What do you think?
Rate this book
87th Precinct #46
And All Through The House
Here is an irresistibly charming tale, beautifully packaged in a small, illustrated and slipcased gift book. All's quiet at the 87th Precinct on Christmas Eve . . . until Steve Carella's fellow detectives appear with a kid who's stolen a sheep, a robber with a bagful of gold, two guys fighting over a sack of frankincense, and a young couple who give birth to a baby boy at midnight!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
3 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
710 books668 followers"Ed McBain" is one of the pen names of American author and screenwriter Salvatore Albert Lombino (1926-2005), who legally adopted the name
Evan Hunter
in 1952.
While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
He also used the pen names John Abbott, Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Dean Hudson, Evan Hunter, and Richard Marsten.
While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
He also used the pen names John Abbott, Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Dean Hudson, Evan Hunter, and Richard Marsten.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 13, 2016
The late Ed McBain is best remembered for his novels of the 87th Precinct, which ultimately stretched to fifty-four books. Additionally, McBain wrote an 87th Precinct short story called "And All Through the House: Christmas Eve At the 87th Precinct," which was first published in Playboy in December, 1984. Ten years later, Warner books reprinted the story in a small hardback edition with illustrations. Several sources list it as the 46th book in the series based on its publication in book form, although strictly speaking, based on its initial publication, it would be the 38th, following Lightning. (Is this pedantic enough? Could I possibly be more compulsive about these things?)
It's a cute little story that one can read in about twenty minutes, even when distracted by the antics of his or her kitten. It opens with Steve Carella sitting alone in an otherwise empty squad room a little before midnight on Christmas Eve. Gradually, the other main detectives drift in, each of them with suspects in tow, and various clever things happen in the aftermath.
This really isn't a "crime" story in the conventional sense; there's no mystery involved and only a tiny amount of violence. It isn't really a novel, either, and one wonders why Goodreads and the Ed McBain website would list it among the books of the 87th Precinct. Only a dedicated 87th Precinct completist would want to take the time to search it out, read and review it, but what can I say? I guess I must be that guy...
It's a cute little story that one can read in about twenty minutes, even when distracted by the antics of his or her kitten. It opens with Steve Carella sitting alone in an otherwise empty squad room a little before midnight on Christmas Eve. Gradually, the other main detectives drift in, each of them with suspects in tow, and various clever things happen in the aftermath.
This really isn't a "crime" story in the conventional sense; there's no mystery involved and only a tiny amount of violence. It isn't really a novel, either, and one wonders why Goodreads and the Ed McBain website would list it among the books of the 87th Precinct. Only a dedicated 87th Precinct completist would want to take the time to search it out, read and review it, but what can I say? I guess I must be that guy...
December 25, 2018
A.K.A. (or could've been titled) Christmas Eve at the 87th Precinct . . . Unlike McBain's numerous other books in his respectably long-running police procedural series, House is really just a short story published in the size and shape of a children's book. The various detectives (Carella, Meyer, Hawes, Kling and Parker) grind through the final 90 minutes of their snowy shift - which ends at midnight - in their squad-room. In custody are four thieves from various incidents (one involving a stolen / recovered sheep) and a very pregnant teenager who was found 'squatting' in an abandoned building. Any guesses as to what situation unceremoniously develops just before the clock strikes 12?
December 4, 2024
A quiet 87th Precinct tale set on Christmas Eve that somehow manages to capture the feeling of that particular night in just a handful of pages.
On a side note, this marks my introduction to the series.
Recommended
On a side note, this marks my introduction to the series.
Recommended
November 27, 2018
It was Christmas Eve at the 87th Precinct and Detective Steve Carella was alone in the squad room. It was a quiet evening and the squad room and the entire station house seemed unusually still. Carella sat typing and correcting some of his reports but he felt the stillness and thought that on quiet nights such as this one he could easily fall asleep on the job. To prevent himself doing so he left his desk and opened the faucet, filled his cupped hands with water and splashed it on his face; he was determined to stay awake as it was less than two hours to Christmas Day and he would be relieved by the Graveyard shift at 11.45pm.
Then it all went wrong as a variety of criminals were brought into the station and put in the detention cage. A bloodied Cotton Hawkes brought in two guys who had been involved in drugs deals. Named Carmody and Knowles, both injured from the struggles on their arrests, the pair caused chaos in the squad room before a 14-year-old boy was brought in with a sheep along with him; he had stolen it from a nearby farm and said that it was a present for his sister. Arresting officer Meyer Meyer said in jest, 'I got us a shepherd!'
Bert Kling arrived with a black man and a large bag full of silver and gold jewellery stolen from a pawnshop; Kling announced, 'Enough jewellery in here to make the Queen of England happy!' Then Andy Parker brought in his prisoners, a young man and a young woman, Jose and Maria Lopez, the latter expecting a child.
Once they were all in the squad room and the detention cage, the repartee was thick and fast until Carella suddenly announced that Maria had gone into labour and shortly thereafter, behind the filing cabinets, Meyer and an inexperienced intern, Miscolo, who had arrived from Major General, delivered a fine baby boy just as the clock ticked onto midnight to signal the arrival of Christmas Day. It was just another day in the 87th Precinct!
Using a line from Clement Clarke Moore's poem as his title, Ed McBain was onto a winner from the start. But in fairness, he captures the feel for Christmas Eve admirably, as well as portraying an active squad room, and in what could be termed a parody of the Christmas story he has produced an absolute gem, which is nicely illustrated with black and white line drawings by Victor Juhasz.
'And All Through The House' is definitely another Christmas winner.
Then it all went wrong as a variety of criminals were brought into the station and put in the detention cage. A bloodied Cotton Hawkes brought in two guys who had been involved in drugs deals. Named Carmody and Knowles, both injured from the struggles on their arrests, the pair caused chaos in the squad room before a 14-year-old boy was brought in with a sheep along with him; he had stolen it from a nearby farm and said that it was a present for his sister. Arresting officer Meyer Meyer said in jest, 'I got us a shepherd!'
Bert Kling arrived with a black man and a large bag full of silver and gold jewellery stolen from a pawnshop; Kling announced, 'Enough jewellery in here to make the Queen of England happy!' Then Andy Parker brought in his prisoners, a young man and a young woman, Jose and Maria Lopez, the latter expecting a child.
Once they were all in the squad room and the detention cage, the repartee was thick and fast until Carella suddenly announced that Maria had gone into labour and shortly thereafter, behind the filing cabinets, Meyer and an inexperienced intern, Miscolo, who had arrived from Major General, delivered a fine baby boy just as the clock ticked onto midnight to signal the arrival of Christmas Day. It was just another day in the 87th Precinct!
Using a line from Clement Clarke Moore's poem as his title, Ed McBain was onto a winner from the start. But in fairness, he captures the feel for Christmas Eve admirably, as well as portraying an active squad room, and in what could be termed a parody of the Christmas story he has produced an absolute gem, which is nicely illustrated with black and white line drawings by Victor Juhasz.
'And All Through The House' is definitely another Christmas winner.
December 16, 2023
Just a wonderful Christmas short story in the middle of a bloodied precinct. Man, this was funny! This short story makes me want to read the whole series but police stories during the 50s or 60s make me cringe however I will read more of the books that were published later. No mystery here just plain and delightful police procedural.
December 22, 2018
I don't remember when I read this book, a few years ago at least, but of all of the great 87th Precinct books I've read this is probably my favorite. It's a whimsical tale, ironic, endearing. It's more a novella than a novel but still worth every bit of the $0.99 (plus 3.99 shipping) that I paid for it.
This is one of my favorite Christmas stories and I think it rates right up there with the Gift of the Magi by O. Henry.
This review is coming a bit late to urge you to get this to read for Christmas if you haven't read it already, but it's a wonderful post Christmas read. Oh hell, read it in July if you like, it's still good.
This is one of my favorite Christmas stories and I think it rates right up there with the Gift of the Magi by O. Henry.
This review is coming a bit late to urge you to get this to read for Christmas if you haven't read it already, but it's a wonderful post Christmas read. Oh hell, read it in July if you like, it's still good.
October 18, 2017
#46 of the 87th Precinct, a charming short story of Christmas Eve - written in 1984 but not published in book form until 1994, so I have read it nearer to chronological order
December 27, 2025
What a Lovely way to spend the Holiday! I am a big 87th Precinct fan and this is a delightful little book! There are illustrations to go along with this short story/novella. It’s a lot of fun! You get Carella, Meyer, Hawes and even Parker in this small tale. 🎄
December 25, 2018
A short novella that brings Christmas to the 87th Precinct. The detectives bring in an odd collection of minor criminals. Three con men, referred to as 'wise guys', a young crook with a stolen sheep and then a pair of Puerto Ricans. Jose and his pregnant wife Maria :)
I found the beautiful slip cased and illustrated hard cover edition of this book in a 2nd hand books store and I imagine it's really hard to find.
A great short read for Christmas.
I found the beautiful slip cased and illustrated hard cover edition of this book in a 2nd hand books store and I imagine it's really hard to find.
A great short read for Christmas.
January 29, 2015
Great little book. I must have read in in fifteen minutes. As you can guess, it's Christmas Eve in the Precinct. It probably won't be much of a spoiler to say that there is a sheep in it, and gold and frankincense.
March 18, 2024
Christmas Eve at the 87th Precinct.
And it's unusually quiet. It was 10:30 and Detective Carella was all alone. No one else.
It would get busier, but not many people are coming in. Part of the reason was that it was starting to snow badly.
First - it was Cotton Hawes, bringing in two white guys who'd been fighting over a shopping bag filled with pot. All three of them are bleeding from knife cuts and the two guys don't want to tell the cops their names or anything else. (but they did cave in, eventually).
Next Meyer brings in a kid - maybe 14 - with a sheep. Seems he stole it from the zoo to take home because his sister wanted a sheep.
Then Bert Kling arrived with a tall black man- he'd caught him as he was coming out off a pawn shop he'd just robbed. There was a valise containing "enough jewelry to make the Queen of England happy. The sawed-off shotgun the thief had used was still down in the squad car. While the first two men are full of "I'm going to sue the city, etc". the pawn shop thief doesn't say a word.
Finally, Andy Parker came with his two. A young couple from Puerto Rico who, it turned out, didn't have any place to stay. The girl is very, very pregnant and is in labor.
The final arrival is an intern, who was called to help with three people with knife cuts. He's never delivered a baby before. That's a complication. Meyer, it seems, is the only one there who's delivered a baby.
It was midnight and the baby boy was born. And everyone - everyone - takes a deep breath.
And it's unusually quiet. It was 10:30 and Detective Carella was all alone. No one else.
It would get busier, but not many people are coming in. Part of the reason was that it was starting to snow badly.
First - it was Cotton Hawes, bringing in two white guys who'd been fighting over a shopping bag filled with pot. All three of them are bleeding from knife cuts and the two guys don't want to tell the cops their names or anything else. (but they did cave in, eventually).
Next Meyer brings in a kid - maybe 14 - with a sheep. Seems he stole it from the zoo to take home because his sister wanted a sheep.
Then Bert Kling arrived with a tall black man- he'd caught him as he was coming out off a pawn shop he'd just robbed. There was a valise containing "enough jewelry to make the Queen of England happy. The sawed-off shotgun the thief had used was still down in the squad car. While the first two men are full of "I'm going to sue the city, etc". the pawn shop thief doesn't say a word.
Finally, Andy Parker came with his two. A young couple from Puerto Rico who, it turned out, didn't have any place to stay. The girl is very, very pregnant and is in labor.
The final arrival is an intern, who was called to help with three people with knife cuts. He's never delivered a baby before. That's a complication. Meyer, it seems, is the only one there who's delivered a baby.
It was midnight and the baby boy was born. And everyone - everyone - takes a deep breath.
December 22, 2024
It’s really clever how much you can do with so few pages.
And All Through The House is an endearing tale about Christmas Eve in a police precinct. I wish I had the illustrations that everyone’s talking about.
Nothing to write home about but I enjoyed something a little different whilst I sat in front on the fire with my coffee. It felt like it could be an episode on a police comedy show or a very quick play.
And All Through The House is an endearing tale about Christmas Eve in a police precinct. I wish I had the illustrations that everyone’s talking about.
Nothing to write home about but I enjoyed something a little different whilst I sat in front on the fire with my coffee. It felt like it could be an episode on a police comedy show or a very quick play.
December 28, 2019
A quick clever book that weaves the Nativity story with the hard-boiled police genre.
June 27, 2021
Charming illustrated 87th Precinct short story, with various characters turning up at the precinct house on Christmas Eve. It’s festively cheesy, but left a big grin on my face.
July 26, 2017
short christmas story, very mcbain. love it
December 15, 2022
Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter, born Salvatore Albert Lombino so of course he's going to write mysteries) spun this tale of Christmas in the 87th Precinct originally for Playboy Magazine. Much later, it was given a hardback edition Illustrated by Victor Juhasz.
It's a silent night for Carella and the boys of the 87 until they have a young couple giving birth at midnight, and a thief with gold, a brawl over frankincense and the theft of... a sheep.
It is a departure from the earlier 87th series, more subdued, more endearing... but that's a good thing.
Because, it is Christmas, after all.
It's a silent night for Carella and the boys of the 87 until they have a young couple giving birth at midnight, and a thief with gold, a brawl over frankincense and the theft of... a sheep.
It is a departure from the earlier 87th series, more subdued, more endearing... but that's a good thing.
Because, it is Christmas, after all.
April 30, 2020
A "one off" story for Christmas 1984. Interesting that it is considered "87th Precint #46".
Book is the size of a children's reader, and comes in at 40 pp. That includes illustrations by Victor Juhasz - which I really liked. Cartoonish, but detailed and appropriate. OTOH, makes Carella look like a Super Hero - I never imagined him that way myself.
McBain throws in his usual odd bunch of characters, precinct house lingo, and "nothing going on" to "all hell breaks lose" plot line.
Fun read you can finish up in less than a half an hour. Doubt if it will become a "Christmas Classic" read every year in our household. For McBain completists only.
Book is the size of a children's reader, and comes in at 40 pp. That includes illustrations by Victor Juhasz - which I really liked. Cartoonish, but detailed and appropriate. OTOH, makes Carella look like a Super Hero - I never imagined him that way myself.
McBain throws in his usual odd bunch of characters, precinct house lingo, and "nothing going on" to "all hell breaks lose" plot line.
Fun read you can finish up in less than a half an hour. Doubt if it will become a "Christmas Classic" read every year in our household. For McBain completists only.
December 14, 2018
This could easily be an episode in a cop show. In fact, I think I have seen some similar. Still, fits the series and fits the season.
Oh, don't forget the humor. The sheep was just the right touch.
Oh, don't forget the humor. The sheep was just the right touch.
December 25, 2021
I was trying to read the 87th Precinct series in order (number 15 next on the list) but this short story in book form was just so appropriate since today is Christmas. And All Through the House is the 87th Precinct in capsule with major characters, minor crimes (this time though, there is little blood), sharp portraits, a touch of procedure, usual banter, the ever-present weather, and humor. Think of this little work as Evan Hunter's Christmas present: nativity at the 87th Precinct.
And All Through the House is a riot; its structure reminded me of a one act play. As another reviewer mentioned, it would make a fine TV episode. As the characters show up and the story line develops, and even if the cover illustration wasn't enough, the Christmas revelation is quite evident. It is a well-crafted, cute story.
This hardcover, without a dust jacket but with imprinted cover, is nicely done. The 14 black and white pen sketches by Victor Juhasz are quite effective. The endpapers are very nice, the front depicting the precinct house before the snow, the rear showing snow falling. One quibble: even though a Christmas tree is shown in the illustrations there isn't one mentioned in the story.
I just realized that the edition of the book I have is different from the one illustrated here. There was a slipcased version; perhaps that is the one illustrated. My edition is much nicer, with a large color illustration of the baby swaddled in a blanket lying in front of a decorated Christmas tree, nicely bordered in blue with white print. I tried to add a picture of my edition but was unable to do so.
And All Through the House is a riot; its structure reminded me of a one act play. As another reviewer mentioned, it would make a fine TV episode. As the characters show up and the story line develops, and even if the cover illustration wasn't enough, the Christmas revelation is quite evident. It is a well-crafted, cute story.
This hardcover, without a dust jacket but with imprinted cover, is nicely done. The 14 black and white pen sketches by Victor Juhasz are quite effective. The endpapers are very nice, the front depicting the precinct house before the snow, the rear showing snow falling. One quibble: even though a Christmas tree is shown in the illustrations there isn't one mentioned in the story.
I just realized that the edition of the book I have is different from the one illustrated here. There was a slipcased version; perhaps that is the one illustrated. My edition is much nicer, with a large color illustration of the baby swaddled in a blanket lying in front of a decorated Christmas tree, nicely bordered in blue with white print. I tried to add a picture of my edition but was unable to do so.
December 23, 2025
A short Christmas story set in a quiet police precinct as midnight approaches on Christmas Eve. It is all quiet until after 10 when various police officers start bringing in a motley crew of criminals including two knuckleheads with a bag of pot that they insist is frankincense, a man with a pot of gold that he lifted from a pawn shop and a kid who stole a sheep from the city zoo for his sister's Christmas present. When the final officer brings in a couple who were found squatting it is clear that the woman is pregnant and in labor. The doctor comes and helps her deliver a baby boy just after midnight. But she won't name him Emmanual and instead names him Carlos after her father. A comical little story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2018
Ehhh, someone was trying to make a stocking-stuffer for the holidays and this was the product, a really, really short story with images. The only neat thing is that the pencil images are close to what I imagined the boys in blue looked like while reading 45 other books.
Even for someone who is a completest this is not worth the time to track down.
Even for someone who is a completest this is not worth the time to track down.
November 6, 2022
87th Precinct extra, considering it just copies the birth of Christ in the squad room.
It has all the ear marks of McBain's series, the cast, their jokes and mannerisms included. All happening on Christmas Eve, near midnight aka shift change.
The added artwork has a New York Times pen and ink cartoon feel that only adds to the story.
Nice inclusion for the 87th.
Thanks for reading.
It has all the ear marks of McBain's series, the cast, their jokes and mannerisms included. All happening on Christmas Eve, near midnight aka shift change.
The added artwork has a New York Times pen and ink cartoon feel that only adds to the story.
Nice inclusion for the 87th.
Thanks for reading.
December 27, 2017
The setting of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series becomes an ersatz Nativity scence complete with a sheep, criminals, hardened detectives and a birth. It's a 30 page or so read that has great illustrations, but a very predictable outcome.
June 7, 2020
All's quiet at the 87th Precinct on Christmas Eve . . . until Steve Carella's fellow detectives appear with a kid who's stolen a sheep, a robber with a bagful of gold, two guys fighting over a sack of frankincense, and a young couple who give birth to a baby boy at midnight!
July 23, 2020
A nicely-packaged little Christmas story featuring the usual guys. It all takes place on the evening of December 24-25. About halfway through the penny drops, and the rest just plays out as expected. Might have made a cute TV episode.
March 16, 2021
Pretty much an 87th Precinct story in name only. This 'novella' is an illustrated children's story, set in the detective's office on Christmas Eve. The lead characters - Carella, King, Meyer, etc - are present and correct but not for long as this isn't just a short story. It's a very short story!
December 26, 2022
“The silent nights got to you.”
It’s Christmas Eve in the 87th Precinct, and it’s Christmas Eve 2022 as I read this!
This is a (very) short story from the 87th. Complete with illustrations!
A bag of marijuana, a sheep, and a valise of silver and gold end up in their squad room as one-by-one the different detectives enter it, and the story. And then a young couple enter, with the woman in active labor! It's the story of Christmas, McBain style!
It’s Christmas Eve in the 87th Precinct, and it’s Christmas Eve 2022 as I read this!
This is a (very) short story from the 87th. Complete with illustrations!
A bag of marijuana, a sheep, and a valise of silver and gold end up in their squad room as one-by-one the different detectives enter it, and the story. And then a young couple enter, with the woman in active labor! It's the story of Christmas, McBain style!
December 22, 2023
I was in the mood for a little Holiday read and found this at the library. The illustrations were absolutely beautiful! I was disappointed in the racism...could have been a cute short story but a lot of unnecessary hate coming from the characters towards POC.
August 13, 2019
Cute Christmas book that takes place in the squad room. Read it in about 10 minutes.
Listed as #46 in the series but I think it was probably just a special book written for Christmas.
Listed as #46 in the series but I think it was probably just a special book written for Christmas.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews