William Lashner
Quick Facts
Biography
William Lashner (born 1956), is an American novelist who formerly worked as a trial lawyer. He is a graduate of NYU School of Law and the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa. He has served as trial attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Justice Department. He lives with his family outside of Philadelphia, PA.
His novels include, Hostile Witness (1995); Bitter Truth (1997) aka Veritas; Fatal Flaw (2003); Past Due (2004); Falls the Shadow (2005); Marked Man (2007); Kockroach (as "Tyler Knox", 2007); A Killer's Kiss (2008); and Blood and Bone (2009).
His 1997 novel Veritas could be described, in the words of the gangster talking to Carlito in Carlito's Way, as 'old school, man, old school'. If you want massive and detailed description, a flawed character with weaknesses you will recognize, mixed with sex, murder and big money, undermined by intriguing psychological insight -- and which of us doesn't -- then Veritas has it all. Unlike many modern thrillers, that scrape away at the meat until there is nothing left only a raw, grammatically correct piece of perfection but with no life left in it, Veritas has detail, passion and depth. Lashner didn't spare himself, his pain of creation is evident on almost every page; he describes everything: 'Her apartment was unbelievably spacious, baronial in size and furnishings, with everything outsized and thick, huge couches, huge wing chairs, a grand piano.' The description goes on for almost a full page. Ya, old school, man, old school.
William Lashner is a founding partner of The Liars Club, a networking group of professional in publishing and other aspects of entertainment that includes Jonathan Maberry, Gregory Frost, Jon McGoran, Dennis Tafoya, Kelly Simmons, Keith DeCandido, Keith Strunk, Fran Wilde (author), and Merry Jones.