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Born in 1953, Eugene Izzi was raised in the hardscramble area of Hegewisch, a neighborhood on the southeast side of Chicago, Illinois. His father was a heavy drinker and was sent to prison at various points for a variety of crimes. Young Eugene dropped out of high school and enlisted in the army. He eventually earned his high school equivalency degree while in the service. He had also begun writing short volumes of what he called clones of Mickey Spillane books. Izzi's escape as a kid had been through books, and he was relishing the chance to create.
Returning to Hegewisch after his discharge, Izzi began working in the steel mills nearby. He also began to lead a wild, untamed life, spending most of his money in bars and taverns while often ignoring his wife and children at home. He was arrested several times and acquired a criminal record with the Chicago Police Department. At one point, he considered killing himself, but would later find salvation through the written word.
Izzi's life seemed headed toward a dead end as his drinking continued. Meanwhile, the steel mills had cut back production, leading to periodic layoffs. Desperate for a way out of the gritty, sooty jungle that he lived in, Izzi began pounding out stories on a typewriter. With the layoffs, he was able to focus on writing, and felt that his way out was with stories. He also quit drinking and reconciled with his wife, who actively encouraged his writing. With his determination, he cranked out an amazing six novels in six years, but was unable to get even one published.
Breakthrough would come in 1987 with the publication of "The Take" by St. Martin's Press. A story about a heist, it would land Izzi an advance of $20,000.00. Although it was not much, it spurred his interest, and he began writing more, publishing books such as "The Booster" and "Tony's Justice". His reviews were solid and sales of his books escalated steadlily. With his increase in income, Izzi and his family moved out of Hegewisch and settled in a Chicago suburb.
His characters were rough, and often involved in organized crime. Many were looking to make "one more score" before getting out of the business and settling into a more domestic life. Izzi's writing in these volumes was sparse and tight. He filled the dialogue of his character with the language of the street, picking up various pieces of verbiage that had become entrenched in his memory from his own shady days of the past.
Trouble occured a few years later with the publication of "Tribal Secrets". Scheduled to be Izzi's breakout book, he looked forward to rave reviews and a place among prominent crime authors like Elmore Leonard and Ed McBain. However, many critics panned the book, and the publisher quickly discounted the price. A dispute arose, and Izzi felt that his publisher had sold him short. An agreement was reached whereby Izzi would be able to keep his advance money if he agreed not to publish a book under his name for the next three years.
Izzi published several more volumes under a pen name, then began his comeback with books like "A Matter of Honor" and "The Criminalist". It looked like he was back on track. However, in early December, 1996, his lifeless body was found hanging outside his Michigan Avenue writing office in the Chicago cold. His death was officially ruled a suicide, but many speculate that foul play may have been involved. Izzi had been working on a large manuscript at the time of his death, and a disc containing the work was in his pockets when he died. He was 43.
Altogether, Izzi published over a dozen novels in his life, as well as several screenplays.
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