Ron Lesser

Ron Lesser is a Manhattan-born illustrator and painter that specializes in paperback covers, comic books, magazines, and film posters. From 1976-1991, Ron was among the premier illustrators, contributing painted book covers for publishers like Doubleday, Dell, Avon, Bantam, Fawcett, and Pyramid.
In 2002, Lesser began a four-year commission as one of the top military artists in America, creating artwork for Civil War Publications and exhibitions at the Gettysburg National Museum, National Civil War Museum, and the Gettysburg Frame Shop & Gallery. In recognition of his work, Lesser has received recognition from The Society of Illustrators and the Art Directors Club of New York.

Early life and education

Born in Manhattan in 1941, Lesser was an only child. When he was around age 9 he discovered comic book drawings and gravitated to the mid 20th century cartoonists like Alex Raymond, Milton Caniff, and Al Capp. Around the age of 12, Lesser began drawing comics and later graduated from New York City's High [School of Music & Art] before studying one semester at the Pratt Institute in New York in 1958. Shortly after leaving Pratt, Lesser enrolled in the Art Students League of New York and solely studied for four years under Frank J. Reilly, a teacher of drawing, painting, and illustration. There, Reilly taught the tradition and techniques of the French Fine Arts Academy of the 19th and 20th centuries while also offering several publisher-sponsored contests for students to join. Two Western paintings Lesser did while he was a Riley student became his first paperback covers. One was used on one side of the Ace Books Double Lead In His Fists by Tom West. The second, a Riley contest winner, was used for the Berkley Books paperback War Country by William O. Turner.

Career

Shortly after departing the Art Students League of New York, Lesser joined the Fredman-Chaite Studios. The renowned agency would commission advertising representatives to secure illustration assignments for artists. This editorial work consisted of illustrating magazines, newspapers, paperback covers, and ad art. Due to the rise of photography, the studio was driven out of business.
Lesser was a prolific illustrator between 1976 through 1991. He painted several thousand paperback covers while simultaneously creating movie art and advertising illustrations. In the 1980s, Lesser made several hundred covers for Harlequin Enterprises' romance paperbacks. In the 2000s, Lesser created paintings inspired by the American Civil War. In the 2010s, Lesser created paintings celebrating polo horses and their riders, pop art from his successful Marilyn Monroe series, and became affiliated with a major celebrity and sports marketing and branding company to illustrate athletes like Derek Jeter, Mickey Mantle, and Muhammad Ali.

Film

1960s

One of Lesser's earliest involvements with the film industry was a movie poster, poster art, and b&w press kit for the 1964 film The Americanization of Emily starring James Garner, Julie Andrews, and James Coburn. Two years later, Lesser painted the theatrical poster for the Mauro Bolognini and Mario Monicelli comedy Queens, starring Raquel Welch.
Lesser was involved with preliminary artwork for the 1967 United Artists theatrical film The Way West. Although the painting was never used for the film, Lesser was still paid for his work. Also in 1967, Lesser painted movie posters for two comedy films, the Italian Spoof film O.K. Connery, released in the U.S. as Operation Kid Brother, and Three Bites of the Apple, a 1967 American romantic comedy.
In 1968, the Len Deighton novel Only When I Larf was adapted into a Paramount Global film of the same name with Lesser's painted theatrical poster. Lesser followed a year later with a painted theatrical film poster for the Paramount Pictures distributed film Paint Your Wagon.

1970s

While at his agent's office, Lesser saw artists making sketches for the 1970 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Ryan's Daughter. He submitted two paintings to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer advertising the film and the studio purchased both. That same year, Lesser created a print ad art for the Columbia Pictures film There's a Girl in My Soup starring Peter Sellers and Goldie Hawn.
In 1972, Lesser painted movie posters for the Clint Eastwood film Joe Kidd for Eastwood's Malpaso Productions. and the The Revengers, distributed by National General Pictures.
1973 was a productive year for Lesser's film artwork. He painted two iconic western movie posters, the iconic Clint Eastwood film High Plains Drifter in 1973. and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1973 film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Also the same year, Lesser painted movie posters for the crime film Lady Ice starring Donald Sutherland. and Massacre in Rome, an adaptation of the 1967 Robert Katz novel Death in Rome.
Lesser painted the theatrical poster for the 1974 20th Century Fox film Zardoz. The painting was awarded the best movie art of the year from the Art Directors Club of New York. That same year, Lesser painted the poster for the French film L'amour a la bouche, released in America as Mannequin.

Comics

In 2012, Ron Lesser painted the pulp hero Spider for the Dynamite Entertainment covers of The Spider #1, #2, #3.
Lesser's 2014 painting Sin City: A Dame to Kill For features actress Rosario Dawson as the character Grail. The painting was featured in the Dark Horse Comics limited series A Dame to Kill For.
Lesser paired with Titan Publishing Group for the first issue of the Max Allan Collins title Quarry's War. The artist was featured in the story "The Beginnings of Quarry" alongside iconic artist Robert McGinnis.
The Exclusive Jetpack/Forbidden Planet variant for the Dynamite Entertainment title Bettie Page, based on the celebrity Bettie Page, was painted by Lesser.
The first issue of the Dynamite Entertainment title Charlie's Angels vs The Bionic Woman features Ron Lesser's painted cover on Variant C and Variant E.
After his submission of artwork used on the Charlie's Angels vs The Bionic Woman comic, the individual manager of Dynamite Entertainment reached out to Lesser for an art piece for their Red Sonja comic issues. In The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 2: Dangerous Dames and Cover Dolls, edited by Robert Deis, Bill Cunningham and David Zimmer, Lesser explained his limited involvement in the series:
''"I made a painting of her with a big axe and he liked it, but it didn't end up being used. I liked it, too, though and it sold pretty well quickly through an online art site. Since then, I've done several other Red Sonja paintings."''

Books

In 1959, as Lesser was honing his craft, he was hired by Midwood Books to paint the first published novel by the acclaimed crime-fiction author Donald E. Westlake, the creator and writer of the iconic heist-fiction series Parker . That same year, Lesser painted the cover for iconic crime-fiction and mystery writer John D. MacDonald's paperback The Crossroads, published by Fawcett Publications imprint Crest Books. Lesser used models Steve Holland , Lisa Karan, and his wife, Claudia Lesser.

Year	Title	Publisher	Number
1959	All My Lovers	Midwood	15
1959	Crossroads, The	Crest	S400
1959	Lead in His Fists	Ace	D-276
1959	Long Dream, The	Ace	K-100

In the 1960s, Lesser was hired by publishers like Berkley Books, Lancer Books, Avon , Midwood Books, Dell Publishing, Pyramid Books, and Fawcett Publications to paint paperback covers.
The 1960s aligned Lesser with three best-selling fiction series titles, Shell Scott by Richard Prather, Johnny Liddell by Frank Kane,and Travis McGee by John D. MacDonald. Additionally, Lesser was commissioned by Lancer Books to paint two covers for the Steve Bentley series, authored by Watergate scandal conspirator E. Howard Hunt, a former officer in the Central Intelligence Agency who experienced success as a mystery and spy-fiction author from the 1940s through the 1990s. Lesser also painted for the popular Carter Brown mysteries.

Year	Title	Publisher	Number
1960	Concerning a Woman of Sin	Crest	S410
1960	So Willing	Midwood	48
1960	War Country	Berkley	G433
1960	Deadly Doll	Zenith	ZB-19
1961	Name is Malone, The	Pyramid	G-671
1961	Seven Slaughters	Fawcett	T2613
1962	Bride of Fu Manchu	Pyramid	F-761
1962	Diary of Love	Pyramid	F793
1962	Crazy to Kill	MacFadden	50-363
1962	Crime of Their Life	Dell	1557
1962	Curtains for a Lover	Lancer	71-311
1962	Into the Forest	MacFadden	60-111
1962	Make Me an Offer	Berkley	Y635
1962	Mask of Fu Manchu	Pyramid	F-740
1962	My Body	Lancer	70-010
1962	Name is Jordan	Pyramid	F-720
1962	Never Love a Call Girl	Midwood	F205
1963	Bats Fly at Dusk	Dell	0476
1963	City Limits	Pyramid	F-887
1963	Diana	Lancer	72-667
1963	Fifth Wife	Pyramid	R-942
1963	Hearse Class Male	Dell	3528
1963	Her Own Kind	New Chariot Library	6C-635
1963	It's Different Abroad	Avon	G1279
1963	Johnny Come Lately	Dell	4246
1963	Never Give a Millionaire an Even Break	Lancer	70-048
1963	Rind-a-Ding-Ding	Dell	1963
1963	Strange Friends	Pyramid
1963	Wary Transgressor, The	Panther
1964	Barely Seen	Dell	0534
1964	Bitter Conquest	Ballantine	U5013
1964	Bombshell	Pyramid	R-1106
1964	Catch a Falling Spy	MacFadden	60-168
1964	Death on Scurvy Street	Popular Library	60-2336
1964	Deep Blue Good-By	Fawcett	R2025
1964	Fatal Undertaking	Dell	2489
1964	Final Curtain	Dell	2522
1964	Grand Canary	Pyramid	R-1021
1964	Guilt Edged Frame, The	Dell	3289
1964	Headed for a Hearse	MacFadden	50-221
1964	Nightmare in Pink	Fawcett	d1682
1964	Only on Tuesdays	Dell	6680
1964	Purple Place for Dying, A	Fawcett	d1826
1965	April Robin Murders, The	Dell	D264
1965	Bare Trap	Dell	D456
1965	Blue Mascara Tears	Ballantine	U2239
1965	Bright Orange for the Shroud	Fawcett	D1573
1965	Esprit de Corpse	Dell	2409
1965	Freakshow	MacFadden	60-219
1965	Girl in the Topless Suit	Pyramid	1965
1965	Love Lush, The	Pyramid	1965
1965	Make My Bed Soon	Avon	G1277
1965	Of All the Bloody Cheek	Ballantine	U5023
1965	Syndicate Girl	Dell	8454
1965	Two to Tangle	Dell	9213
1965	Which the Justice, Which the Thief	Avon	S199
1966	Beast in the Bedroom	Private Edition
1966	Beat Not the Bones	Avon	G1281
1966	Beware the Curves	Pocket	55949
1966	Clio	All Star	AS-118
1966	Darker Than Amber	Fawcett	D1674
1966	Darkest Urge, The	Private Edition
1966	Dead in Bed	Signet	D2825
1966	French Doll, The	S215	-
1966	Girl from Havana	All Star	AS112
1966	Is There a Traitor in the House	Avon	G1283
1966	Mistress, The	Signet	D2996
1966	Never Give a Millionaire an Even Break	Lancer	Fawcett	D1848
1966	Operation Atlantis	Berkley	F1239
1966	Pleasure Island	Signet	D2892
1966	Quick Red Fox, The	Fawcett	M2828
1966	Season for Violence, A	Fawcett	D1676
1966	Spoils of the Victors, The	MacFadden	95-108
1966	Target for Their Dark Desire	Signet	D3017
1966	Temptress, The	Signet	D2898
1966	Virgin Luck	Avon	G1295
1967	Crucible	Popular Library	75-1262
1967	Dead Heat	Pocket	50519
1967	Dragon Hunt	Signet	P3203
1967	Intrusion, The	Signet	P3290
1967	Kubla Khan Caper, The	Pocket	50535
1967	Lament for a Lousy Lover	Signet	D3162
1967	Shaking Shadow, The	Signet	P3186
1967	Tigress,The	Signet	D3212
1968	Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper	Fawcett	M2430
1968	Isle for a Stranger	Ace	H-71
1968	Lost Isobel	Signet	P3597
1968	Million Dollar Babe, The	Signet	D3636
1968	Mist at Darkness, The	Signet	Q6138
1968	Pale Gray for Guilt	Fawcett	D1893
1968	Secrets of Hillyard House	Paperback Library	54-761
1968	Target for Their Dark Desire	Four Square Crime	2129
1969	Alaska Steel	Belmont	B60-1068
1969	Boarding House	MacFadden	60-419
1969	Cheim Manuscript, The	Pocket	75662
1969	Count Me In	MacFadden	60-377
1969	Ever-Loving Blues, The	Signet	D3722
1969	Fargo	Belmont	B60-1056
1969	Honey	Ballantine	01793
1969	House of Stolen Memories	Lancer	74-575
1969	Island Players, The	Curtis	502-07124-075
1969	Kill Me Tomorrow	Pocket	55030
1969	Kings in Winter, The	Picket	75380
1969	Man-Chaser	MacFadden	60-408
1969	Panama Gold	Belmont	B60-1058
1969	Shell Scott Sampler, The	Pocket	55028
1969	Superdoll	Award	A427X
1969	Third Spectre, The	MacFadden	60-395
1969	Touch of Fear, A	Signet	P3807
1969	When Debbie Dared	Golden Griffon	5654

Some of Lesser's most notable work is his western covers of the Buchanan series using model Steve Holland. Lesser took over the bulk of the series' paperback cover illustrations in 1971 after the departure of the series' regular artist, Lu Kimmel. Also, using Steve Holland as the model, Lesser painted covers for the early installments of the Ben Haas western series Fargo.
Beginning in 1970, Lesser began painting covers for the sexy Tower Publications spy series The Lady from L.U.S.T., authored by multiple Alley Awards winner and DC Comics staple Gardner Fox. In 1973, Lesser started painting covers for a police procedural series starring popular fictional series character Los Angeles Police Department Homicide Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, authored by Elizabeth Linington using the pseudonym Dell Shannon.
Other notable work Lesser paperback paintings in the 1970s include series titles like Renegade, Sam Durrell, Cherry Delight, and Dan Fortune. Lesser used models Steve Holland, Lisa Karan, and his wife, Claudia Lesser.
Year Title Publisher Number
1970 69 Pleasures, The Tower 43-912
1970 Apache Raiders Belmont B60-2004
1970 Arizona Ballantine 02076
1970 Behold the Upright Apollo 00104
1970 Bright to the Wanderer Popular 95-154
1970 Bugle and Spur Ballantine 02077
1970 Forked Tongue Ballantine 01819
1970 Fort Starvation Bantam
1970 Galloway Bantam 10795X
1970 Heller with a Gun Fawcett D2031
1970 Judgment Trail Ballantine 02311
1970 Lust, Be a Lady Tonight Belmont Tower 50516
1970 Man from Robber's Roost Pocket 55108
1970 Morgan Paperback Library 63-423
1970 Nevermore Affair, The Curtis 123-07011-075
1970 Of Good and Evil Ballantine 01850-8-095
1970 Ransome Castle Apollo 103
1970 Reach for Gold Pyramid
1970 Santa Fe Passage Bantam H5540
1970 Season of Vengeance Bantam 14741
1970 Sons of Darkness, Sons of Light Pocket 77187
1970 Steel Web, The Bantam
1970 Tall Men, The Bantam N8716
1970 Tough Bullet Belmont B60-2021
1970 Trouble with Lazy Ethel Ballantine 01851
1970 Victorian Crown, The Belmont B75-2042
1970 Whip, The Bantam H5512
1971 Buchanan Gets Mad Fawcett D2546
1971 Buchanan's War Fawcett R2396
1971 Fannin Belmont B75-2109
1971 His Majesty's Yankee Popular Library 95-202
1971 House of Deadly Calm Apollo
1971 In the Company of Eagles Ballantine -
1971 Majority of Scoundrels, A Ballantine 02571-7-125
1971 Mohave Crossing S6756 -
1971 Rustler's Rock Pocket
1971 Sagebrush Swindle Pocket
1971 Twilight for the Gods Ballantine 02143-6-095
1972 Assignment Ankara Fawcett T2599
1972 Avengers, The Ballantine
1972 Bayou Guns Pyramid 445-01629-075
1972 Buchanan's Gamble Fawcett T2656
1972 Decoy, The Fawcett T2588
1972 Italian Connection, The Fawcett T2597
1972 Ranger Rides the Death Trail, A Pyramid
1972 Trail Ends at Hell, The Belmont Tower 50294
1972 Trap for Buchanan Fawcett T2579
1973 Alaska Steel Belmont BT50550
1973 Amos Flagg: High Gun Belmont Tower K1596
1973 Big Kiss-Off, The Triphammer
1973 Beds to Mecca Belmont Tower BT50566
1973 Buchanan on the Prod Fawcett P3472
1973 Buchanan's Siege Fawcett 1-3786-4
1973 Case of the Brazen Beauty 50592 -
1973 Alaska Steel Belmont 50550
1973 Horror at Gull House Belmont Tower 50522
1973 Indian Killer, The Belmont Tower 50519
1973 Kiss My Assassin Belmont Tower 50594
1973 Last Place God Made, The Fawcett Q2758
1973 Lay Me Odds Belmont Tower
1973 Ringer, The Belmont Tower 50517
1973 Slavers, The Leisure LB12JNK
1973 South of the Bordello Belmont Tower BT50582
1973 Unexpected Death Belmont Tower 50501
1973 Wildcatters, The Belmont BT50583
1974 Destructors, The Ballantine 24190
1974 Ever After Popular Library 445-00226-095
1974 Judas Cross Avon 36426
1974 Kilrone Bantam 20882-9
1974 Mad River Fawcett d1871
1974 No Holiday for Crime Belmont Tower 50639
1974 Whim to Kill Belmont 50756
1974 Zardoz Signet 451-Q5830
1975 After the Last Race Fawcett Crest Q2650
1975 Buchanan Calls the Shots Fawcett M3429
1975 Emerald Canyon Belmont Tower 50809
1975 Sixth Directorate, The Fawcett Crest 2-2938-6
1975 Skirmish Fawcett Q2867
1976 Black Work Signet 451-E7538
1976 Guns of the Timberlands Bantam Q2281
1976 Catch a Rising Star Fawcett 1-3636-1
1977 Assignment Zoraya Fawcett 1-4184-5
1977 Buchanan's Texas Treasure Fawcett 1-3812-7
1977 Neutron Two Avon 35089
1977 War in Sandoval County Bantam 12691
1978 Assassin, The Berkley
1978 Comes a Horseman Dell 11509
1978 Crazy in Berlin Ballantine 27173
1978 First Campaign Bantam
1978 No Laughing Matter Ace Tempo
1978 Pleasant Places Fawcett 2-3769-9
1978 Reinhart in Love Ballantine 27174
1978 Vital Parts Ballantine 27175
1978 Walk a Black Wind Playboy Press 16478
1979 Bad Lands, The Fawcett
1979 Blood Runner Warner
1979 Buchanan's Manhunt Fawcett 1-4119-5
1979 Death List Dell 11841
1979 Death Tide Jove
1979 Forest Things Dell 12593
1979 Forever Sophia: An Intimate Portrait Baronet
1979 Great Silver Bonanza, The Fawcett 1-4202-7
1979 King Jaguar Fawcett
1979 Lure of the Outlaw Trail Ballantine
1979 Only For Today Ace 63090-1
1979 Renegade Warner
1979 Shadow of the Wolf Ballantine
1979 Showdown at Cibecue Creek Ace -
1979 Zinsser Implant, The Dell 19889

Year Title Publisher Number
1980 Chesapeake Cavalier Charter 10345
1980 Cover Stories Dell 11522
1980 Death Hunter Warner 94-233
1980 Down River Dell 11830
1980 Fear Merchant Warner 94-161
1980 Fort Starvation Bantam 14180
1980 Foxbat Spiral, The Dell 12582-2
1980 Hunting Shack, The Dell 13300
1980 Islands Dell 13402
1980 Last Liberator Dell 15071
1980 Outlaw Bantam 10727
1980 Red-12 Dell 17429
1980 Searchers, The Ace 75692
1980 Traitor Blitz, The Popular Library
1980 Unforgiven, The Ace
1981 Above Suspicion Fawcett
1981 Armageddon Game Dell
1981 Crossfire Trail Ace 12280
1981 Day of Wrath Dell 0440-11898-0
1981 Debt of Honor Dell 19156
1981 Earhart Betrayal, The Popular Library
1981 Hunter Equation, The Dell
1981 Kilrone Bantam
1981 Last Liberator, The Dell 14321
1981 Luciano's Luck Dell 14321
1981 Marchand Woman, The Berkley 0-425-04731-8
1981 On Wings of Fire Dell
1981 Santa Fe Passage Bantam 14540
1981 Season of Vengeance Bantam 14741-2
1981 Slade's Glacier Dell 18441
1981 Solstice Cipher, The Dell 18096
1981 Web, The Dell 19440
1991 Bloody Border Dell 21031-3
1994 South Will Rise Again, The Dell 21045-3
1982 Arizona Fancy Lady Leisure
1982 Bent Star, The Tower 51843
1982 Buchanan's Revenge Fawcett 1-4179-9
1982 Cathedral Dell
1982 Debt of Honor Dell
1982 High Plains Temptress Leisure 1123
1982 Luciano's Luck Dell 14321
1982 Night-Wind Dell 15757
1982 When Dragons Dance Avon 79145
1983 All Things in Their Season Dell 10057
1983 Flight of the Falcon Fawcett Crest 0-499 20271-2
1983 Free Woman, The Dell
1983 Moonlight Splendor Harlequin Superromance HS-81
1983 Osprey Dilemma, The Dell 16159
1983 Outback, The Dell
1983 Pioneers, The Signet 451-AE2274
1983 Press Lord, The Dell 17080
1983 Queen's Messenger, The Dell
1983 Scorpion's Sting, The Dell 17872
1983 Serengeti Sunrise Harlequin Superromance HS-92
1983 Barrabas Run, The Gold Eagle
1983 Worldly Goods Bantam
1984 Armageddon Conspiracy Gold Eagle
1984 Butchers of Eden Gold Eagle
1984 Colonists Dell
1984 Delta Nights Harlequin Superromance HS-145
1984 Hard Way, The Gold Eagle
1984 Ninety-Nine, The Gold Eagle
1984 Plains of Fire Gold Eagle
1984 Show No Mercy Gold Eagle
1984 To Catch the Wind Harlequin Superromance HS-118
1984 Triangles of Fire Dell
1984 Wild Seed Zebra-Kensington
1985 Eye of the Fire Gold Eagle
1985 Gulag War Gold Eagle
1985 Red Hammer Down Gold Eagle
1985 River of Flesh Gold Eagle
1985 Some Choose Hell Gold Eagle
1985 Tyler's Woman Avon
1985 Vultures of the Horn Gold Eagle
1986 Agile Retrieval Gold Eagle
1986 Death Deal Gold Eagle
1986 Firestorm U.S.A. Gold Eagle
1986 Goodly Heritage Ballantine 32999
1986 Jihad Gold Eagle
1986 No Sanctuary Gold Eagle 61613
1986 Point Blank Gold Eagle
1986 Wildcat Summer Harlequin Superromance HR-218
1987 Alaska Deception Gold Eagle
1987 Bandini Affair, The
1987 Black Market Pocket 63921-8
1987 Cover Warner 30245-7
1987 Kremlin Devils Gold Eagle
1987 Live Girls Pocket 62628-0
1987 Night of the Fox Pocket
1987 No Safe Place Gold Eagle
1987 Price, The Fawcett 13129-7
1987 Sakhalin Breakout Gold Eagle
1987 Skyjack Gold Eagle
1987 Whole Truth, The Harlequin Superromance HS-280
1988 Alpha Bug Pocket 63668-5
1988 Banshee Worldwide Library
1988 Barrabas Creed, The Gold Eagle
1988 Barrabas Edge, The Gold Eagle
1988 Barrabas Fallout, The Gold Eagle
1988 Barrabas Fix, The Gold Eagle
1988 Barrabas Raid, The Gold Eagle
1988 Battle Stations Signet
1988 Crucifax Pocket 62629-9
1988 Diamond Spur Popular Library 20514-8
1988 Directive Sixteen Pocket
1988 Graveyard Rules Pocket
1988 Hour of the Fox Signet
1988 Man with a Gun Pocket
1988 No Lesser Plea Signet
1988 Pacific Payload Gold Eagle
1988 Rampage Pocket 64852-7
1989 Barrabas Fire, The Gold Eagle
1989 Barrabas Heist, The Gold Eagle
1989 Barrabas Hit, The Gold Eagle
1989 Barrabas Kill, The Gold Eagle
1989 Barrabas Thrust, The
1989 Eagle Has Landed Pocket
1989 Favored Child, The Pocket
1989 Hammer of God, The
1989 Night of the Phoenix
1989 Promises Warner
1989 Run to Morning, The Pocket
1989 Royal Treatment, The Harlequin
1989 Smack Man, The Pocket 63212-4
1989 Storm Warning Pocket
1989 Tangled Murders Pocket
1989 Waves of Glory Popular Library 20731-09

Year Title Publisher Number
1990 Billy Bathgate Harper & Row 0-06-100007-8
1990 Blind Side Signet
1990 Blood Sisters Pocket 67399-8
1990 Final Cut, The Bantam
1990 Immediate Prospect of Being Hanged Onyx
1990 Naked Heart, The Dell
1990 Night Hawk, The Pocket
1990 Tides of Valor, The Mysterious Press
1990 Time of the Wolf
1990 Bone Orchard, The Signet 451-AE7014
1991 Captain Butterfly Signet
1991 Flowers of Betrayal Onyx 451-JE247
1991 True Colors Warner 36115-1
1992 Blood Confessions Dell
1992 Judas Kiss, The Signet 451-AE7319
1992 Power and Glory Dell
1993 Alternate Oscars Delta
1993 Mafia Wars Onyx
1993 Nebraska Crossing Jove 0-515-11205-4
1993 Rails West! Jove 0-515-11099-X
1993 Sheikh's Revenge, The Harlequin
1993 Stranger in the Mist Silhouette 2-7003-1
1993 Texas Fury Dell 21044-5
1993 Wealth and Passion Dell
1994 Dark Fire Harlequin 1735
1994 Saint Mudd Penguin
1994 Wyoming Territory Jove
1996 Devious Desire Harlequin 1827
1996 Exocet Pocket
1997 Confessional Pocket
1997 Scandalous Bride Harlequin 1936

Year Title Publisher Number
2001 Going Home Forge
2001 West to Comanche County Force
2009 Honey in His Mouth Hard Case Crime
2010 Nobody's Angel Hard Case Crime
2011 Quarry in the Middle Hard Case Crime
2012 Complete Slayers, The Centipede Press
2016 Man Drowning Centipede Press
2017 Lenient Beast, The Centipede Press
2017 Wench is Dead Centipede Press
2022 Quarry's Blood '' Hard Case Crime
Magazines
Year-Month Magazine Story Placement
1963-Apr. Man's Magazine "38" Interior
1963-Nov. Argosy "Murder Caribbean Style"' Interior
1963-Dec. True Adventures "Passion Girl" Interior
1964-Apr. Argosy "The Moonshiners" Interior
1970-Oct. Guy Cover
1970-Dec. Adventure "Bush Happy" Cover & Interior
1973-Aug. Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine Cover
2000-Spring/Summer Cigar Smoker Magazine "Hidden Assets"
''The Art of Ron Lesser''
A series of full color books celebrating Ron Lesser's prolific career is being co-edited and published by pulp culture historian Robert Deis and book designer Bill Cunningham. The books were designed by Cunningham for Deis' Subtropic Productions imprint.
The first volume, The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 1: Deadly Dames and Sexy Sirens, published in 2023, showcases paperback cover, magazine and movie poster artwork created by the artist from 1959 through 1979. The book also includes an extensive interview with Lesser conducted by vintage paperback expert J. Kingston Pierce covering the artist's career, painting techniques, and the various models and publishers he utilized for his vivid paintings.
The Art of Ron Lesser Vol. 2: Dangerous Dames and Cover Dolls was published in 2024. It features scores of original paintings of sexy real and fictional women Ron has created in recent decades, including Marilyn Monroe, Bettie Page, Brigitte Bardot, Vampirella and Red Sonja. Lesser Vol. 2 also includes an introduction by Daniel Zimmer, editor of Illustration Magazine, and a Foreword by the popular comic book and book cover artist Joe Jusko.

Year-Month	Magazine	Story	Placement
1963-Apr.	Man's Magazine	"38"	Interior
1963-Nov.	Argosy	"Murder Caribbean Style"'	Interior
1963-Dec.	True Adventures	"Passion Girl"	Interior
1964-Apr.	Argosy	"The Moonshiners"	Interior
1970-Oct.	Guy		Cover
1970-Dec.	Adventure	"Bush Happy"	Cover & Interior
1973-Aug.	Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine		Cover
2000-Spring/Summer	Cigar Smoker Magazine	"Hidden Assets"