“Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction” by Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor (Mysterious Press) In fiction an “unreliable narrator” can't be trusted as he or she spins the story at hand. In real life the term “fabulist” is used by those seeking a softer word than “liar.” Friends of the popular crime writer Mickey Spillane noted that Spillane could pile the tall tales pretty high when talking about his own life, a character trait they acknowledged with fondness. The authors of the biography “Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction” wisely dug deep into available records, not an easy task, to tease out fact over fancy.