PHOTO: Dave Stanton, creator of the Dan Reno series, brings gritty Californian landscapes and morally complex characters to life through powerful prose.
Exploring Crime Justice And Loyalty With Stark Realism
Dave Stanton discusses the psychological depth of his characters, the grit of justice, and the emotional weight that anchors the Dan Reno series in the heart of moral ambiguity.
Dave Stanton writes with the raw conviction of a man who has seen the edges—of cities, of choices, of character. Born in Detroit and raised under the vast Californian sky, Stanton has shaped his crime fiction with a journalistic instinct and a keen eye for the unpredictable corners of human nature. His protagonist, Dan Reno, operates in worlds where right and wrong aren’t just blurred—they’re often irrelevant. Stanton doesn’t write to comfort. He writes to excavate.
In The Asylum Thread, Stanton draws on disturbing psychological depths, crafting an antagonist shaped by both trauma and intellect. The result is a chilling dance between justice and depravity, orchestrated with the kind of insight that only comes from hard research and harder reflection. His depiction of deviance is never gratuitous—it is a tool to explore the edges of conscience, law, and survival.
Books like Hard Prejudice and The Doomsday Girl strike a deft balance between visceral action and emotional gravity. Whether it’s a child’s death or the unchecked violence of a broken man, Stanton threads grief and vengeance through every investigation. Yet amid the brutality, his stories pulse with a kind of loyalty—often found in the indelible bond between Dan Reno and Cody Gibbons, a friendship forged in chaos and carried by trust.
With settings as vivid as Lake Tahoe’s sunlit waters and as gritty as San Jose’s backstreets, Stanton crafts crime fiction that feels lived-in. His past as a bartender, tech salesman, and reluctant Vegas roommate adds authenticity that can’t be faked—only remembered.
In The Asylum Thread, Dan Reno confronts a case involving a rapist with a genius IQ and a billionaire brother. How did you develop this antagonist’s psychological profile?
I’ve always been fascinated with the nature-nurture dynamics of deviant psychology. Before writing The Asylum Thread, I read some very dark nonfiction books on rapists and gained insight into how and why an individual can commit and enjoy such heinous acts. These books were difficult to read, but gave me the perspective I needed to create the antagonist. I also visited the site of Agnews State Hospital in Northern California and studied its history. Before it was shut down, it housed and cared for those with severe mental deficiencies.
Your novels often explore the darker sides of justice and morality. How do you balance gritty realism with compelling storytelling, particularly in Hard Prejudice?
Although most of us are fortunate enough to avoid the intrusion of evil in our lives, there’s no doubt it’s a real threat. It can be simply a function of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When innocent, non-violent people are victimized by those without moral boundaries, the criminals forsake any potential for leniency and are at the mercy of brutal justice. Ultimately, that’s how Dan Reno and Cody Gibbons view the world, although Reno probably wouldn’t admit it.
The Doomsday Girl delves into themes of family and loss. What inspired you to intertwine personal tragedy with a high-stakes investigation in this narrative?
The loss of a child is probably the most tragic event a parent can suffer. Add a head injury and the loss of a spouse, and you have the potential for unpredictable, extreme, and deviant behavior. Dan Reno is forced to navigate the victim’s erratic and sometimes alarming behavior while focusing on identifying the evildoers, untangling their motivations, and applying his own version of justice.
Dan Reno and Cody Gibbons share a dynamic partnership throughout the series. How has their relationship evolved over the course of your novels?
While Dan and Cody have matured with age, they still retain their core traits, both physically and mentally. They are “evergreen” in this regard. While Dan is trying to evolve into a more “normal” life, when the chips are down, he knows Cody Gibbons’ extreme, risky, and often outrageous tactics are the best solution. Dan’s affection for Cody and appreciation of their lifelong friendship remains steadfastly in place.
Your background includes various professions, from bartender to technology salesman. How have these experiences influenced the authenticity of your characters and settings?
For most of my life, I’ve known people who behaved in ways that sober, rational adults would consider deviant to the point of lunacy. Here’s a quick example: In 1992, the world’s largest convention was Comdex, which catered to the personal computer boom. I drove a company truck loaded with my employer’s display booth from San Jose to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Sharing the driving was a salesman I worked with named Joe, who was definitely a loose cannon. We arrived Sunday afternoon and were sharing a room at the old Tropicana Hotel, right off The Strip. Since we needed to be at the convention hall at 8 a.m. Monday to work a ten-hour shift in suit and tie, I figured I’d go to bed early and sober Sunday night. I heard noises and woke at 4 a.m. Joe had brought a hooker to the room after scoring a bindle of cocaine in a Vegas ghetto. I went back to sleep. When I woke at six a.m. to get ready for the day, I asked Joe if he had slept at all. “Who needs sleep?” he replied.
The settings in your books, such as Lake Tahoe and San Jose, are vividly depicted. What draws you to these locations, and how do they enhance your storytelling?
I’ve lived in both San Jose and South Lake Tahoe, and have made the 4-hour drive from San Jose to Tahoe hundreds of times. I treat setting as a character in my novels. I believe that a deep investment in setting draws a reader more fully into a story. Wherever I am, I’m always looking at details of natural and manmade features and making mental notes for future use.
In Stateline, the series begins with a high-profile murder case. Looking back, how do you feel your writing style and thematic focus have evolved since this debut?
I always focus on character first and then let the plot evolve around the characters. That’s what I did in Stateline, and that’s what I continue to do. But I find myself paying more attention to plot, as I want each of my books to tell a unique story. I write crime novels, but I don’t limit myself to specific crimes like murder or drug dealing. I think criminals are involved in many things, and I’m always looking for fresh angles.
What advice would you offer aspiring authors aiming to craft compelling and enduring crime fiction series?
First, definitely think in terms of writing a series, because it’s very difficult to be commercially successful with stand-alone novels. Second, make sure you understand the crime fiction genre and its subgenres. Do you want to write hard-boiled detective fiction? Legal thrillers? Police procedurals? Then, find your voice; who is your protagonist? A woman like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum? Or a man like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher? Have faith that your protagonist will be unique, even if you’re influenced by other authors. Writing is like being a musician; no matter how strong your influences, you will always sound like yourself. My favorite author and biggest influence is Jame Lee Burke. But most readers never see any similarity between my novels and his.
