Mark   Stevens

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Mark Stevens

Goodreads Author


Born
in Chapel Hill, N.C. , The United States
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Influences
Willy Vlautin, John Updike, Patricia Highsmith, David Mitchell, Craig ...more

Member Since
June 2009

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"No Lie Lasts Forever" was published by Thomas & Mercer in June, 2025. A sequel is due in 2026.

Lake Union published "The Fireballer" in 2023. It was my first non-mystery. It's about a pitcher for The Baltimore Orioles.

My previous five books are all part of The Allison Coil Mystery Series, set in the Flat Tops Wilderness in Colorado.

Number one, "Antler Dust," was published in 2007 and made the best-seller list on The Denver Post. The sequel, "Buried by the Roan," was published in 2011.

The third, "Trapline," came out in 2014 and won the Colorado Book Award. "Lake of Fire," number four, was published in 2015 and was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. Kirkus Review called that book "irresistible."

"The Melancholy Howl" (No. 5) was publi
...more

Percival Everett, “The Trees”

The Trees is hilarious until it’s not and then you keep laughing anyway, probably thinking you shouldn’t be laughing at all. The Trees starts absurd, then waves its satire flag, splashes in a touch of horror, then punches you in … Continue reading →
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Published on June 14, 2026 15:40
Average rating: 3.93 · 10,884 ratings · 840 reviews · 7 distinct worksSimilar authors
No Lie Lasts Forever

3.88 avg rating — 6,007 ratings — published 2025 — 3 editions
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The Fireballer

4.07 avg rating — 3,503 ratings — published 2023 — 6 editions
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Antler Dust (The Allison Co...

3.72 avg rating — 874 ratings — published 2007 — 12 editions
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Buried by the Roan (Allison...

4.06 avg rating — 197 ratings — published 2011 — 13 editions
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Trapline (An Allison Coil M...

3.97 avg rating — 129 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions
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Lake of Fire

3.84 avg rating — 113 ratings — published 2015 — 5 editions
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The Melancholy Howl (Alliso...

4.11 avg rating — 61 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions
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More books by Mark Stevens…
Antler Dust Buried by the Roan Trapline Lake of Fire The Melancholy Howl
(5 books)
by
3.82 avg rating — 1,374 ratings

Mark’s Recent Updates

Mark Stevens wrote a new blog post

Percival Everett, “The Trees”

The Trees is hilarious until it’s not and then you keep laughing anyway, probably thinking you shouldn’t be laughing at all. The Trees starts absurd, Read more of this blog post »
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The Trees by Percival Everett
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Mark Stevens has read
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
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The Confession Artist by Christine Carbo
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Internet shaming seems like a ubiquitous—and ugly—feature of everyday life, but it’s only been around since several buzzy incidents in 2012 – 2013. The Confession Artist exploits the feeling of being shamed online and creates a taut, character-driven ...more
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Flesh by David Szalay
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I wasn’t sure at first. The prose is so dry, so matter-of-fact.

“The three of them just stand there.
The girls looks at István again.
He doesn’t look at her.
‘Okay,’ István’s friend says.
‘D’you want to wait in there?’ the girls says to him, indicating a
...more
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The Zorg by Siddharth Kara
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In August of 2025, the guy who currently sits in the oval office directed his attorneys to overhaul exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution, criticizing the museum for focusing too much on “how bad slavery was.” He demanded the institution celebrate ...more
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World's Edge by James Sallis
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In an interview in Clarkesworld, James Sallis said he wrote World’s Edge as a mosaic novel in honor of classic science fiction writers like Henry Kuttner “with the mutant stories appearing in various magazines to be cobbled together into a novel.”

My
...more
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The Fifth Risk by Michael   Lewis
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After reading Michael Lewis’ upbeat and life-affirming Who is Government? I decided to go back and read Michael Lewis’ downbeat and discouraging The Fifth Risk.

In the more recent Who is Government?, Lewis (and his writerly colleagues) celebrated unsu
...more
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Lights Out by Ted Koppel
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From a simple online search, I gather that key changes have been made to management of the nation’s electrical grid since Ted Koppel first published Lights Out in 2015.

But you might read this book today and still find yourself thinking about building
...more
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Miami Purity by Vicki Hendricks
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Maybe it’s not fair, because the metaphor is sitting there and waiting to be exploited, but Miami Purity is a clean, fresh piece of writing. Steamed clean. No starch. Wrinkle-free.

Miami Purity features a dry-cleaning establishment of that same name.
...more
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Quotes by Mark Stevens  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“His once-thick hair has thinned”
Mark Stevens, No Lie Lasts Forever

“Baseball can’t guard against any of those wrinkles or the delicate psychology of these precious athletic minds. Baseball is a humbling game, they say.”
Mark Stevens, The Fireballer

“A lesson, please,” said Vic. “You might not be around to hold my hand the next time I bring down an elk.” “You’ve taken your kill for this season, mister,” Allison said. “If you learn how to do this right, you can hold one of your buddies’ hands.” She looked”
Mark Stevens, Antler Dust

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“Work/Loaf Ratio”...I have spent fourteen years perfecting... I won't bore you with a long-winded explanation of the “W/LR” save to say that it is an algebraic formula of such complex numeric subtlety that it can be understood only by mathematicians and hobos.”
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“I didn't offer to help him carry any of his stuff. That's the unwritten code between cabbies and movers.... It's his punishment for tricking the cab driver into playing Mayflower, because he knows he's not going to give you a tip, and so do you.”
Gary Reilly, The Heart of Darkness Club

“I began to parse the sentence. This is what English majors do. It's what we're trained to do. We don't know how to do anything else, except drive cabs.”
Gary Reilly, The Heart of Darkness Club

“One thing I had learned in college was that if you ever had a question about truth, reality, or the meaning of existence, read a novel by Albert Camus. Pretty soon you'll be so baffled you'll forget the question.”
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Comments (showing 1-17)    post a comment »
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message 17: by Mark

Mark Stevens Phil -- Try Mark54.Stevens@gmail.com I gotta head back to Mancos on Friday morning, the 3rd. Head back early .... Alas. What about Tuesday the 31st?


Philip Chip Good Mark wrote: "Philip Chip wrote: "Mark wrote: "Philip Chip wrote: "Hey Mark! Wow, look at you! Congrats on all the great books. Still have my autographed copy of Antler Dust. What do you recommend I read next of..."
Coffee sounds good, would have come to see you at TC but going to a concert that night. Friday AM the 3rd? Is there a way to PM on here? Last email I have for you is dpsk12.org ;-)


message 15: by Mark

Mark Stevens Philip Chip wrote: "Mark wrote: "Philip Chip wrote: "Hey Mark! Wow, look at you! Congrats on all the great books. Still have my autographed copy of Antler Dust. What do you recommend I read next of yours?"

Hey Phil! ..."
I would love to. I am actually going to be in Denver next week (we live in SW Colorado now). Event at Tattered Cover Thursday night (McGregor Square) for The Fireballer ... 6 PM on Feb. 2. Let me know if you have time for coffee during the week?


Philip Chip Good Mark wrote: "Philip Chip wrote: "Hey Mark! Wow, look at you! Congrats on all the great books. Still have my autographed copy of Antler Dust. What do you recommend I read next of yours?"

Hey Phil! Regards, rega..."


I'm doing great! Should grab a drink sometime and catch up. I will give one of those two a read, maybe Fireballer since opening day is just around the corner. Go Rox, sigh ;-)


message 13: by Mark

Mark Stevens Philip Chip wrote: "Hey Mark! Wow, look at you! Congrats on all the great books. Still have my autographed copy of Antler Dust. What do you recommend I read next of yours?"

Hey Phil! Regards, regards. Well I think The Fireballer is a different flavor, but seems to be doing pretty well. Maybe take a look and see if it might be up your alley? Otherwise, book two in the mystery series is Buried by The Roan. Hope you're well!


Philip Chip Good Hey Mark! Wow, look at you! Congrats on all the great books. Still have my autographed copy of Antler Dust. What do you recommend I read next of yours?


message 11: by Susan

Susan Good early morning Mark, thanks for the welcome and have a great weekend too!


message 10: by Mark

Mark Stevens Not me, Sherrie -- no MFA in my pocket. I would have loved the chance to pursue one, but it's not me. Cheers !

Mark


Sherrie Miranda Hey, finally someone I know! Well, sort of. You are the Mark Stevens who got his MFA from NU in CW, right?


message 8: by Nina

Nina Thanks for the friend request :)


message 7: by Jesse

Jesse Hanson Thanks much for including me among your goodreads freinds, Mark. Want to wish you the very best in all.
Namaste, jesse


Penelope Marzec Nice to find someone else who thinks highly of Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities. :^)


Penelope Marzec Nice to find someone else who thinks highly of Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities. :^)


message 4: by Simon

Simon Hi Mark. Thanks for seeking me out.


message 3: by Terry

Terry Wright Hey Mark... It's good to be with you on Goodreads...
Terry


message 2: by Gusto

Gusto Dave You sexy beast, you.

Dave


message 1: by Beth

Beth Hi Mark,
Thanks for befriending me here as well as in real-life!
- Beth


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