Criminal

The Most Overrated Criminal

in American history is Benedict Arnold, who destroyed his own fame and previous brilliant career, accomplished nothing but his own exile, and affected events much more as a hero (before) than as a traitor (after).

is Ted Bundy, who is almost single-handedly responsible for several tons of miserable fourthrate fiction in both novels and film. He has a lot to answer for, that geek.

—Donald E. Westlake is the author of the Dortmunder series of crime novels. His most recent book is The Ax.