Macdonald, Ross (1915-1983), was the pen name of Kenneth Millar, an American writer of detective novels. Macdonald’s best-known books feature Lew Archer, a private detective. The Archer novels are “hard-boiled” detective fiction, which emphasizes realism and violence. But Macdonald also explored the psychological and social forces that lead to crime. His works are also noted for their highly literate prose style.
Much of Macdonald’s work features the theme of a family broken by the loss of the father. Many of his characters seek close personal relationships and the meaning of life in a world that seems impersonal. The action takes place amid southern California’s landscapes and changing lifestyles, which he portrayed vividly. Macdonald introduced Archer in The Moving Target (1949). Archer appeared in 17 other novels, including The Chill (1964), The Far Side of the Dollar (1965), The Goodbye Look (1969), The Underground Man (1971), and The Blue Hammer (1976). The Library of America reissued 11 of Macdonald’s novels in three volumes in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Macdonald’s short stories were collected in Lew Archer, Private Investigator (1977).
Macdonald was born on Dec. 3, 1915, in Los Gatos, California, and grew up in Canada. His Canadian-born wife, Margaret Millar, also wrote detective novels. Macdonald died on July 11, 1983.
