It's well worth the look -- it contains a look at van de Wetering's daily environment here in Maine, and tales of his battle with cancer, and, during the throes of WWII, with an attempt at suicide stopped by a surprising savior: "I was still going to kill myself," he explained, "but I had to figure out this Hieronymus Bosch business first."

We will miss you!!!

His New York Times obituary can be found here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/books/13wetering.html

He set another of his books in Maine, Murder By Remote Control, which appeared in graphic novel form with illustrations by Paul Kirchner. The very interesting NY Times review of it appears here.