Hawke, Richard 1955–

(Tim Cockey)

PERSONAL:

Born 1955. Education: Attended college.

ADDRESSES:

E-mail—[email protected]; [email protected].

CAREER:

Writer.

WRITINGS:

Speak of the Devil: A Novel, Random House (New York, NY), 2005.

Cold Day in Hell: A Novel, Random House (New York, NY), 2007.

"HITCHCOCK SEWELL" SERIES; AS TIM COCKEY

The Hearse You Came In On, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2000.

Hearse of a Different Color, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2001.

Hearse Case Scenario, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2002.

Murder in the Hearse Degree, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2003.

Backstabber, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2004.

ADAPTATIONS:

Author's books have been adapted for audio, including Hearse Case Scenario, Brilliance Audio, 2002.

SIDELIGHTS:

Richard Hawke began his career by writing the "Hitchcock Sewel" humorous mystery series under the pseudonym Tim Cockey. Library Journal contributor Rex E. Klett called the series "delightful." The initial title in the series, The Hearse You Came In On, introduces readers to Hitch, an undertaker who is also an amateur detective. Hitch finds himself investigating the murder of a woman killed the day after another woman using her name came into Hitch's funeral home to arrange, so she claimed, her own funeral. In the process of the investigation, Hitch begins a romance with Baltimore cop Bonnie Nash. "Cockey possesses a terrific comic touch," wrote Bill Ott in Booklist. Hearse of a Different Color features Hitch and Nash on the case of a murdered waitress whose body was dumped on the steps of the Sewel & Sons funeral home. "Hearse of a Different Color had me laughing out loud from page one," commented Judi Clark on The Mostly Fiction Web site.

Hearse Case Scenario finds Hitch and his ex-wife looking for his friend Lucy, who shot her lover, Shrimp Martin, a nightclub owner. Booklist contributor Bill Ott wrote that the author "effectively grounds Hitch's high jinks in the real world." A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented: "The cast is colorful, and Hitch can be fun." In Murder in the Hearse Degree, Hitch investigates the death of a nanny who might have been pregnant by the husband of a one of Hitch's old flames. "Those who enjoy lighthearted mysteries with screwball characters will relish Cockey's fourth outing," noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. In the fifth book in the series, Backstabber, Hitch decides to investigate the murder of a woman's husband after he learns that the prime suspect is an old high school friend who was having an affair with her. A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote: "Cockey keeps the pace fast, the plot twisted and the laughs plentiful—as always, he does not disappoint."

In his first book writing as Richard Hawke, Speak of the Devil: A Novel, the author introduces private investigator Fritz Malone, who starts his day by stopping a mass murderer on a rampage. Before the day is over, however, Hawke, whose father was once the police commissioner, finds himself investigating a police scandal. Allison Block, writing in Booklist, noted: "In a genre populated with predictable PIs, Fritz Malone is a fresh, engaging blend of laconic detective and likable guy." In Library Journal, Jo Ann Vicarel wrote: "Read this for compelling characters and an intriguing, fast-paced plot."

Fritz returns in Cold Day in Hell: A Novel, this time trying to prove that a handsome, popular television host is innocent of murdering two women with whom he was having affairs. The only reason Fritz becomes involved is because one of the women came to him asking for help before she was killed. A Publishers Weekly contributor referred to the novel as "intriguing." Writing in Booklist, David Wright called it an "intelligent and well-turned mystery."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2000, Bill Ott, review of The Hearse You Came In On, p. 882; December 15, 2000, Bill Ott, review of Hearse of a Different Color, p. 790; January 1, 2002, Bill Ott, review of The Hearse Case Scenario, p. 816; May 1, 2004, Bill Ott, review of Backstabber, p. 1503; November 1, 2005, Allison Block, review of Speak of the Devil: A Novel, p. 28; January 1, 2007, David Wright, review of Cold Day in Hell: A Novel, p. 63.

Drood Review of Mystery, November, 2000, reviews of Hearse of a Different Color and The Hearse You Came In On, p. 13; May, 2001, review of Hearse of a Different Color, p. 10.

Entertainment Weekly, January 13, 2006, Gilbert Cruz, review of Speak of the Devil, p. 89.

Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2001, review of Hearse Case Scenario, p. 1647; December 15, 2002, review of Murder in the Hearse Degree, p. 1805; June 15, 2004, review of Backstabber, p. 558; February 1, 2007, review of Cold Day in Hell, p. 102.

Library Journal, March 1, 2000, Rex E. Klett, review of The Hearse You Came In On, p. 127; February 1, 2001, Rex E. Klett, review of Hearse of a Different Color, p. 127; February 1, 2002, Rex E. Klett, review of The Hearse Case Scenario, p. 136; February 1, 2003, Shelley Mosley, review of Murder in the Hearse Degree, p. 122; December 1, 2005, Jo Ann Vicarel, review of Speak of the Devil, p. 112; March 1, 2007, Stacy Alesi, review of Cold Day in Hell, p. 74.

Publishers Weekly, February 14, 2000, review of The Hearse You Came In On, p. 176; December 4, 2000, review of Hearse of a Different Color, p. 56; January 21, 2002, review of The Hearse Case Scenario, p. 67; January 20, 2003, review of Murder in the Hearse Degree, p. 59; June 28, 2004, review of Backstabber, p. 34; October 3, 2005, review of Speak of the Devil, p. 46; December 11, 2006, review of Cold Day in Hell, p. 43.

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (January 13, 2006), interview with author.

Mostly Fiction,http://www.mostlyfiction.com/ (February 6, 2000), Judi Clark, review of The Hearse Case Scenario; (February 4, 2001), Judi Clark, review of Hearse of a Different Color; (March 31, 2003), Judi Clark, review of Murder in the Hearse Degree.

Mystery Ink,http://www.mysteryinkonline.com/ (August 20, 2007), David J. Montgomery, review of Speak of the Devil.

Mystery Reader,http://www.themysteryreader.com/ (August 20, 2007), Lesley Dunlap, review of Speak of the Devil.

Richard Hawke Home Page,http://www.rhawke.com (August 20, 2007).

Tim Cockey Home Page,http://www.timcockey.com (August 20, 2007).