Clayton Hartley Matthews (b. 24 October 1918 – d. 25 March 2004), was a U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 writer

Writer

A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

 of mystery, erotic and romance novels, with more than 35 books and many short stories as Clayton Matthews. He often collaborated with his wife, the also writer Patricia Matthews

Patricia Matthews

Patricia Brisco Matthews was an American writer of gothic, romance and mystery novels. She wrote under the pen names P.A. Brisco, Patty Brisco, Pat A. Brisco, Pat Brisco, Patricia Matthews and Laura Wylie...

 (Patty Brisco); and they were called "the hottest couple in paperbacks.".

Life

Clayton Hartley Matthews was born in 24 October 1918. He started writing short stories in late 1950s. He began contributing to the Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine and then turned to writing paperback novels, mostly in the erotic genre, in the early 1960s.

In a California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

's local writers' group, he met the also writer Patty Brisco. After his divorce, they married in 3 November 1972, and lived near San Diego. In late 1970s, his agent Jay Garon, suggested to him and his wife to write romance novels. In the 1980s and 1990s Matthews and his wife collaborated on romance and mystery novels. Matthews died in 25 March 2004.

Short stories

• "Stone Cold Dead" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1958)
• Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1966/Sep) (with Joe L. Hensley
  Joe L. Hensley
  Joseph Louis "Joe L." Hensley was a lawyer, prosecuting attorney, member of the Indiana General Assembly, circuit court judge, science fiction fan, and writer of science fiction and mysteries...
  
  , Morris Hershman and Steve April)
• "The Handyman" in AHMM (1967/Apr)
• "The Ultimate Death of Roger Blaine" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1968/Jun)
• "Raft of Fear" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1970/May)
• "The Big Stretch" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1970/Jun) (with Edward D. Hoch
  Edward D. Hoch
  Edward Dentinger Hoch was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories.-Biography:...
  
   and Brett Halliday
  Brett Halliday
  Brett Halliday , primary pen name of Davis Dresser, was an American mystery writer, best known for the long-lived series of Michael Shayne novels he wrote, and later commissioned others to write...
  
  )
• Alfred Hitchcock (1970/Jun) (with James McKimmey)
• "Twister" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1970/Aug) (with M.G. Ogan and Walter J. Sheldon)
• "Pit of Fear" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1974/Apr)
• "Sweet Alice" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1980/Oct) (with Michael Avallone
  Michael Avallone
  Michael Avallone was a prolific American author of mystery and secret agent fiction, as well as many novels based upon various television series and films...
  
  , John Ball, Paul Greeson, Edward D. Hoch
  Edward D. Hoch
  Edward Dentinger Hoch was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories.-Biography:...
  
  , William F. Nolan
  William F. Nolan
  William Francis Nolan is an American author, who wrote stories in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres. He is best known for coauthoring the novel Logan's Run, with George Clayton Johnson. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1976 horror film Burnt Offerings which starred Karen Black and...
  
  , James M. Reasoner, Larry Sterling, Mike Taylor
  Mike Taylor
  Mike Taylor may refer to:* Mike Taylor , basketball guard* Mike Taylor , English cricketer* Mike Taylor , English cricketer...
  
   and J.L. Washburn)
• "Run, Rabbit, Run" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1981/Mar) (with Leo Whitaker)
• "Bucknell's Law" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1981/Sep)
• "Going to Pot" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1981/Sep)
• "The Caliber of Death" in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine (1982/Jul) (with Talmage Powell)
• Alfred Hitchcock (1986/Jun) (with Wilbur Daniel Steele
  Wilbur Daniel Steele
  Wilbur Daniel Steele was a U.S. author and playwright. He has been called "America's recognised master of the popular short story" between World War I and the Great Depression....
  
  )
• Alfred Hitchcock (1973/Sep) (with Ron Goulart
  Ron Goulart
  Ron Goulart is an American popular culture historian and mystery, fantasy and science fiction author.The prolific Goulart wrote many novelizations and other routine work under various pseudonyms: Kenneth Robeson , Con Steffanson , Chad Calhoun, R.T...
  
   and Alan Dean Foster
  Alan Dean Foster
  Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
  
  )
• "Trade-Off" in Classic Pulp Fiction Stories (1997/Aug)

Novels

• A Rage Of Desire (1960)
• Discontented Wives (1961)
• The Strange Ways of Love (1961)
• Faithless (1962)
• Sex dancer (1962)
• The Promiscuous Doll (1962)
• Nude Running (1963)
• The Corrupter (1964)
• Dive into death (1969)
• The Mendoza File (1970)
• Nylon Nightmare (1970)
• Bounty Hunt at Ballarat (1973)
• The Big Score (1973)
• The Negotiator (1975)
• New Orleans (1976)
• Hong Kong (1976)
• Dallas (1978)
• The Power Seekers (1978)
• The Harvesters (1979)
• The Proud Castles (1986)
• Twister (1986)
• Death at the Border (1987)

For the Millions Series (multi-author)

• Hypnotism for the Millions (1968)
• Secret Psychic Organizations for the Millions (1969)

Omnibus in collaboration

• Hager's Castle (1969) (with Bill Hughes
  Bill Hughes
  William Frederick Hughes CBE QPM was Director General of Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency until his retirement on 31 August 2010, when he was succeeded by his deputy Trevor Pearce. He was formerly Director General of the National Crime Squad, until its merger with SOCA on April 1, 2006...
  
  )
• At The Border (2004) (with Mark Schroder)

Casey Farrell Series

1. The Scent of Fear (1992)
2. Vision of Death (1992)
3. Taste of Evil (1993)
4. Sound of Murder (1994)
5. Touch of Terror (1995)