Reclusive author of popular spy novels. In a 1998 interview, a correspondent represented as Trevanian identified himself as Tokyo-born Rodney Whitaker (1925- ) rumored to have died in 1992 but apparently still alive and well, though that would put him in his early 80's. It has been claimed that at least some Trevanian novels were written by the late author Jack (or James) Hashian. This appears not to be so. IBList will endorse the Whitaker-is-alive-and-well theory until such time as convincing data to the contrary may come to hand.