What books did Gene Hackman write? Oscar-winning actor penned multiple novels after retirement from acting

Gene Hackman, a veteran Oscar-winning star, was found dead at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26, 2025, with his pianist wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog.

In 2004, the actor retired from acting after spending over five decades featuring in multiple movies showcasing award-winning performances. After his retirement, he explored his passion for writing and wrote several novels.

From writing his solo pieces to co-authoring historical novels, Gene Hackman has been associated with excellent works during his professional stint as a writer.

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Everything we know about Gene Hackman's books and novels

After retiring in 2004 and shifting to New Mexico with his second wife, Gene Hackman's writing journey commenced. He shifted his focus from acting and began venturing into this new artistic world. According to a report by The Guardian, Gene co-authored three novels with Daniel Lenihan, one of the world's renowned underwater archeologists. Their historical fiction pieces are:

1. Wake of the Perdido Star (1999)
2. Justice for None (2004)
3. Escape from Andersonville (2008)

Hackman continued his fascination for writing and published two thriller novels.

1. Payback at Morning Peak (2011)
2. Pursuit (2013)

In an exclusive conversation with Empire, Gene expressed his love for writing and called the procedure "very relaxing." He shared:

"It’s very relaxing for me. I don’t picture myself as a great writer, but I really enjoy the process, especially on this book [Wake of the Perdido Star]."

Though the research process turned out straining at times, he found it different. He further explained:

"We had to do a great deal of research on it to get some of the facts right, and it is stressful to some degree, but it’s a different kind of stress."

He had his way of managing the overwhelming situation. Taking more about the process, he added,

"It’s one you can kind of manage, because you’re sitting there by yourself, as opposed to having ninety people sitting around waiting for you to entertain them.”

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Gene Hackman talked about his debut novel

In 1999, Gene and Daniel co-wrote Wake of the Perdido Star. The actor was 70 years old when he explored his longtime passion and published his first novel, Wake of the Perdido Star.

In 1999, Hackman spoke with Charlie Rose and expressed his thoughts about his first-ever book. For him, writing helped him to discover "storytelling beyond acting." He shared:

"I wanted to see if I could develop characters and a story in a different medium."

The Oscar-winning actor took inspiration and insights from his interest in maritime heritage to execute the novel.