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Author Topic: RIP Edward D. Hoch  (Read 1740 times)

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JIM DOHERTY

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RIP Edward D. Hoch
« on: January 18, 2008, 01:20:23 AM »

I heard on another list that a true legend in short mystery, Edward D.
Hoch, passed away today. According to the information I have, his wife found him collapsed in the shower.  He'd already passed by the time she got to him.

I met Mr. Hoch several times, at Bouchercons and other mystery gatherings. He
was a true gentleman. Kind, encouraging to new writers, modest about his own
accomplishments, and enthusiastic about the genre.

He won a well-deserved Edgar in the short story category for his classic "The
Oblong Room," an entry in perhaps his most enduring series, which featured
Captain Jules Leopold, the commander of the homicide detail in a suburban police
force north of New York. Mr. Hoch was also an MWA past president, and a Grand
Master.

He was also one of the most versatile writer in our field. During his career,
he wrote police procedurals (the aforementioned Leopold series), hard-boiled
private eye stories, spy stories, western/mystery crossovers, cozies, pastiches,
locked room mysteries, etc., and all of them superbly plotted fair-play whodunits.

For the last 35 years or so, Mr. Hoch had a story printed in every single issue of EQMM, making him the mystery short story equivalent of Lou Gehrig or Cal Ripken. Crime fiction's "Iron Man."

He was also one of the very few mystery writers who was able to make a living
exclusively on his short stories, the medium in which our genre first appeared.

His passing is a great loss to the mystery field.

Ingrid

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Re: RIP Edward D. Hoch
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2008, 09:10:19 AM »

Yes, I was sorry to hear it.  The man was prolific.  And where most of us are lucky to get one story per year into one of the two leading magazines, he got into every issue of EQMM.  This suggests that readers bought the magazine primarily to read Hoch's latest.

Ingrid
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Matthew S.

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Re: RIP Edward D. Hoch
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2008, 10:09:36 AM »

He will be loved and missed.  In going over the stories I've read of his I can't think of a single one that didn't fulfill all my requirements for a good story - believeable characters, good plot, entertaining, a satisfying ending. 

God bless.

Matthew S.
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penny

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Re: RIP Edward D. Hoch
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2008, 03:10:56 PM »

Although I've never heard of this writer, thank you, Jim, for the beautiful words and for introducing Mr Hoch to me and to others who didn't know of him.

Penny
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linda

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Re: RIP Edward D. Hoch
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2008, 08:09:13 PM »

I was one of those who bought EQMM and opened it to Edward Hoch's story first. 

You're right, he always had excellent plots.  He will be missed.

Linda
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