John Ball
John Ball
Author • Illustrator8 July 1911 – 15 October 1988- Books
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About
The son of a scientist, John Dudley Ball was born in Schenectady, New York, and grew up in Milwaukee. He attended Carroll College in Wisconsin.
He subsequently worked as a science staff writer on Fortune, a music critic and feature writer for the Brooklyn Eagle, a daily columnist on the New York World-Telegram & Sun, a broadcaster for a Washington radio station, and a Director of Public Relations for the Institute of Aerospace Sciences.
His In the Heat of the Night was awarded a Mystery Writers of America "Edgar" for the Best First Mystery Novel of the Year, and since had been followed by The Cool Cottontail, also featuring his African-American detective, Virgil Tibbs. Mr. Ball also authored a number of notable young adult books.
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Mystery Crime Fiction Thriller Essays
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Frequently asked questions
John Ball is widely recognized for his Virgil Tibbs series, which introduced a Black homicide detective in a racially charged Southern setting. The first novel in this series, "In the Heat of the Night," received an Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
Yes, his novel "In the Heat of the Night" was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs. This film also inspired a successful television series.
The Virgil Tibbs series begins with "In the Heat of the Night," followed by "The Cool Cottontail," "Johnny Get Your Gun," "Five Pieces of Jade," "The Eyes of Buddha," "Then Came Violence," and "Singapore." Reading them in publication order allows for the natural progression of the character and his cases.