Trevanian kept his true identity unknown for many years, and refused to grant interviews or contribute to the publicity efforts of his publishers. Trevanian's first known interview was granted to
Carol Lawson of
The New York Times for a
June 10,
1979 article coinciding with the release of
Shibumi. In this article Trevanian stated that "Trevanian is going out of business. Now he can talk." It was often rumored that he was actually
Robert Ludlum using a pen name to which Trevanian stated, "I don't even know who he is. I read
Proust, but not much else written in the 20th century.".
Trevanian was first outed as Rod Whitaker in an
August 31,
1980 front-page expose by
Jack McGiver that appeared in the
Toronto Star. This fascinating article remains little known in the
United States and is the first known connection in the major media of Rod Whitaker as the man behind the pseudonym. In any event Trevanian's retirement proved short lived as the appearance of the second Nicholas Seare book and
The Summer of Katya demonstrated in 1983.
