Barbara Allan Books

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Barbara Allan is a pen name that Barbara and Max Allan Collins use to write novels. Of the two, Max is more renowned. Barbara is primarily known for her short stories. Her husband’s body of work is far broader.

Max Allan Collins thought he would become a cartoonist. Writing fascinated him as well but drawing was his primary passion. As a boy, he drew several comics that he circulated at his school. His life changed when he discovered Chandler, Spillane, Hammett, and the like. He developed a keen interest in short stories and novels which he pursued enthusiastically.

By the time he reached tenth grade, Max had written his first novel. There was no question in his mind when he enrolled at the University of Iowa that he would pursue writing as a career. His professors were not as supportive as he would have liked.

Because this was the 1960s, crime fiction, which is what he wanted to write, was frowned upon. Max’s university was filled with literary snobs that did not hesitate to dismiss his dreams. However, the author was fortunate enough to receive the backing of instructors like Richard Yates who understood and appreciated his talent.

Yates gave Max the guidance he needed to hone his skills. Though, that wasn’t enough to grant the author immediate success. For a time, he tried and failed to write successful stories set in New York and California. The locations were a staple in the hard-boiled genre. It took the author far too long to realize that he couldn’t work with the settings.

But eventually, he learned his lessons, switched tracks, and started writing stories set in Port City, Iowa. In the years that followed, Max turned his attention to comics and screenplays. Some people do not realize that the movie ‘Road to Perdition’ was based on Max Allan Collins’ graphic novel.

He also wrote the ‘Dick Tracy’ comic strip, having taken over from Chester Gould, the creator. This was on top of writing Batman comics in the late 1980s. He cemented his position in the annals of DC comic book history by creating a new origin for the character of Jason Todd. Some of his most notable achievements in the field include creating the character of ‘Wild Dog’ with Terry Beatty and writing books based on the ‘Dark Angel’ TV show, and the ‘CSI’ Television Franchise.

Barbara Collins, for her part, worked as a production manager for her husband’s ‘Mommy’ films. She also worked on ‘Too Many Tomcats’.

Barbara Collins and Max Allan Collins have collaborated on books that have been published under both their names. One example is ‘Bombshell’. The couple has also written novels under the ‘Barbara Allan’ pen name. The ‘Barbara Allan’ pseudonym is known mostly for the ‘Trash n Treasure’ Mystery Series.

Best Barbara Allan Books

Barbara Allan’s work has been commended for its intimate voice, brisk pace, and realistic portrayal of small towns, with some of the best books in the author’s bibliography including:

Antique Roadkill: Brandy Borne wasn’t happy. First of all, she was divorced. Secondly, she came home to find that an antique dealer had robbed her bipolar mother. They had taken all her family heirlooms.

Brandy had no interest in letting the matter go. She immediately began her hunt for the culprit. Brandy was hoping for quick justice. She did not expect her mother to run the antique dealer over. Fortunately, he was already dead, murdered by someone else.

Now Brandy and her mother are investigating the crime. The police are determined to keep them away from the case. But the duo has a vested interest in finding the killer.

Antiques Maul: Brandy was losing it. Her recent divorce wasn’t her only problem. After quitting the local theater group, her dramatic mother was suddenly idle and that placed Brandy in a difficult situation. She knew that she had to find a way to occupy the woman. That was the only way to preserve her sanity.

So Brandy and her mother opened a booth at the new antique mall. What should have been the start of a new journey took a bloody turn when a dog killed its owner. The police did not hesitate to close the case. They were certain that the dog was guilty. But Brandy wasn’t convinced. In fact, she was certain that the dog had been framed. She just had to prove it.

When Does The Next Barbara Allan book come out?

Barbara Allan doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Antiques Foe and was released on November, 7th 2023. It is the newest book in the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery Series.

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