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The Investigation
Kitty Keeler is beautiful, blond, and anything but the conventional middle-class mother of the neighborhood. She is estranged from her husband, hoards expensive clothes and leads a very social life around gambling casinos and organized crime.
When Kitty's two small sons are found dead, everyone quickly concludes Kitty murdered them. She quickly becomes a media sensation.
During the course of the investigation, Sgt. Joe Peters, begins to doubt the evidence against Kitty. He is near the end of a failed marriage and reluctantly approaching retirement. He believes Kitty is innocent and finds himself falling in love with her. Joe begins to peel back the complex layers in the conspiracy of silence while his feelings for Kitty become an obsession...putting his career in jeopardy.
When Kitty's two small sons are found dead, everyone quickly concludes Kitty murdered them. She quickly becomes a media sensation.
During the course of the investigation, Sgt. Joe Peters, begins to doubt the evidence against Kitty. He is near the end of a failed marriage and reluctantly approaching retirement. He believes Kitty is innocent and finds himself falling in love with her. Joe begins to peel back the complex layers in the conspiracy of silence while his feelings for Kitty become an obsession...putting his career in jeopardy.
283 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
48 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Uhnak
58 books17 followersUhnak's first book was autobiographical Policewoman (1964), written and published while she was still a New York Transit Police detective.
Her debut fiction, The Bait (1968), received a 1969 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel (in a tie with E. Richard Johnson's Silver Street). ,The Bait was also made into a 1973 made-for-television film of the same title. It was followed by The Witness and The Ledger, which was adapted for the TV-movie and series Get Christie Love! starring Teresa Graves. All three novels featured Christie Opara, an NYPD detective assigned to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, where Uhnak herself was assigned for many years.
Later works included Law and Order, which was made into a TV-movie starring Darren McGavin and The Investigation, which was adapted into a TV-movie, "Kojak: The Price of Justice", with Telly Savalas.
In her later years she suffered from depression. She committed suicide by a self-administered drug overdoes in 2006. She was seventy-six at the time of her death.
Her debut fiction, The Bait (1968), received a 1969 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel (in a tie with E. Richard Johnson's Silver Street). ,The Bait was also made into a 1973 made-for-television film of the same title. It was followed by The Witness and The Ledger, which was adapted for the TV-movie and series Get Christie Love! starring Teresa Graves. All three novels featured Christie Opara, an NYPD detective assigned to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, where Uhnak herself was assigned for many years.
Later works included Law and Order, which was made into a TV-movie starring Darren McGavin and The Investigation, which was adapted into a TV-movie, "Kojak: The Price of Justice", with Telly Savalas.
In her later years she suffered from depression. She committed suicide by a self-administered drug overdoes in 2006. She was seventy-six at the time of her death.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 26, 2018
Letto in edizione Club degli Editori
May 21, 2022
What bothered me was what we seemed prepared to prove her guilty even if she wasn't.
December 23, 2018
"I am very convictable right now [...] People want to convict me of something. After all, I haven't behaved the way 'people' think I should, the way a 'mother' should have reacted [...]"
A very good police procedural, one that might seem a bit dated - the novel was published in 1977 - yet very relevant for today's times because of the underlying theme of 'trying a case in the court of public opinion'. Dorothy Uhnak's Investigation is the first book of this author that I have read but certainly not the last. Amazon's prices for other used books by Ms. Uhnak are exorbitant so it's time to run for the library.
The detectives on the DA's Investigating Squad take a call from the precinct about missing Keeler's kids. Kitty Keeler is a young mother, an attractive woman, married to a middle-aged husband. There is a history of marital problems and of using children as hostages in resolving conflicts between the spouses. The bodies of two kids are soon found; they have been strangulated and shot. Detective Joe Peters leads the investigation.
The procedural thread is totally captivating and very well written. Ms. Uhnak used to work for 14 years as a detective for the New York City Transit Police Department and not only does she convincingly convey the details of police activities but, most importantly, she also portrays the police department politics. Even without the criminal plot it could make great reading:
Finally, perhaps the most important theme of the novel: trying criminal cases 'in the court of the public opinion.' Remember the Casey Anthony's case of 2011 - 2014? It gained wide attention in the media, including social media. Most everybody had their opinion on the issue of guilt or innocence. People devoured hours and hours of TV coverage and basked in the self-satisfied and disgusting glory of being able to judge other people. Were the Kitty Keeler's case to happen now there would be even more coverage, and every single interest group would try to "own" the case with the use of social and other media. Ms. Uhnak's novel offers a warning sign.
In the novel we learn the so-called "truth" about what happened at the end. I could live without the explicit solution since to me it softens the impact of important issues raised by the author. Now, attempting to be facetious: this was 1977 after all, when the existence of truth was implicitly assumed unlike now, in the era of "post-truth." Anyway, a very good novel, highly recommended!
Four stars.
A very good police procedural, one that might seem a bit dated - the novel was published in 1977 - yet very relevant for today's times because of the underlying theme of 'trying a case in the court of public opinion'. Dorothy Uhnak's Investigation is the first book of this author that I have read but certainly not the last. Amazon's prices for other used books by Ms. Uhnak are exorbitant so it's time to run for the library.
The detectives on the DA's Investigating Squad take a call from the precinct about missing Keeler's kids. Kitty Keeler is a young mother, an attractive woman, married to a middle-aged husband. There is a history of marital problems and of using children as hostages in resolving conflicts between the spouses. The bodies of two kids are soon found; they have been strangulated and shot. Detective Joe Peters leads the investigation.
The procedural thread is totally captivating and very well written. Ms. Uhnak used to work for 14 years as a detective for the New York City Transit Police Department and not only does she convincingly convey the details of police activities but, most importantly, she also portrays the police department politics. Even without the criminal plot it could make great reading:
"Aside for splits based on politics, racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds and specific personality differences, we're just one cohesive team."But two other themes dominate the novel. Ms. Uhnak paints a compelling psychological portrait of Kitty and manages to make her feel like a real person, not just a character in a plot. She behaves like an actual human being rather than as embodiment of how the majority of people imagine other people should behave. Kitty has a strong and distinctive personality so, obviously, she 'rubs other people' wrong, to use a cliché phrase. The scene of Kitty being interrogated by the detectives is superb. No clichés there!
Finally, perhaps the most important theme of the novel: trying criminal cases 'in the court of the public opinion.' Remember the Casey Anthony's case of 2011 - 2014? It gained wide attention in the media, including social media. Most everybody had their opinion on the issue of guilt or innocence. People devoured hours and hours of TV coverage and basked in the self-satisfied and disgusting glory of being able to judge other people. Were the Kitty Keeler's case to happen now there would be even more coverage, and every single interest group would try to "own" the case with the use of social and other media. Ms. Uhnak's novel offers a warning sign.
In the novel we learn the so-called "truth" about what happened at the end. I could live without the explicit solution since to me it softens the impact of important issues raised by the author. Now, attempting to be facetious: this was 1977 after all, when the existence of truth was implicitly assumed unlike now, in the era of "post-truth." Anyway, a very good novel, highly recommended!
Four stars.
August 8, 2022
Közel 40 éve lehet ez a könyv a család birtokában, sosem olvastam, sem beszéltünk róla. Egy nyári megfázás és a digitális eszközöktől való távolódás vett rá, hogy kezembe vegyem ezt az 1983-ban kiadott könyvet. Nem bántam meg.
Az 1970-es évek Amerikájában játszódik. Rengeteg idealizált kép szerepel a regényben, amihez hozzájárul az is, hogy az író korábban rendőrként dolgozott. Azonban ha levesszük ezeket a mázakat, akkor érdekes bepillantást nyerünk az átalakuló New York életébe. Milyen lehetett pár évtizeddel korábban, milyen lett a regény idejére.
Érdekes módon a nők helyzetét is több szempontból feszegeti de feminista kritika nélkül. Igazából a főhős Kitty Keeler pont az karriervágyaival és az egyenjogúságra törekvéssel lesz ellenszenves a teljes társadalom számára. A média szerepe is más volt a regény időszakában. A kapuőr újságok páratlanul uralták a nyilvánosságot és a közhangulatot. Elég nyomasztó ezt a befolyást olvasni, de napjainkban sem vagyunk ettől messze, csak már nem az egyes újságok határozzák meg a hisztéria irányát.
A regény hullámzó, de számomra végig izgalmas volt, a politikai szál nem volt eléggé kifejtve, nagyon felszínes volt. A nyomozás tetszett, sikerült úgy adagolni az információkat, hogy az utolsó oldalakig érdekfeszítő módon fentartotta az érdeklődésemet. Ez pedig régóta nem sikerült offline írásműnek.
Az 1970-es évek Amerikájában játszódik. Rengeteg idealizált kép szerepel a regényben, amihez hozzájárul az is, hogy az író korábban rendőrként dolgozott. Azonban ha levesszük ezeket a mázakat, akkor érdekes bepillantást nyerünk az átalakuló New York életébe. Milyen lehetett pár évtizeddel korábban, milyen lett a regény idejére.
Érdekes módon a nők helyzetét is több szempontból feszegeti de feminista kritika nélkül. Igazából a főhős Kitty Keeler pont az karriervágyaival és az egyenjogúságra törekvéssel lesz ellenszenves a teljes társadalom számára. A média szerepe is más volt a regény időszakában. A kapuőr újságok páratlanul uralták a nyilvánosságot és a közhangulatot. Elég nyomasztó ezt a befolyást olvasni, de napjainkban sem vagyunk ettől messze, csak már nem az egyes újságok határozzák meg a hisztéria irányát.
A regény hullámzó, de számomra végig izgalmas volt, a politikai szál nem volt eléggé kifejtve, nagyon felszínes volt. A nyomozás tetszett, sikerült úgy adagolni az információkat, hogy az utolsó oldalakig érdekfeszítő módon fentartotta az érdeklődésemet. Ez pedig régóta nem sikerült offline írásműnek.
March 31, 2014
My first encounter with Dorothy Uhnak was in the early eighties when I picked up for 50 cents "Policewoman" at Spencer’s Mystery Book Store in Boston.
Now, some twenty years later I’ve picked up another book by her: "The Investigation". Uhnak, who for 14 years, was a policewoman for the New York City Transit Police Department. She then turned to writing Police Procedural novels.
"The Investigation" takes you inside what it’s like being a detective investigating a murder and Uhnak knows what she's talking about.
For anybody writing a police procedural novel this is a MUST read. For all others, it’s a well written suspense story with a femme fatal touch to it.
Now, some twenty years later I’ve picked up another book by her: "The Investigation". Uhnak, who for 14 years, was a policewoman for the New York City Transit Police Department. She then turned to writing Police Procedural novels.
"The Investigation" takes you inside what it’s like being a detective investigating a murder and Uhnak knows what she's talking about.
For anybody writing a police procedural novel this is a MUST read. For all others, it’s a well written suspense story with a femme fatal touch to it.
March 27, 2014
Book dates itself but still a good read about a police detective getting personally involved in a case. Enjoyed the interaction among policemen and how politics plays a part in their decisions. Kitty never became likable to me; it was like she was playing the part of an actress depending on who she was around. How could the detective ever feel compassion for her situation was beyond me. The network involved with criminals was horrible when you realize how truthful it could be.
April 28, 2010
An older book, but a good one. This starts with a murder of two little boys and a good idea of who did it.
The book is about just what the title says "The Investigation." It's about how it is conducted and how the police determine who did it. It's good police procedure and written from the experience of the author.
The book is about just what the title says "The Investigation." It's about how it is conducted and how the police determine who did it. It's good police procedure and written from the experience of the author.
May 10, 2008
Written in the author’s first First Person POV narrative, Joe Peters, a near-retirement NYPD detective, relates the strange, disturbing case of Kitty Keeler. Did or did not Kitty kill her two small children?
July 31, 2018
I read this book over 30 years ago. Although I couldn't remember the details, I remember that I loved it, so I wanted to read it again. And again, I enjoyed it. It dragged out some in certain places, but it is still a good read.
October 29, 2012
I love, love, love Uhnak - she never disappoints!!
January 3, 2013
Pretty good crime/detective novel.
May 14, 2023
The first book I’ve read by this author. Very interesting and complex plot. Excellent at showing politics of police work. Main detective has serious flaws but is basically a good guy. My kind of book.
July 13, 2020
Read in 1978. Young mother accused of killing her two young daughters so she must find the real killers. Solid mystery.
August 9, 2020
Liked more than I expected. Det Joe Peters and Kitty Keeler. Death of her two young boys in NYC. Suspenseful. Liked the descriptions of boroughs of NYC. One of Aunt Milly's mysteries, written in 1977. I'll read more of Dorothy Uhnak's books. 8/20
April 16, 2025
read it many years ago but remember it was unbelievably good
July 6, 2025
Kind of slow moving, but kept me haning on to find out exactly what went down.
March 11, 2017
too much of a downer
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July 5, 2015<<< SPOILERS >>>
Disappointed in the ending. Kitty Keeler first appears as an independent woman who knows her way around the world; then Det. Joe Peters shows that the police are completely prejudiced and have a mysogynistic view of her; THEN it turns out that she was not independent at all, to the point where she received (and met!) orders about who to have sex with, and the police were right after all... Terrible.
That said, the writing is solid and witty at some places. Expected more from female characters. KK reminded me of Amy in Gone Girl, but KK is less well drawn. A former police officer who apparently experienced gender prejudice while pregnant & as a young mother, Uhnak sounds like an interesting writer, so I might check out other books of hers in the future.
Disappointed in the ending. Kitty Keeler first appears as an independent woman who knows her way around the world; then Det. Joe Peters shows that the police are completely prejudiced and have a mysogynistic view of her; THEN it turns out that she was not independent at all, to the point where she received (and met!) orders about who to have sex with, and the police were right after all... Terrible.
That said, the writing is solid and witty at some places. Expected more from female characters. KK reminded me of Amy in Gone Girl, but KK is less well drawn. A former police officer who apparently experienced gender prejudice while pregnant & as a young mother, Uhnak sounds like an interesting writer, so I might check out other books of hers in the future.
October 18, 2015
This was an interesting crime novel, which was well written but not remarkable. I thought the author created an imaginative plot and her characters were well developed. Some twists and turns but an easy to follow story made this a good read and I would recommend it.
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October 23, 2008M Uhn
January 1, 2015
TWIST!
Want to read
December 31, 2018Synopsis: Kitty Keeler's sons are dead and she's the obvious suspect. Sgt. Joe Peters doubts the evidence.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews