The House That Jack Built

Matthew Hope #8

by Ed McBain

When Ralph, a loving older brother upset by his brother's gay lifestyle, is accused of his murder and the evidence points to his guilt, Matthew Hope must work with a few fleeting but crucial clues to prove Ralph's innocence

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Murder Mystery

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

"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.

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lawyer Matthew Hope of Calusa, Fla., stars again as an amateur sleuth searching for evidence to exonerate a client. This time the accused is a visitor from the Midwest, Ralph Parrish, charged with murdering his gay brother, Jonathan, after a wild party at a Florida beach house. Although unhappy over Jonathan's debauchery and sexual orientation, Ralph loved his brother, and Hope believes in his client's innocence. Setting out on a serpentine path, the lawyer comes into the presence of people with secrets he can't pry loose: a priest at the church near Jonathan's house, a pair of married homosexuals, Arthur Hurley and Bill Walker, and their traveling companion, young, pregnant Helen Abbott. At the last turn in the road, Hope meets elderly Sophie Brechtmann and her daughter, Elise, owners of the famous Brechtmann Brewery, where the investigator learns how to make beer

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Matthew Hope is a lawyer these are not really legal thrillers - this is a decent murder mystery

[Antonella Imperiali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quarant’anni e una bella riunione di amici per festeggiarli. Tutti gay, tranne il fratello del festeggiato, che assiste impotente ad un mondo che non è il suo e che deplora.
La festa finisce, gli amici sono andati via, il festeggiato è a terra, un coltello nel petto, mentre una figura nera si allontana attraverso la spiaggia su cui affaccia la stanza dove si trova il cadavere.
Il fratello del morto, che scopre il corpo, è chiaramente il primo e unico sospettato e finisce in manette.
Ma Matthew Hope, avvocato, non ci sta. Crede all’innocenza dell’uomo, ne assume la difesa ed inizia ad indagare con il suo amico investigatore Warren.
Ciò che scopre lo porterà lontano, a vent’anni prima, ad una storia in cui l’amore disilluso ha un ruolo importante, ma il punto di forza è soprattutto la difesa del buon nome della famiglia, l’onore, la dignità.
Segreti sì, scandali no.
Una storia triste, squallida, che ha risvolti nel presente ancora più tristi.

La narrazione avanza a fasi alterne, ora lenta ora più serrata, le vicende dei protagonisti si intrecciano a quelle personali e di altri personaggi della serie; il finale vede una bella ripresa ed una spiegazione esauriente. Che lascia però molto amaro in bocca.

Simpatica l’introduzione dei capitoli con i versi di una filastrocca che fanno da traccia al capitolo stesso.


🇺🇸 LdM: USA/Florida
🌎 LdM - Sfida 2023: USA

P.S.: Letto nell’edizione “I classici del Giallo Mondadori”, volume oro, n. 1225 del 30.07.2009, pag. 248 (il volume è presente su GR, ma non ha né copertina, né numero di pagine).

[wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

finished this one this evening, 6:40 in the pee em, 4/12/17. great story. 4.5 stars. i really liked it. short of amazing. 12 reviews now. hi ho hippity hop. easter's on its way. toots kiley is...what, introduced? in this story. warren chambers, matthews's regular private eye is tailing leona summerville, frank's wife...who's been doing the dirty deed with a doctor. and that's a spoiler. anyway, he's "made" by leona, so they need to bring in another to tail leona. some gay men in this one. the previous story, some gay women. gays and lesbians. i wonder now how they would read these from mcbain. don't know if mcbain ever got behind the boys scouts of america...reason enough for some to disavow anyone who does. and so it goes. anyway, curious. wonder what their take on it would be. good, bad, otherwise?

i didn't and don't now get the marriage by the priest of the two guys, red and black. doesn't seem to bear any relationship to the story. maybe i should down-grade to three point five? decisions decisions. anyway, i've been enjoying these stories from mcbain, lately, library copies...i think the local has one more (i've got another on hand) on the shelf. they might have had one for the kindle and i already read that one. checked out this other yesterday, hadn't been checked out since 1996. heh! art buchwald. where have you gone, art buchwald, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you. woo woo woo.

everyone is intent on a speak bitterness campaign. you'd think we'd grow tired of it already. art? art? art!!!!!!!!!

that is all. good read.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fairly entertaining story in the Matthew Hope series, which has Ed McBain's trademark touches all over it. Specifically, he's a master of dialogue that sounds natural, believable, and fluid. It's more like you're there, listening in on the conversation, than simply reading a transcript thereof.

The story is a good one, with enough complexity and cover-ups to keep this reader interested. Perhaps what kept this book from four stars, however, was the "padding," which is, unfortunately, another of McBain's stylistic trademarks. Each chapter begins with a continuation of his parody of a children's verse, each building on the last verse listed in the previous chapter. In fact, McBain devotes the last page and a half or so to recreating the entire poem, with all the verses that build upon one another-- a sort of word ladder. Needless, and more distracting than interesting.

Matthew Hope, on the other hand, continues to be an interesting character; a lawyer with a conscience, fairly high set of moral/ethical standards, and a loyal friend. Along with this very pleasant character is Detective Bloom who, unfortunately, figures very little in this particular episode. Bloom is a great character and I enjoy his contributions to this series.

On the whole, it proves to be an enjoyable read, thanks in no small part to McBain just being, well, Ed McBain. Not every 87th Precinct book was great, but taken on the whole, almost always worth the time. I'd place this series below that one, of course, but since I'm not going anyplace soon (shelter in place, anyone?), this taste of McBain will do. 3.5 stars, rounded down for padding.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a death after a party for gay men, and the victim's brother is the primary suspect. Matthew Hope and his investigator, Warren Chamber are hired to get the guy off.

Every chapter is headed with a couplet from the verse The House That Jack built.

On the whole, it felt anachronistic.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved Ed McBain's books, but this one didn't live up to his others. A man is accused of killing his gay brother, but the twists and turns (and what did the lawyer's partner's wife's love affair have to do with it? nothing) made it difficult to bother following to the end.

[Luis Minski · Rating 4 out of 5]

La casa que construyó Jack es una entretenida novela, dentro del género policial tradicional, que publicó Ed McBain en 1989.
Ambientada en una imaginaria ciudad de Florida, Estados Unidos, como otros libros de la serie, está protagonizada por Mathew Hope, abogado devenido en investigador privado, y su título hace referencia a una canción infantil.
La trama es simple. Un hombre es acusado de un brutal asesinato, y todas las evidencias parecen así confirmarlo, pero Hope, su abogado, cree en su inocencia, y , con su equipo de investigadores sale a la búsqueda de otra persona, - vestida de negro- , vista por el acusado en los alrededores de la escena del crimen.
Como es natural en este tipo de novelas, la investigación se complica con otra muerte y cuando se ve involucrada una poderosa familia.
Paralelamente, al protagonista se le presenta otra investigación difícil: su socio le pide que averigüe si su esposa le es infiel.
Así, alternando una y otra historia, vamos siguiendo un relato llevadero, y aunque el final es previsible y algunos personajes estén algo estereotipados, nos encontramos con una buena opción de lectura.
https://sobrevolandolecturas.blogspot...

[Mikel Pfeiffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read a McBain book I'm immediately tempted to read another which explains my reading The House that Jack Built right after Killer's Choice. I gave them both 4 stars but really 3.5 for different reasons. In this one, I liked a lot of the book which has Hope trying to find his client innocent of his brother's murder. The book reads a bit dated on the depictions of gay men but I don't think McBain is placing any judgements. I actually think he's ahead of his time in that he has a bit on why should gay couples should be allowed to marry. Actually, that's the one part of the book I didn't understand, what was the reasoning behind an early scene of 2 non-gay characters pretending to have a gay marriage? The plot is a who done it with a plot B to discover if Hope's partner's wife is having an affair. Overall, it's a very entertaining read and wraps up nicely. The one annoying part of the book was the use of the poem in the chapters and the end of the book. Hope actually says "the house that jack built" at one point so why not just keep keep it at that?

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first exposure to Ed McBain. As such, I fail so see how the Matthew Hope series could have lasted for 13 editions. Matthew himself is a rather lackluster personality. There were much more interesting characters such as private detectives Warren and Toots Kiley. Toots, a former coke addict, is much more inventive and willing to take risks. Published in 1988, the writing is far from politically correct by today’s standards, with liberal use of pejoratives for gays and the use of the “N” word.

Without prior exposure, it took me a while to understand the characters and the plot. But once there, the narrative was riveting. The primary plot is about an Indiana farmer who is accused of killing his gay brother. There is also a secondary arc where Hope’s law partner, Frank, believes that his wife, Leona, is having an affair. McBain skillfully interweaves both plots for exciting conclusions.

[Charles Puskas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book title, chapter titles, and much of the contents allude to the famous 18th century English nursery rhyme, cited already in books (e.g., Coleridge, Dickens) and films (e.g., Lars von Trier). Ed McBain (my father's favorite crime novelist) writes about Ralph Parrish, Indiana farmer, and responsible older brother who is upset by his reckless brother's wild and gay lifestyle in Florida. Ralph is accused of his shocking murder and the evidence points to his guilt. Attorney, Matthew Hope must work with a few fleeting but crucial clues to prove Ralph's innocence. It soon brings him in conflict with the great brew house that Jacob ("Jac") Brechtmann had built. As the plot thickens, much drama ensues! The complete nursery rhyme is included in the last two pages.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a fan of McBain's 87th precinct series for year, this is the first time I've read anything in the Matthew Hope series. Like the 87th Precinct this a lawyer procedural book. It follows attorney Matthew Hope in Calusa, Florida. In this case, Matthew has taken on the case of a man accused of his gay brother's murder. He's convinced the man is innocent.

It's interesting to see how just with basic investigation techniques, cases twist and wind and end up at a different destination than you were thinking. Once things get moving here, it's a fast-paced and quick reacing.

[Shin Gaku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, funny and bitter-sweet, this novel is tour de force. A gay man is killed at home and his farmer brother is arrested for murder. But the brother seems innocent. He is good-natured and hard-working man. Did he really commit a crime? This riddle is very attractive. I could not help turning pages. Matthew is a loveable guy. He deeply understand hearts' of people. You can enjoy the twist of this story. A true muderer is whom you can never guess.

[Jane Kindrachuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the layers of plot complexity but reading this story in 2022 makes me very happy that the 80's are long gone! The treatment of women and sexuality is repulsive. I don't remember it as being that bad but I'm not a man so I wouldn't have been thinking this way. And hindsight provides a different lens.

[evelyn messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Some O like better than others

Really enjoyed reading this book.This is most definitely one of my favorite Matthew Hope books. Suspenseful and thrilling.I would recommend this book.

[James H. Jaqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old rhyme...

Did you ever wonder if that house was sturdy? Matthew Hope gets involved in that determination and in the process tells, or lives, a very interesting story. When you read this you will find yourself wondering what happened to the time.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid McBain. 3 and 1/2 stars.

[Jeff J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

#8 in the Matthew Hope series. The gay discrimination theme would be handled differently today but was probably pretty woke at the time.

[Twistedtexas · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/10 - The writing style on this one was similar to Elmore Leonard, but it didn't grab me the way Leonard's usually do. It was ok overall.

[Samuel-Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just found about about Ed McBain, reading all his books. This was the first standalone I have read. I really liked it. Will keep reading them.

[MarcNYC · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best Matthew Hope yarns, full of interesting twists, well written

[James S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many ominous sentence fragments, or small sentences given their own paragraph. Dated, too, in its depiction of the gay characters.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthew Hope must try to figure out who killed a gay man. He is sure it is not the man’s brother, who has been arrested. It turns out that the story goes way back to a brewer’s daughter.

[Peter Barros · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very fun whoddunit that ramps up in the final stretch, but the really annoying misoginy and homophobia creeped me out and turned me off

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

L'ho abbandonato

[La Stamberga dei Lettori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il settimo episodio della saga che ha per protagonista Matthew Hope, un avvocato della Grande Mela che ha scelto di trasferirsi a esercitare al sole della Florida, è uno di quei libri che ha subito un tradimento significativo già nella traduzione del titolo.
Quello originale, infatti, The House That Jack Built, letteralmente significa La casa che Jack costruì, e cita il primo verso di una nursery rhyme che assomiglia in qualche modo all'italiana Alla fiera dell'est.
Non capisco del tutto la scelta di renderlo con il ben più banale Un'ombra sulla spiaggia, ma tant'è. A maggior ragione perché all'interno del libro i capitoli prendono il titolo dai versi della filastrocca, creando una specie di trama parallela e grottesca che ricalca i fatti criminali in cui Hope cerca di districarsi.

La serie che ha come protagonista l'avvocato fuggito da Manhattan nel caldo di Calusa è più distesa e meno forte rispetto a quella dell'"87mo distretto" con cui, precorrendo nei tempi i vari filoni di serie televisive ambientate nei distretti di polizia, Ed McBain ha raggiunto la notorietà.
Effettivamente per un autore italoamericano ambientare una serie di libri gialli a New York dev'essere stato più semplice, l'ambiente risulta più naturale e sicuramente la scelta del realismo 'procedurale', che tende cioè a riprodurre in maniera fedele le tecniche investigative del NYPD, è stata del tutto azzeccata.

Continua su:
http://www.lastambergadeilettori.com/...

[Phillip Thurlby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed McBain didn't half churn them out and this book will by no means change how you look at the world. What it is, is a solid mystery with an initially intriguing plot that carries the reader nicely to the end. Descriptively it is fairly plain, the characters are reasonable (but few will live on in your memories) and the story-lines, although start well, are comfortably solvable well, well before the books conclusion.

It did a job, but not much more.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthew Hope is again representing an accused murderer that everyone else thinks committed the crime, no question about it. Jonathan Parrish, a gay photographer is found dead in his kitchen after a wild party at his home. His brother, Ralph Parrish, the accused murderer was found with his clothes covered in Jonathan's blood and the murder weapon was covered with Ralph's fingerprints. Looks like a tough case for sure.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gay man is killed and suspicion falls on his straight brother. Matthew Hope believes the man is innocent but has only a tale about a figure in black running away from the murder scene to go on. There's quite a few twists, and some very interesting characters in this one. All in all, quite enjoyable and enough to convince me to read more Hope novels.

[Robert James · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have to remember that this book was written in 1988. This definitely is not a pc book as it stands here in 2023. There are a few sections that are cringe worthy and you wonder about Mr. McBain and what he might have been thinking. The book itself is a solid whodunnit with a lot of interesting characters and the usual McBain intersecting stories and snappy dialogue.