British crime author Alan Rustage, who wrote more than 60 novels, has died, the Bookseller reported. He was 75.
Rustage's publisher, Severn House, paid tribute to its "most prolific author," whose books included the Monika Paniatowski police procedurals, the Inspector Blackstone historical mysteries, the Jenny Redhead PI novels, the Inspector Woodend mysteries, and several standalone crime novels. He wrote a number of series under the pseudonym Sally Spencer. "His novels were noted for their complex, intricate plots coupled with sharp insights into human behavior," Severn House said.
Rachel Slatter, editorial director at the publisher, added: "The author of Severn House's first original novel, Alan is firmly embedded in the history of Severn House. He counts as Severn House's most prolific author in our 50-year history, hitting the remarkable milestone of the publication of his 50th book with Severn House back in 2021 before he put his pen down and retired from writing. I was lucky enough to have worked with Alan for many years."
After a period as an English teacher in the U.K., Iran, and Spain, he left teaching to pursue writing full time. His debut published novel, Salt of the Earth, released by Severn House in 1993, was the first in a trilogy that paid homage to his working-class hometown of Marston.
"Alan's contributions to crime fiction have been outstanding and his legacy will continue to live on in his novels," said Joanne Grant, publisher at Severn House.