Marc Olden (1933–2003) was the author of forty mystery and suspense novels. Born in Baltimore, he began writing while working in New York as a Broadway publicist. His first book, Angela Davis (1973), was a nonfiction study of the controversial Black Panther. In 1973 he also published Narc, under the name Robert Hawke, beginning a hard-boiled nine-book series about a federal narcotics agent.
A year later, Black Samurai introduced Robert Sand, a martial arts expert who becomes the first non-Japanese student of a samurai master. Based on Olden’s own interest in martial arts, which led him to the advanced ranks of karate and aikido, the novel spawned a successful eight-book series. Olden continued writing for the next three decades, often drawing on his fascination with Japanese culture and history.
Marc Olden always delivers. Book one of the Narc series. Just like in "The Black Samurai" series, Olden doesn't waste time on an extensive back story. We race strait into the action. There seems to be a "famine" on the streets of the city. Famine meaning a shortage of drugs brought on by a big time pusher. He in fact has a big deal going with a French kingpin for 1,000 pounds of pure, uncut heroine. John Bolt, "The Narc" is out to stop it.
The 1970's come alive with Marc Olden's style. All the jive talk, street life, racial tension, and of course , everyone looking for a pay phone. I think that the author spent more time on the character development in The Black Samurai, and doubled up on the action in The Narc. Both are required reading in the action genre.