Termed "mystery's Renaissance Man" (by Ed Hoch in The Best Mystery and Suspense Stories of 1993), Collins has created three celebrated contemporary suspense series: Nolan. Quarry and Mallory (thief, hitman, and mystery writer respectively). He has also written four widely praised historical thrillers about real-life "Untouchable" Eliot Ness, and is an accomplished writer of short fiction: "Louise," his contribution to the popular anthology Deadly Allies, was a Mystery Writers of America "Edgar" nominee for best short story of 1992. He scripted the internationally syndicated comic strip Dick Tracy from 1977 to 1993, and wrote three Tracy novels. Working as an independent filmmaker in his native Iowa, he wrote, directed and executive-produced Mommy, a suspense film starring Patty- McCormack, which aired on Lifetime cable in 1996; he performed the same duties for a sequel, Mommy's Day, released in 1997. The recipient of two Iowa Motion Picture Awards for screenwriting, he wrote The Expert, a 1995 HBO World Premiere film starring James Brolin.
