The Unsung Crime Writer George Pelecanos

Apparently, I'm not the only person who hasn't picked up on the acclaim for writer George Pelecanos, who is consistently one of the best reviewed writers in the crime genre -- or any genre for that matter. The NY Times looks at the dismal sales for his books and the all-out effort his publisher is making for "The Night Gardener." Frankly, I had the impression he was a modestly best-selling author, though clearly he hasn't broken out like Dennis Lehane (of "Mystic River") who I HAVE read and even written about. So what has kept me from diving in? I don't quite know, other than the fact that I haven't been able to score an assignment to interview him. As I did with Lehane, I often pitch writers I know I want to read -- when I get the go-ahead, I use that as an excuse to read as much of their work as I can before the interview. With Pelecanos, I think I'm done waiting for an excuse.