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Jack Ritchie

ジャック・リッチー

Jack Ritchie

Aliases: John George Reitci
Pen Names: Steve O'Connell（Pseudonym used for some short stories）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1922-02-26 （Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States）
Died
1983-04-25 （Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States (VA hospital)） age 61
Nationality
United States
Languages
English

Career

Occupations
mystery writer, short story writer
Active Years
1953-1983

Education

Milwaukee State Teachers College
Country: United States
After graduating he served in the U.S. Army during WWII. After the war he helped in his family's dressmaking shop while writing short stories.

Awards

Edgar Award (Best Short Story)
1982
Work: The Absence of Emily
Category: 短編
Organization: Mystery Writers of America (MWA)
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Crime Machine

1961 short story (mystery)

A darkly humorous short story in which a hitman, Reeves, is confronted by a man claiming to have seen his murder by using a time machine, leading to escalating negotiations and revelations.

black humortime/paradoxcrime
Translations
  • Included in Japanese collections as "The Crime Machine" (translated into Japanese)

The Absence of Emily

1981 short story (mystery)

Albert insists his wife Emily is away, while neighbors suspect foul play; a series of staged sightings and hints culminate in an unexpected twist.

deceptionmisperceptionhumorous suspense
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Tales of the Unexpected: The Absence of Emily (1982)
  • [TV drama (remake)] The Absence of Emily (2003)
Translations
  • The Absence of Emily (translated into Japanese)

The Cardula Detective Agency

1977 short story series (detective comedy)

A series of short stories featuring Count Cardula, an exiled noble turned private detective; playful allusions in the stories hint at vampiric traits, producing comic effect.

parodycomic gothicprivate detective

The Adventures of Henry Turnbuckle: Detective Comedies

1987 short story collection (detective comedy)

A posthumous collection compiling the Henry Turnbuckle detective comedies featuring the brilliant but oddly misguided detective.

police proceduralcomedymisleading deductions

Bibliography

  • The Crime Machine (Japanese edition) 2005
  • The Enormous $10 (Japanese edition) 2006
  • Dial A in Alibi (Japanese edition) 2007
  • The Cardula Detective Agency (Japanese edition) 2010
  • Jack Ritchie's Various Tricks (Japanese edition) 2013
  • Jack Ritchie's Surprise Parade (Japanese edition) 2016

Adaptations

  • The Absence of Emily adapted for Tales of the Unexpected (1982)
  • The Absence of Emily adapted for TV (2003)

Translations of Works

  • Many short stories have been translated into Japanese and published in multiple collections (e.g., The Crime Machine, The Cardula Detective Agency).

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise, rhythmic prosedeadpan / black-humor tone
Recurring Motifs
twist endingsmix of everyday life and the uncannyparodic detective/police scenarios

Health

  • heart attack
    1983-04-25
    Died of a heart attack on 1983-04-25 at a VA hospital

Legacy

A master of the short story, Ritchie left over 350 pieces characterized by humor and clever twists. He was a staple of mystery magazines and has multiple collections translated into Japanese.

In Popular Culture

  • The Absence of Emily has been adapted for television and broadcast/redistributed in the UK and elsewhere.

Trivia

  • He is credited with over 350 short stories.
  • Birth name reported as John George Reitci.
  • Published some works under the pseudonym Steve O'Connell.
  • Won the MWA Edgar Award for Best Short Story in 1982.
  • Died of a heart attack in 1983 at a VA hospital in Milwaukee; a military funeral was held.