Louis Joseph Vance

Louis Joseph Vance was a prominent American mystery author, best known for creating the popular character "The Lone Wolf." This character, also known as Michael Lanyard, was featured in over twenty films and close to ten books from the time the first book was published until around 1950. Vance's writings were well-received and his work left a significant mark on the mystery genre.

Born in New York City, Vance was educated in the preparatory department of the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. After 1901, he began writing short stories and verse, eventually transitioning to popular novels. His most famous character, The Lone Wolf, was introduced in the novel "The Lone Wolf" in 1914. The character was so popular that it was adapted into twenty-four films between 1914 and 1949, and also appeared in radio and television series.

Vance's personal life was marked by tragedy. He was separated from his wife, whom he had married in 1898 and with whom he had a son the following year. His death, in 1933, was ruled accidental. He was found dead in a burnt armchair inside his New York apartment, having been intoxicated at the time. A cigarette had ignited some benzene, which he had on his body for cleaning his clothes or for his broken jaw. Vance had recently returned from the West Indies, where he had been gathering material for a new book. Despite the circumstances of his death, Vance's literary legacy lives on through his popular novels and the enduring character of The Lone Wolf.