Frances & Richard Lockridge

Frances (1896–1963, born in Kansas City, MO) and Richard (1898–1982 born in St. Joseph, MO) Lockridge – They authored a 10-volume series based on Detective Nathan Shapiro, a Jewish New York City police detective who first appeared in The Faceless Adversary (1956). Unlike the more confident leads in the Lockridges’ other series (such as the Norths or Captain Heimrich), Shapiro is characterized as a “sad-sack” detective. He is often depicted as melancholy, chronically pessimistic, and plagued by a deep sense of inadequacy, despite his actual professional success. While the mysteries follow traditional procedural structures, Shapiro’s internal monologue frequently reflects a specific mid-20th-century secular Jewish sensibility, emphasizing his status as an underdog who feels his promotions are undeserved.

The Lockridges were known for weaving liberal social theories and political commentary into their fiction. While their most famous series, Mr. and Mrs. North, features a more “WASP” social environment in Greenwich Village, their broader body of work occasionally touches on Jewish-adjacent themes. In the novel Twice Retired (1970), which features Bernie Simmons (another recurring character often associated with Shapiro), the narrative explores the “evil effects of fascism on families,” a theme deeply resonant with the Jewish experience during and after World War II. As the authors’ work provided a “richly detailed look at the changing life in New York City,” it naturally incorporated the diverse ethnic landscape of the city, including the Jewish presence within the legal and law enforcement systems. [Google/AI]

Lockridge, Frances & Richard: The Detective (NYPD) Nathan Shapiro Series – 10 volumes

1. Lockridge, Frances & Richard, (The Faceless Adversary [hc, J.B. Lippincott, 1956]) B001KW431Y
2. Lockridge, Frances, (Murder and Blueberry Pie [hc, Lippincott, 1959]) B0006AVYOA
3. Lockridge, Frances, (The Drill is Death [hc, Lippincott, 1961]) B0006AX6H8
4. Lockridge, Richard, (Murder for Art’s Sake [hc, Lippincott/BOMC, 1967]) B0006BQGBK
5. Lockridge, Richard (Die Laughing [hc, Lippincott, 1969]) B0006BYOHS
6. Lockridge, Richard (Preach No More [hc, Lippincott, 1970]) B00005WP29
7. Lockridge, Richard (Write Murder Down [hc, Lippincott, 1972]) 978-0397009466
8. Lockridge, Richard (Or Was He Pushed? [hc, Lippincott, 1975]) 978-0397010806 [pb, John Curley – LARGE PRINT, 1981] 978-0893403454
9. Lockridge, Richard (A Streak of Light [hc, Lippincott, 1976] 978-0397011773
10. Lockridge, Richard (The Old Die Young [hc, Lippincott & Crowell, 1980] 978-0690019483 [pb, John Curley – large print, 1980] 978-0893403430