RIP - Stephen J. Cannell

The Associated Press announced that Stephen J. Cannell died yesterday, at 69, of complications from melanoma.  http://tinyurl.com/25wffxs

Cannell was a model for anyone who suffered from dyslexia, since he went on to write hundreds of television scripts, and numerous books.

He created or co-created almost forty television series, mostly crime dramas, such as The Rockford Files, The A-Team, 21 Jump Street, and The Commish.  I watched so many of his shows.  But, in the long run, the best tribute I can think of, that might be different from others, is to rerun a review I once did of my favorite book by Cannell, King Con.

Two years ago, I reviewed King Con for a feature called Friday's "Forgotten" Books.



Today, for Friday's "Forgotten" Books, a number of bloggers are talking about books that they "feel are unfairly obscure, or at least important enough to write a brief blurb touting them to the assembled blogosphere."

No one would call Stephen J. Cannell's King Con an important book. However, as a public librarian, it's a book that has proven to be successful for me to use with almost every reader. Emmy Award winner Stephen J. Cannell is the person behind TV hits, "The Rockford Files," "The Commish," "Wiseguy," and "The A-Team." In King Con, he created a character every reader wants to cheer for, Beano X. Bates.

Beano X. Bates is king of the con man, until he messes with the wrong man, a Mafia don who doesn't take kindly to his loss in a card game. After Beano is almost beaten to death, he decides to leave the business. But, with the murder of his cousin, Beano is determined to pull one last big con, and ruin the crime boss. Together with a beautiful prosecutor, and a wonderful cast of characters, Beano X. Bates designs the perfect last job, to prove he is still King Con.

It's a book for anyone who enjoyed "The Sting" or "The A-Team." I never found the other Cannell books as interesting, but King Con is a winner.

King Con by Stephen J. Cannell. William Morrow and Company, Inc., ©1997. ISBN 9780688147761 (hardcover), 407p.

RIP, Stephen J. Cannell. And, thank you for many years of reading and viewing pleasure.