William Diehl was born in 1924 in Jamaica, New York, a borough located in the southwestern part of the city. At the tender age of 17, he took the bold step of lying about his age in order to enlist in the Army Air Corps, volunteering for the prestigious US Army Corps Aviation Cadet Program. Despite his enthusiasm, Diehl did not excel in pilot school, and instead served as a ball turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator, flying an impressive 24 missions over Germany during World War II. His bravery and dedication to his duties earned him the esteemed Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
After the war, Diehl enrolled at the University of Missouri, where he earned a degree in creative writing and history. In 1949, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, and joined the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, serving as a writer, photojournalist, and editor. He remained with the paper as a reporter and columnist until 1955, before freelancing for several years. In 1960, he took on the role of managing editor at Atlanta Magazine, where he honed his skills as a writer and photographer.
Throughout his life, Diehl was known for his boundless creativity and innovative approach to storytelling. As a juror in the early 1970s, he found himself growing increasingly bored with the trial and began writing a story on a notepad to pass the time. This initial spark of inspiration would eventually become his first novel, "Sharky's Machine", published in 1978. The book's success was followed by a string of other novels, each with its own unique blend of murder, greed, romance, and mayhem, including "Chameleon" (1981),"Hooligans" (1984),"The Horse" (1987),"27" (1990),"Primal Fear" (1992),"Show of Evil" (1995),"Reign in Hell" (1997),and "Eureka" (2002).
Diehl's remarkable career was marked by his ability to weave complex, engaging stories that captivated readers. His passion for writing was evident in the many novels he wrote, and his dedication to his craft was unwavering. Even in his later years, Diehl continued to work on new projects, including his final novel, "Seven Ways to Die", which was completed by colleague Kenneth Atchity after his passing in 2006.
