by Tom Nolan
“ ‘I have only one daughter, Mr. Archer . . .’ ”: “Gone Girl,” first published as “The Imaginary Blonde,” Manhunt, February 1953.
“At 5:30 P.M. Thursday, February 23”: Details of Linda’s activities and other events from People vs. Linda Jane Millar and Santa Barbara News-Press stories.
“ ‘Police Have Suspect Car’ ”: Santa Barbara News-Press, February 24, 1956.
“ ‘Expert Examining Hit-Run Vehicle’ ”: Santa Barbara News-Press, February 25, 1956.
“ ‘Girl, 16, Faces Arrest’ ”: Santa Barbara News-Press, February 26, 1956.
“ ‘She had been planning to go to a girlfriend’s house’ ”: People vs. Linda Jane Millar, psychiatrist’s report.
“ ‘we are filled with grief’ ”: “Girl, 16, Faces Charges in Hit-and-Run Death,” Santa Barbara Star, March 1, 1956.
“ ‘We look to the future without fear’ ”: Millar to von Auw, March 5, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘One-fifth gallon in an hour’ ”: Millar, “Notes of a Son and Father,” UCI.
“ ‘Nothing seemed to matter’ ”: People vs. Linda Jane Millar, Probation Department report.
“ ‘Ironies’ ”: Margaret Millar interview with TN.
“ ‘Artists are people who voluntarily undergo’ ”: Donald Pearce interview with TN.
“ ‘As a man writes his fiction’ ”: Ross Macdonald, preface to Lew Archer, Private Investigator; reprinted in Self-Portrait.
“ ‘Life seems to come in tidal waves’ ”: Millar to von Auw, May 4, 1956, Princeton.
“Her parents wept”: “Linda Millar Faces Adult Court Trial,” Santa Barbara News-Press, May 10, 1956.
“ ‘I am prompted by the moral and practical necessity’ ”: Millar to von Auw, May 11, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘to move immediately to get for Linda’ ”: Millar to von Auw, May 18, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘Happily it’s no snake pit’ ”: Millar to von Auw, June 13, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘Maggie’s a grief-stricken woman’ ”: Millar to von Auw, June 3, 1956, Princeton.
“all three Millars were summoned”: People vs. Linda Jane Millar, grand jury testimony.
“One of my children’ ”: Claire Stump interview with TN.
“ ‘He was determined that Linda should go through with whatever the law demanded’ ”: Lydia Freeman interview with TN.
“ ‘Nice person’ ”: Millar, “Notes of a Son and Father,” UCI.
“ ‘It was just a ghastly experience’ ”: Claire Stump interview with TN.
“ ‘I was at the Catholic high school’ ”: Aggeler interview with TN.
“ ‘no rational enthusiast’ ”: Anthony Boucher, “Report on Criminals at Large,” New York Times Book Review, June 24, 1956.
“ ‘an admirable, thoroughly absorbing piece of work’ ”: James Sandoe, “Mystery and Suspense,” New York Herald Tribune, July 15, 1956.
“ ‘Macdonald’s masterpiece!’ ”: Knopf ad, New York Times Book Review, July 8, 1956.
“ ‘You know how much I like THE BARBAROUS COAST’ ”: Knopf to Millar, July 11, 1956, HRHRC.
“After five months’ controversy”: “Linda Millar Guilty in Hit, Run Fatality: Judge Wagner Raps Lack of Co-operation by Defense,” Santa Barbara News-Press, July 11, 1956.
“ ‘After I had dinner’ ”: People vs. Linda jane Millar, Linda’s handwritten statement.
“the evening’s News-Press”: “Probation in Hit-Run Case: Linda Millar Is Granted 8-Year Suspension by Judge,” Santa Barbara News-Press, August 27, 1956.
“ ‘Many of the callers’ ”: “Judge Is Threatened for Millar Decision: Linda and Parents Leave Town, Plan Fresh Start,” Santa Barbara Star, August 30, 1956.
“Juicy excerpts”: Ibid.
“ ‘She was a headstrong young lady’ ”: Harris Seed interview with TN.
“ ‘When there’s trouble in a family’ ”: Ross Macdonald, Sleeping Beauty (Knopf, 1973).
“On the eve of Memorial Day’ ”: Millar, “Memorial Day,” notebook, UCI.
“Clearing a space”: Millar to von Auw, November 15, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘Things are working out better’ ”: Millar to Mrs. Clara Lon Gould, Harold Ober Associates, September 5, 1956, Princeton.
“ ‘a watershed event’ ”: Millar interview with Paul Nelson, UCI.
“ ‘get the genie back into the bottle’ ”: Millar to Michael Avallone, October 19, 1975, UCI.
“The very hardest thing for him to face”: Millar interview with Paul Nelson, UCI.
“ ‘I asked him about the accusation’ ”: Jerry Tutunjian interview with TN.
“an unpublished Archer novelette (‘The Angry Man’)”: manuscript, UCI.
“his ‘diary of psychic progress’ ”: Millar to Dorothy Olding, May 27, 1957, Princeton.
“ ‘I was dreaming about a hairless ape’ ”: Ross Macdonald, The Doomsters (Knopf, 1958).
“ ‘The Doomsters, by Ross Macdonald’ ”: Millar to von Auw, May 27, 1957, Princeton.
“ ‘I like the fact that it runs close to 100,000 words’ ”: Millar later amicably trimmed his manuscript.
“ ‘Things look green after the drought’ ”: Ibid.
“ ‘Ever since the days of Francis Galton’ ”: Margaret Millar, The Invisible Worm (Doubleday, Doran, 1941).
“ ‘It looks like an interesting decade coming up’ ”: Millar to Knopf, August 26, 1957, HRHRC.
“ ‘Hostility toward life apparently including me’ ”: Robert Easton, “A Tribute,” in Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook: 1983 (A Bruccoli Clark Book/Gale Research Company, 1983).
“ ‘He could maintain long silences’ ”: Shelly Lowenkopf, “Santa Barbara Mystery Writers,” Santa Barbara News & Review, August 29, 1985.
“ ‘Ken was an unusually controlled person’ ”: Donald Davie interview with TN.
“ ‘M. is more chipper’ ”: Millar to von Auw, September 24, 1957, Princeton.
“the best winter of his life”: Millar interview with Arthur Kaye, UCI.
“ ‘Sometimes he would read aloud a short story’ ”: Herb Harker interview with TN.
“ ‘I’ll never know how he achieved that’ ”: Noel Young, “Writer as Teacher,” Santa Barbara News & Review, July 21, 1983.
“ ‘The hiss-and-boo villain died in the nineteenth century’ ”: Jon Carrol, “Ross Macdonald in Raw California,” Esquire, June 1972.
“ ‘what we both desire’ ”: Millar to Boucher, March 2, 1958, Indiana.
“ ‘the hardboiled private detective story can become literature’ ”: Anthony Boucher, “Criminals at Large,” New York Times Book Review, February 23, 1958.
“ ‘a milieu evoked’ ”: James Sandoe, “Mystery and Suspense,” New York Herald Tribune Book Review, February 16, 1958.
“ ‘snake-pit’ ”: Sergeant Cuff, “The Criminal Record,” Saturday Review, June 14, 1958.
“ ‘kind of homesick’ ”: Lenore Glen Offord, “The Gory Road,” San Francisco Chronicle, March 16, 1958.
“ ‘generally unpleasant personnel’ ”: Sergeant Cuff, “Criminal Record.”
“ ‘I am worried and distressed’ ”: Knopf to Millar, February 28, 1958, UCI.
“ ‘He writes like an angel’ ”: Dave Herrmann to Knopf, February 26, 1959, HRHRC; quoted by Knopf to Millar, February 28, 1959, HRHRC, UCI.
“ ‘Dear Alfred’ ”: Millar to Knopf, March 9, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘Don’t, for heaven’s sake’ ”: Knopf to Millar, March 13, 1958, UCI.
“ ‘This is a fine Archer’ ”: Quoted by Knopf to von Auw, May 21, 1958, Princeton.
“ ‘with great enjoyment’ ”: Knopf to Millar, July 2, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘She was madly in love with him’ ”: Margaret Millar interview with TN.<
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“ ‘major contribution to the form’ ”: Loren D. Estleman, “Off the Record/Plus Expenses: The Private Eye as Great American Hero,” Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, September 1983.
“ ‘I’m afraid my son had a nostalgie de la boue’ ”: Ross Macdonald, The Galton Case (Knopf, 1959).
“The poem offered in evidence, ‘Luna’ ”: “I wrote that when I was 19 and in college. That is probably as good a poem as I ever wrote. Poets who don’t develop past the age of 19 ought to give up and I did.” From “An Interview with Ross Macdonald,” Concept Twelve (1971), “the literary magazine of Santa Barbara City College,” printed by Noel Young.
“where Rexroth chanted poems a bit abashedly”: Donald Pearce interview with TN.
“ ‘Passengers on a Cable Car Named Despair’ ”: Kenneth Millar, San Francisco Chronicle, June 29, 1958.
“ ‘An intellectual is someone who’s smart and insists on it’ ”: Jerre Lloyd interview with TN.
“for Millar, the novel’s central events”: Millar interview with Paul Nelson, UCI. See also Macdonald, “A Preface to The Galton Case,” in Afterwords, ed. Thomas McCormack (Harper & Row, 1968); printed as “Writing the Galton Case,” in Ross Macdonald, On Crime Writing (Capra Press, 1973) and in Self-Portrait.
“ ‘Now let’s see if I can write a better book’ ”: Millar to Knopf, October 16, 1958, HRHRC.
“Ross Macdonald was now Bantam’s number one mystery writer”: Millar to Knopf, September 29, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘It appears that the market is there’ ”: Ibid.
“ ‘Pocket Books didn’t care’ ”: David to Millar, March 3, 1959, UCI.
“ ‘I’ve always believed there was mileage in my work’ ”: Millar to Knopf, November 15, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘I have the ambition’ ”: Millar to Knopf, January 5, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘All agreed with Ken’s hopes’ ”: Robert Easton letter to TN, March 7, 1991.
“ ‘It’s not a book that will make money’ ”: Millar to von Auw, January 31, 1959, Princeton.
“ ‘It’s not a case of now or never’ ”: Millar to Knopf, September 29, 1958, HRHRC.
“ ‘The 99 Best Crime Stories’ ”: Julian Symons, “From Buchan to Bond” (part two of three parts), (London) Sunday Times, December 7, 1958.
“ ‘While we talked about the idea’ ”: Julian Symons, “The Case of Raymond Chandler,” New York Times Magazine, December 23, 1973.
“ ‘Less surprisingly,’ ”: Millar modestly noted to von Auw”: Millar to von Auw, Princeton.
“ ‘a dagger behind every velvet curtain’ ”: Claire Stump interview with TN.
“ ‘Oh, sure,’ Mudrick said sarcastically”: Donald Pearce interview with TN.
“ ‘Not having much money’ ”: Dick Lid interview with TN.
“ ‘Material things never mattered to them’ ”: Betty Lid interview with TN.
“ ‘he thinks that this is the most imaginative character’ ”: Agency memo, March 10, 1959, Princeton.
“ ‘There has been a singularly involving excitement’ ”: James Sandoe, “Mystery and Suspense,” New York Herald Tribune Book Review, March 29, 1959.
“ ‘For the jacket of Ross Macdonald’s new novel’ ”: Anthony Boucher, “Criminals at Large,” New York Times Book Review, March 29, 1959.
“ ‘For some reason’ ”: Millar to von Auw, March 29, 1959, Princeton.
“ ‘One way and another’ ”: Ibid.
“ ‘Lin’s doing extremely well’ ”: Ibid.
“ ‘What is man?’ ”: Kenneth Millar, “The New Books—Contributions to the Theory of Tragedy,” San Francisco Chronicle, July 19, 1959.
“ ‘To paraphrase an old line’ ”: von Auw to Millar, July 23, 1959, UCI.
“ ‘I can assure you that’s the last time’ ”: Linda to Kenneth and Margaret Millar, November 12, 1957, UCI.
Details of Linda’s behavior at UC Davis from documents appended to People vs. Linda Jane Millar, “Report Concerning Violation of Terms and Conditions of Probation,” July 6, 1959.
“which the News-Press reported”: “Linda Millar Sought for Probation Violation,” Santa Barbara News-Press, June 3, 1959.
“On Wednesday, Ken Millar took a United flight”: Details of Millar’s activities in Sacramento, Stateline, LA, etc., from Millar address-book diary jottings, UCI; from items appended to court documents; from newspaper stories (see below).
“ ‘S.B. police should forward full teletype’ ”: Millar, address book/diary, UCI.
“ ‘good and gentle’ ”: Ross Macdonald, introduction to Lew Archer, Private Investigator; reprinted in Self-Portrait.
“ ‘He was a short broad man’ ”: Macdonald, The Zebra-Striped Hearse (Knopf, 1962); Walters, along with his partner-wife, is in The Chill (Knopf, 1964) as well.
Girola also inspired the character of Joe Quinn in Margaret Millar’s How Like an Angel (Random House, 1962), she said: “He was based on a real-life private detective Ken and I knew from Reno. We were both very much taken with the man and we both used him in our work.” (Quoted by Shelly Lowenkopf, “Santa Barbara Mystery Writers,” Santa Barbara News & Review, August 1985.)
“ ‘Mr. Millar (missing girl’s father)’ ”: People vs. Linda Jane Millar, “Supplementary Investigation Report,” June 6, 1959.
“ ‘a brief piece for his Sunday paper’ ”: “Writers’ Daughter Vanishes,” Woodland Democrat, June 7, 1959.
“ ‘He said, “Look”’ ”: William Hogan interview with TN.
“ ‘Linda is not a runaway from college’ ”: Millar address book/diary, UCI; quoted in newspaper stories.
“ ‘Mystery Writer’s Toughest Case—Daughter Vanishes’ ”: New York Post, June 8, 1959, with photo.
Many newspapers printed stories about Linda Millar’s disappearance. This is a partial list in addition to articles already cited:
NEW YORK POST
“Mystery Writer Has Only One Clue: His Daughter’s $10 Check,” June 10, 1959.
SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS
“Hit Run Driver Still Missing,” June 5, 1959.
“Linda Still Missing; Foul Play Feared,” June 8, 1959.
“Father Begs Linda to Return, After She Is Reported in L.A.,” June 9, 1959, with AP photo.
“No Word Yet of Missing Linda Millar,” June 10, 1959.
“Linda Millar Back Home with Family,” June 11, 1959, with photo.
RENO EVENING GAZETTE
“Police Seek Missing Girl,” June 5, 1959.
“Missing Coed Located by Reno Private Eyes,” June 11, 1959, with UPI photo.
“Coed Admitted to Hospital,” June 13, 1959.
SACRAMENTO UNION
“Father Joins Hunt for Missing Coed,” June 8, 1959, with photo.
“Missing Davis Student Meets Father in Reno,” June 11, 1959.
SACRAMENTO BEE
“Coed from UC at Davis Disappears,” June 6, 1959.
“2 Will Be Queried About Davis Coed Missing 10 Days,” June 8, 1959, with UPI photo.
“Search for Davis Coed Moves to L.A,” June 9, 1959.
“Warrant Seeks Missing Coed for Protection,” June 10, 1959.
“Missing Coed Is Found Safe in Reno,” June 11, 1959.
SACRAMENTO UNION
“Father Joins Hunt for Missing Coed,” June 8, 1959, with photo.
“Coed’s Father Flies South in His Search,” June 9, 1959.
“We Love You, Father Calls to Lost Coed,” June 10, 1959, with AP photo.
“Missing Davis Student Meets Father in Reno,” June 11, 1959.
“Davis U. Coed Now Resting at Her Home,” June 12, 1959.
“Linda Millar Put in Care of Psychiatrist,” June 14, 1959.
WOODLAND DAILY DEMOCRAT
“Davis Coed Disappears,” June 8, 1959, with photo.
“Hunt for Missing Coed Shifts to L.
A.,” June 9, 1959, with Democrat photo.
“Davis Coed’s Dad Writes Frantic Plea,” June 10, 1959.
“Missing Cal Aggie Coed Found Wandering in Reno,” June 11, 1959.
NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE
“Mystery Writers’ Daughter Vanishes at Nevada Casino,” June 8, 1959.
“Calif. Girl, 19, Missing 11 Days, Returns Home,” June 12, 1959, with UPI photo.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
“Daughter of Detective Story Writer Missing,” June 8, 1959, with UPI photo.
“Missing Coed Seen in Market in Hollywood,” June 9, 1959.
“Father Pleads for UC Coed Daughter Return,” June 10, 1959, with Times photo.
“Coed Missing 10 Days Reported on Way Home,” June 11, 1959.
“Coed, Missing for 11 Days, Returns Home,” June 12, 1959.
“Report Filed in Coed Case,” July 3, 1959.
“Coed Receives Continuance of Probation,” July 7, 1959.
(HOLLYWOOD) CITIZEN-NEWS
“Mystery Writers’ Daughter Missing: Officers of Two States Hunt for Missing Girl, 19,” June 8, 1959, with UPI photo.
“Daughter of Mystery Novel Writer Missing,” June 8, 1959, with UPI photo.
“Hunted Girl in Hollywood,” June 9, 1959.
“Hunt for Missing Girl in Hollywood,” “Father Pleads for Daughter to ‘Come Home,’ ”: June 9, 1959, with two Citizen-News photos.
“Dad’s Plea to Missing Girl,” June 9, 1959, final, with two Citizen-News photos.
“Father of Missing Girl Leaves Hotel,” June 10, 1959.
“Missing Girl Returns Home,” June 11, 1959.
LOS ANGELES HERALD & EXPRESS
“Mystery Writer Dad in Plea to Missing Co-ed,” June 9, 1959, with two Herald-Express photos.
“Cal. Co-ed’s 10 Days of Wandering Told,” June 11, 1959.
(LOS ANGELES) MIRROR NEWS
“Hunt Lost Coed in Hollywood,” June 9, 1959, with Mirror News photo.