They’ve gotta be putting something in the water in Philly. Seriously, over the last sixty years (and if you listen to certain cantankerous scholars, much longer than that), the city of brotherly love has produced some of the finest crime and genre writers in the United States. But in particular, the last decade has produced such stellar voices as Jonathan Maberry, BSC favorite Duane Swierczynski, and…Dennis Tafoya.
Tafoya’s first novel, Dope Thief, has been favorably compared to the early novels of George Pelecanos and Dennis Lehane, and for obvious reasons. Tafoya’s voice is grittily poetic and self-assured, and as you can see from the BSC/Spinetingler kill krewe’s best crime/mystery of the year list for 2009, we’re kind of fond of the guy.
Lucky for me, Dennis came to the Phoenix area about a month ago, and we got the chance to sit down at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe to talk about Dope Thief, Tafoya’s upcoming novel, The Wolves of Fairmount Park, and more.












Great interview with a great new writer!
I loved the interview! Dope Thief is great and I’m looking forward to The Wolves in Fairmount Park! Terrific writer.
Enjoyed the interview, will be checking Dennis out. Thanks Keith.
Thanks for the introduction to Mr. Tafoya!
My husband was born in Doylestown and we both grew up there so I am really excited to read this one. Thanks, Keith.
Beut of an interview. Dope Thief looks well hard!