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87th Precinct #28
There Was A Little Girl
After Matthew Hope slips into a coma--the result of a drive-by shooting--his friends, private eye Warren Chambers and police detective Morris Bloom--must follow in his investigative footsteps to discover why he was shot. All signs point to the local circus--an underworld of offbeat sex, drugs, blackmail, murder, and in the center of it all, there was a little girl.
339 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
139 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
712 books669 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 26, 2014
Of the twenty-eight novels in the 87th Precinct series thus far, this one, for me, is the least successful of all.
The story opens on a bitterly cold winter night when six naked bodies are found thrown into a trench. The detectives of the 87th must first identify the victims and then figure out who killed them and why.
It turns out that the deceased are victims of a gang war being fought by the three principal gangs that dominate the city, one black, one Hispanic, and one white. The point of view alternates between that of the detectives conducting the investigation and that of the leader of the white gang who expounds at great length about his leadership style and the decisions that he's made. The gang leader's point of view, in particular, did not work for me at all. It was boring, repetitive, and often just plain silly. I couldn't for a moment believe that a guy this stupid and self-absorbed could possibly be the hardened leader of a gang of serious street thugs.
There seemed to be a lot of filler in the book that seemed to serve no purpose other than to pad the word count, and one is tempted to speculate that McBain was under contract and out of time and simply phoned this one in. The good news is that, having read some of this series out of order, I know that there are much better books than this left yet, but this one is 2.5 stars for me.
The story opens on a bitterly cold winter night when six naked bodies are found thrown into a trench. The detectives of the 87th must first identify the victims and then figure out who killed them and why.
It turns out that the deceased are victims of a gang war being fought by the three principal gangs that dominate the city, one black, one Hispanic, and one white. The point of view alternates between that of the detectives conducting the investigation and that of the leader of the white gang who expounds at great length about his leadership style and the decisions that he's made. The gang leader's point of view, in particular, did not work for me at all. It was boring, repetitive, and often just plain silly. I couldn't for a moment believe that a guy this stupid and self-absorbed could possibly be the hardened leader of a gang of serious street thugs.
There seemed to be a lot of filler in the book that seemed to serve no purpose other than to pad the word count, and one is tempted to speculate that McBain was under contract and out of time and simply phoned this one in. The good news is that, having read some of this series out of order, I know that there are much better books than this left yet, but this one is 2.5 stars for me.
June 15, 2025
★★★
‘Hail to the Chief’ is number 28 in the 87th Precinct series and, sadly, the first one I haven’t enjoyed. I wouldn’t call it a weak entry as there’s plenty that works, but for me it was a slog to get through.
McBain’s experimented with structure before, usually to good effect, but this was less successful. The story moves between a present-day confession and flashbacks, often switching viewpoints with no clear signposting. I kept having to reread bits to work out who I was following, which became frustrating.
The main plot, focused on warring street gangs, didn’t hold my interest and the characters felt flat. It wasn’t badly written, just lacking spark.
That said, the usual rich descriptions of Isola are here, with a great early section on the city’s layout, history and weather. The Bert King subplot was another bright spot. There’s also a passing reference to the death of Kling’s fiancée Claire Townsend, which happened in book 14, ‘Lady, Lady, I Did It’. We’re told it’s been thirteen years since then, which helps date the series in real time and keeps track of how much has changed in Isola over the decades.
Not without merit, but the structure got in the way and the story failed to engage. A lesser entry for me.
‘Hail to the Chief’ is number 28 in the 87th Precinct series and, sadly, the first one I haven’t enjoyed. I wouldn’t call it a weak entry as there’s plenty that works, but for me it was a slog to get through.
McBain’s experimented with structure before, usually to good effect, but this was less successful. The story moves between a present-day confession and flashbacks, often switching viewpoints with no clear signposting. I kept having to reread bits to work out who I was following, which became frustrating.
The main plot, focused on warring street gangs, didn’t hold my interest and the characters felt flat. It wasn’t badly written, just lacking spark.
That said, the usual rich descriptions of Isola are here, with a great early section on the city’s layout, history and weather. The Bert King subplot was another bright spot. There’s also a passing reference to the death of Kling’s fiancée Claire Townsend, which happened in book 14, ‘Lady, Lady, I Did It’. We’re told it’s been thirteen years since then, which helps date the series in real time and keeps track of how much has changed in Isola over the decades.
Not without merit, but the structure got in the way and the story failed to engage. A lesser entry for me.
October 30, 2025
Carella and his colleagues investigate the mysterious murder of six people in a ditch including a baby in Number 28 in n the 87th Precinct series. It is in the depths of winter and they have no clues. They uncover a gang war between three gangs of teenagers. One of them the Yankee rebels is led by a sociopath with delusions of grandeur and a bizarre idea of how to clean up his neighborhood.
The story follows the process of identifying the culprits and an odd statement by the President of the Yankee Rebels. The story lacks a mystery element and is more a statement of gang culture as a metaphor for national and cultural conflict.
The story follows the process of identifying the culprits and an odd statement by the President of the Yankee Rebels. The story lacks a mystery element and is more a statement of gang culture as a metaphor for national and cultural conflict.
May 26, 2017
From 1973 an allegory of America pulling itself out of Vietnam as the president of a gang decides the best way to pursue peace is through slaughter.
"One of the kids on the council, a dope named Hardy, said he didn't understand why we were fighting this war to begin with, and I told him the war wasn't our doing, but that as the most powerful clique in the neighborhood, if the the entire city, it was our duty and responsibility to bring peace, even though we hadn't started the shooting."
"One of the kids on the council, a dope named Hardy, said he didn't understand why we were fighting this war to begin with, and I told him the war wasn't our doing, but that as the most powerful clique in the neighborhood, if the the entire city, it was our duty and responsibility to bring peace, even though we hadn't started the shooting."
January 16, 2020
There are better installments in this epic series by Ed McBain, but it still contains examples of the author’s skills, particularly with respect to writing dialogue. His ear for “street talk” is among the best in the business.
The story was less compelling than usual, with an alternating POV between a delusional, narcissistic gang leader and the men of the 87th Precinct. The gang leader is basically a one trick pony and perhaps a missed opportunity for McBain. The story is decently entertaining but not really engaging, and I found myself looking for more.
There are far better entries in the series for the uninitiated, but for the die-hard fan, this one will become another book checked off your list. Certainly not a waste, just nothing over which to be excited.
The story was less compelling than usual, with an alternating POV between a delusional, narcissistic gang leader and the men of the 87th Precinct. The gang leader is basically a one trick pony and perhaps a missed opportunity for McBain. The story is decently entertaining but not really engaging, and I found myself looking for more.
There are far better entries in the series for the uninitiated, but for the die-hard fan, this one will become another book checked off your list. Certainly not a waste, just nothing over which to be excited.
May 13, 2017
Once again, McBain plays with form as the detective work carried out by our heroes is interspersed with a comprehensive confession that fills in many of the gaps. These two narrative threads run side by side sometimes switching off from paragraph to paragraph with no indication of the change in POV. I can't think of many modern novelists who could pull this off so seamlessly and keep things moving forwards. It's utterly cinematic. Bravo.
May 7, 2020
This was the first 87th Precinct novels that I didn't really like. Throughout this series, McBain varies the format and storytelling technique but this one did not work for me. It's told from two POV's, one of the ongoing case, and the other from one of the perpetrators looking back after everything was over. For me this didn't work that well.
Basic story line reminded me of West Side Story as rival 50'e era gangs jostle for power in the city.
One out of 28 that I havn't really liked, still a very good average.
Basic story line reminded me of West Side Story as rival 50'e era gangs jostle for power in the city.
One out of 28 that I havn't really liked, still a very good average.
July 2, 2020
Matthew Hope, defense attorney extraordinaire, is shot on page one and spends the rest of the case in his hospital bed. So it’s up to his friends (a PI, a cop, his DA girlfriend) to figure out why he was shot. Hope can’t tell them. He is in a semi-coma and can’t communicate what he knows. The case touches on land deals, circus life, a bit of nymphomania, and racism in a Florida town that might be Sarasota.
The strengths in this one are a downright powerful opening and impressive narrative razzle dazzle. McBain confidently moves back and forth between investigations and points of view that does not reflect chronology, but does roll out the chronology of the crimes. It’s great way to tell the story but the plot excuse for telling it this way requires this very smart group of investigators to overlook something very obvious. So, it’s not a five star work. (Also, the depiction of the women in the middle of the investigation was more than a little sour)
I’d recommend this easily. The opening in particular, which may belong in mystery writing 101 course.
The strengths in this one are a downright powerful opening and impressive narrative razzle dazzle. McBain confidently moves back and forth between investigations and points of view that does not reflect chronology, but does roll out the chronology of the crimes. It’s great way to tell the story but the plot excuse for telling it this way requires this very smart group of investigators to overlook something very obvious. So, it’s not a five star work. (Also, the depiction of the women in the middle of the investigation was more than a little sour)
I’d recommend this easily. The opening in particular, which may belong in mystery writing 101 course.
April 28, 2009
Well written, and non-pretensious detective novel. The plot is fairly interesting and the dialog is done well. I think this story is similar to what makes its way onto TV these days.
The story is told almost passively from the eyes of the primary character (who is in a coma) and the eyes of several detectives trying to figure out how he got that way.
The story is told almost passively from the eyes of the primary character (who is in a coma) and the eyes of several detectives trying to figure out how he got that way.
March 16, 2017
Not my favourite 87th Precinct book, I guess the street gang storyline was not really my thing. I did note the 13 year gap stated since Kling's fiancee had died - so it seems the elapsed time of the novels matches the elapsed time McBain wrote them. I guess they had seemed sort of ageless before. Anyway glad Kling has a new fiancee.
April 20, 2020
#73 from Ed McBain, my Most Read Author, is another tale in the Matthew Hope series about a lawyer in Florida - apart from flashbacks, Hope is in ITU for the whole book, after being shot. His friends and associates investigate on his behalf in a tale which centres around a travelling circus.
March 6, 2021
I usually really like the 87th Squad. But this time (for the first time), I came away thinking this was just okay. Which kills to say. But McBain, to his credit, tried something new - giving the bad guy his own first person story of his confession at the end. But it's sprinkled throughout the book. And it just slogs the whole thing down for me. And the city, which is usually a major player in his books, not so much this go around. I always love how he describes the city, how it's a true character all to herself. There's not much punch until the end when a bomb goes off and two people die. Kudos for trying something new, but a miss for the most part.
July 9, 2018
Dark. Nice. Crazy gang warfare in the 87th and all over. As always, crack dialogue makes it great. I read this one on a train ride to Toronto.
September 12, 2019
Ohhh! yes. I'm here with the gang again. Big trouble is brewing in Isola when gangs in the Quarter are facing up to each other. The Yankee Rebels led by a deluded egotist are starting to get rough with the Death's Heads and The Scarlet's, while the President is enforcing his own twisted ways on his own with chaotic and deadly results.
The usual violent times in Isola although Kling is in love. No- nonsense hard line cop stuff.
The usual violent times in Isola although Kling is in love. No- nonsense hard line cop stuff.
July 13, 2015
There's no mystery and it is a good example of content being sacrificed to the form. Our detectives' investigation runs in parallel with the reading of the gang leader's confession statement in flashbacks after he had been arrested. So the whole narration comes down to something like this: guy explaining what had happened and then Ed McBain describing how our heroes concluded that same thing using the police procedures.
It's an interesting concept but it quickly wears off and becomes more and more annoying. My humble opinion is that this approach would function much more effectively if the guy would be interrogated instead. There are pages and pages of that statement without any dialogues and the whole thing is at times really hard to digest.
Far from being bad, but it's just not for me.
More here (review includes spoilers!):
http://a60books.blogspot.ie/2014/10/h...
It's an interesting concept but it quickly wears off and becomes more and more annoying. My humble opinion is that this approach would function much more effectively if the guy would be interrogated instead. There are pages and pages of that statement without any dialogues and the whole thing is at times really hard to digest.
Far from being bad, but it's just not for me.
More here (review includes spoilers!):
http://a60books.blogspot.ie/2014/10/h...
February 23, 2017
I've much enjoyed all the Matthew Hope series that I've read. This one started off gangbusters and I really got hooked. However, it sagged badly for me in the middle, and then picked up again toward the end. I think part of the issue is that there were two female characters who were not very clearly differentiated for me. Also, for reasons that I won't say because I don't want to give too much away, Matthew Hope himself was off screen for a good portion of the book. Overall, though, well worth a read. Just not my favorite in this series.
January 26, 2013
Six naked bodies, on of whom is an infant, are dumped in a ditch with no identification. Fortunately for the 87th Street Precinct, one of the girls of a gang member is horrified over the accidental killing of a baby tips the police to the fact that this was gang-related. This book oscillates between the police work and the gang leader justifying his actions of the killing and aftermath.
September 16, 2018
McBain’s experiment with style (flash-forward confessionals alternating with the present day narrative) makes for a choppy flow, and lessens any of the procedural suspense you’d find in his other, more traditional entries. A fine plot, but mangled by the presentation. Unfortunately the weakest in an otherwise outstanding and groundbreaking canon.
August 14, 2011
I love it! I've read plenty 87th precinct novels with Steve Carella.so i was a bit reluctant to read something different.it was refreshing...Ed's a master!he does this with so much ease! But i love happy endings so the open end just depressed me..
January 9, 2014
Long time reader of Ed McBain and this was an interesting story with multiple characters well described. Plot was developed well and kept my interest. Will look out for more "Matthew Hope" novels.
November 1, 2016
I love dipping into this stuff; this is another one from what I have left of my dad's immense collection of 20th century crime fiction paperbacks, but I found this one to be a dud. I've read better ones by McBain, known for his gritty police procedurals.
April 12, 2019
I'm a great fan of McBain's work, but this one is atrocious. Trying to make an allegory for the Vietnam War, he came up with a cheap and biased pamphlet. Furthermore, the characters are as unconvincing and uninteresting as the plot. Unquestionably his worst novel.
May 9, 2019
Ed Mcbain is a master in this genre, but he dropped the ball with this one. Terrible book.
April 8, 2025
There are two narrators in this book and the narrative shifts between them ... I was going to say 'seamlessly' but the lack of seams was a bit of a problem for me, because once or twice I just got confused. The second narrative is 'the Chief' of the title, who is in fact the head of a gang, and the main theme of the book is gang warfare. The Chief's narrative is actually his police statement, following his arrest, and all of it (swathes of it) is in response to one question: Why did you do it, Randy?
Randy Nesbitt's curious logic is perfectly rational to him, of course. Less so, possibly, to the forces of law and order, doing their best to sort out the various deaths that occur as a result of gang disputes and the Chief's methods to bring about peace. A lot of violence in this book.
But the violence bothered me less than the breasts, which are really beginning to get to me. I've tried to ignore them, but this time I really did want to smack Ed McBain in the face with a wet kipper. It's not possible to be female in one of his books without the attributes of your breasts being summoned. The women don't seem to mind. But then they wouldn't, would they? He created them. Actually, not every single woman has breasts that merit description. The first woman in this novel isn't regarded as attractive and so her breasts don't get a mention. So I'll come to more breast description later. First I'll mention the other disturbing factor.
Meyer Meyer, otherwise an engaging chap, has to give a lecture on rape (and how to avoid it presumably) to a crowd of college girls. His lecture content was pretty disturbing, not least because (like a film switching from scene to scene in parallel) it cut in and out of a description of another cop investigating a crime scene where a girl (body not present) was apparently brutalised and later murdered. At least Meyer Meyer tells the girls how to disable a rapist, though I wasn't convinced the advice would be useful:
'[ ... ] do the unexpected,' Meyer said. 'Put your hands gently on the rapist's face, palms against his temples, cradle his face, murmur words of endearment, allow him to think you're going along with his plans. Your thumbs will be close to his eyes. If you have in yourself the courage to push your thumbs into a hard-boiled egg, then you can also push them into this man's eyes. You will put out his eyes, you will blind him. But you will not be raped.'
Hm. Back to the breasts. "Jonathan Quince's mother was a woman in her forties -- squad, amply bosomed, blue-eyed, graying." Then there's Lisa Knowles, "the very picture of blooming, bursting, youthful California health. She looked nineteen, a barefooted, very tall girl -- at least five-nine -- with bright blue eyes sparkling against a suntanned face, blond hair cascading to the small of her back, long legs encased in blue jeans, firm breasts braless under a tight white cotton T-shirt." Meanwhile, Kling's latest girlfriend, Augusta has"good breasts and a narrow waist and wide hips and splendid wheels."
Augusta is a model, very beautiful with green eyes (makes a change from blue, although how many women have you seen with eyes that are "jade-green, slanting upward from high cheekbones"? They hadn't invented colored contact lenses when this book was written. Augusta's hair, of course, is red. Fortunately she has agreed to marry Kling, and her author and creator, McBain, has so far resisted killing her off before the deal is sealed.
I thought he was working too hard at being clever in this novel. Considerable concentration and cleverness went into the dramatic monologue, but it has long paragraphs and no dialogue, so it's interesting but hard-going.
Excuse me, while I settle my restless, less than firm breasts. And then onwards, to novel 29!
Randy Nesbitt's curious logic is perfectly rational to him, of course. Less so, possibly, to the forces of law and order, doing their best to sort out the various deaths that occur as a result of gang disputes and the Chief's methods to bring about peace. A lot of violence in this book.
But the violence bothered me less than the breasts, which are really beginning to get to me. I've tried to ignore them, but this time I really did want to smack Ed McBain in the face with a wet kipper. It's not possible to be female in one of his books without the attributes of your breasts being summoned. The women don't seem to mind. But then they wouldn't, would they? He created them. Actually, not every single woman has breasts that merit description. The first woman in this novel isn't regarded as attractive and so her breasts don't get a mention. So I'll come to more breast description later. First I'll mention the other disturbing factor.
Meyer Meyer, otherwise an engaging chap, has to give a lecture on rape (and how to avoid it presumably) to a crowd of college girls. His lecture content was pretty disturbing, not least because (like a film switching from scene to scene in parallel) it cut in and out of a description of another cop investigating a crime scene where a girl (body not present) was apparently brutalised and later murdered. At least Meyer Meyer tells the girls how to disable a rapist, though I wasn't convinced the advice would be useful:
'[ ... ] do the unexpected,' Meyer said. 'Put your hands gently on the rapist's face, palms against his temples, cradle his face, murmur words of endearment, allow him to think you're going along with his plans. Your thumbs will be close to his eyes. If you have in yourself the courage to push your thumbs into a hard-boiled egg, then you can also push them into this man's eyes. You will put out his eyes, you will blind him. But you will not be raped.'
Hm. Back to the breasts. "Jonathan Quince's mother was a woman in her forties -- squad, amply bosomed, blue-eyed, graying." Then there's Lisa Knowles, "the very picture of blooming, bursting, youthful California health. She looked nineteen, a barefooted, very tall girl -- at least five-nine -- with bright blue eyes sparkling against a suntanned face, blond hair cascading to the small of her back, long legs encased in blue jeans, firm breasts braless under a tight white cotton T-shirt." Meanwhile, Kling's latest girlfriend, Augusta has"good breasts and a narrow waist and wide hips and splendid wheels."
Augusta is a model, very beautiful with green eyes (makes a change from blue, although how many women have you seen with eyes that are "jade-green, slanting upward from high cheekbones"? They hadn't invented colored contact lenses when this book was written. Augusta's hair, of course, is red. Fortunately she has agreed to marry Kling, and her author and creator, McBain, has so far resisted killing her off before the deal is sealed.
I thought he was working too hard at being clever in this novel. Considerable concentration and cleverness went into the dramatic monologue, but it has long paragraphs and no dialogue, so it's interesting but hard-going.
Excuse me, while I settle my restless, less than firm breasts. And then onwards, to novel 29!
August 17, 2020
Další McBainův experiment. Další příběh, ve kterém jsou policisté z 87. revíru v podstatě jen průvodci dějem. Není tu ani žádná záhada, žádné tajemství. Z jedné strany se vyšetřuje, kdo má na svědomí pět mrtvých nahých těl (včetně jednoho dětského) – a jako protiváha je tu hned zpočátku výpověď viníka, šéfa jednoho z místních gangů. Chlápka, který se sám vidí jako spravedlivého mírotvorce, dokonalého vůdce, jehož cílem je ukončit všechny války mezi gangy… tím, že ostatní gangy vyhladí.
Je to v podstatě pohled do duše psychopata, chvílemi až trochu zábavný. Jak čtete heroické vyprávění šéfa gangu – a pak sledujete následky očima policie, připomíná to dnes dost populární žánr mockumentary (viz Kancl), kde taky vidíte kontrast mezi tím, jak se vidí hrdinové a jací skutečně jsou. Dobře, tady je to víc děsivé než legrační, ale stejně.
Plus je to i náhled do doby, kdy se pouliční gangy začínaly vzdalovat klukovské zábavě s cihlami a klacky a narůstal počet mrtvých… ale pořád si ještě uchovávaly takový ten idealismus kluboven a řádů a pravidel a zásad. Ještě než se začaly úplně točit kolem drog.
Upřímně, netuším, na kolik se McBainova verze z roku 1973 blíží realitě, ale je napsaná přesvědčivě a sugestivně. Samozřejmě, dneska už na člověka ty brutální gangy vypadají jako trochu drsnější Rychlé šípy, ale McBain nemůže za to, že se doba posunula. Pořád je to hodně dobrá (byť dost přímočará) knížka.
Je to v podstatě pohled do duše psychopata, chvílemi až trochu zábavný. Jak čtete heroické vyprávění šéfa gangu – a pak sledujete následky očima policie, připomíná to dnes dost populární žánr mockumentary (viz Kancl), kde taky vidíte kontrast mezi tím, jak se vidí hrdinové a jací skutečně jsou. Dobře, tady je to víc děsivé než legrační, ale stejně.
Plus je to i náhled do doby, kdy se pouliční gangy začínaly vzdalovat klukovské zábavě s cihlami a klacky a narůstal počet mrtvých… ale pořád si ještě uchovávaly takový ten idealismus kluboven a řádů a pravidel a zásad. Ještě než se začaly úplně točit kolem drog.
Upřímně, netuším, na kolik se McBainova verze z roku 1973 blíží realitě, ale je napsaná přesvědčivě a sugestivně. Samozřejmě, dneska už na člověka ty brutální gangy vypadají jako trochu drsnější Rychlé šípy, ale McBain nemůže za to, že se doba posunula. Pořád je to hodně dobrá (byť dost přímočará) knížka.
June 3, 2022
Save your money and buy a popsicle elsewhere! After reading this one, it feels like McBain's writing well of ideas is bone dry.
Nothing is less appealing than West Side Story without the dancing set in real life. McBain wastes half the book speaking from his dialogue challenged criminal perspective and dictates the story, no mystery, no drama, no tension, just "there I was president of my local gang/clique." Epic waste of book space.
The other half of the book shows Carella and Kling's side of the story with interviews and happenings. Very un-entertaining. Meyer is thrown into a press hunt for a news story over the telephone then gives a speech. While Meyer gives a rape prevention speech to college ladies, McBain literally writes/swaps out an in-progress house search for a gang member by another precinct's officer. This happens every other paragraph without warning...WTH?!
I would almost settle for McBain's drivel about how NYC is like a lady. UGH! This book is filler from front to back. Only 2 high points are the marriage proposal storyline between Kling and Gussie, and the flirting applied to Carella later in the story.
Skip this one unless you HAVE to read it for personal reasons.
Thanks for reading.
Nothing is less appealing than West Side Story without the dancing set in real life. McBain wastes half the book speaking from his dialogue challenged criminal perspective and dictates the story, no mystery, no drama, no tension, just "there I was president of my local gang/clique." Epic waste of book space.
The other half of the book shows Carella and Kling's side of the story with interviews and happenings. Very un-entertaining. Meyer is thrown into a press hunt for a news story over the telephone then gives a speech. While Meyer gives a rape prevention speech to college ladies, McBain literally writes/swaps out an in-progress house search for a gang member by another precinct's officer. This happens every other paragraph without warning...WTH?!
I would almost settle for McBain's drivel about how NYC is like a lady. UGH! This book is filler from front to back. Only 2 high points are the marriage proposal storyline between Kling and Gussie, and the flirting applied to Carella later in the story.
Skip this one unless you HAVE to read it for personal reasons.
Thanks for reading.
June 13, 2020
This was great. I think I enjoyed this a lot first time round but in my mind I'd combined it with See Them Die and He Who Hesitates (2 other books that shift perspective away from the Precinct, one of which also focuses on gang violence). So reading it again after those two relieved some nagging confusion I had going on as to why those two books weren't all that I remembered.
Also, first time round I had no idea that it was a Nixon allegory, thanks to the fellas at the Hark! podcast for filling me in on that.
So, it's a break from 'normal' McBain books, again, dealing as it does with gang warfare and devoting a significant amount of time to the perspective of a gang leader.
It's angry and brutal, a short, sharp shock of a book that still finds time to slip in moments of levity and move along the development of some principal characters.
It's McBain's moment of righteous rage at everything that Nixon represented, as well as at violent, self-righteous, morally vacuous people generally. Cracking stuff.
Also, first time round I had no idea that it was a Nixon allegory, thanks to the fellas at the Hark! podcast for filling me in on that.
So, it's a break from 'normal' McBain books, again, dealing as it does with gang warfare and devoting a significant amount of time to the perspective of a gang leader.
It's angry and brutal, a short, sharp shock of a book that still finds time to slip in moments of levity and move along the development of some principal characters.
It's McBain's moment of righteous rage at everything that Nixon represented, as well as at violent, self-righteous, morally vacuous people generally. Cracking stuff.
September 27, 2025
In my recent binge into the 87th Precinct novels, and my recall of all the ones I read years ago, this clocks in as the least enjoyable. It's because of the odd structure Ed McBain uses. It flips from events in present time to a gang, or "clique" leader confessing to the things after he's captured.
it was an odd transition that required some deep concentration at times. Something would happen and then it would switch to the leader's recall of it.
But it contained the grit that the 87th is known for. I felt like I was watching Hill Street Blues while reading his books.
There was also the Ed McBain humor and sarcasm. The gang leader was stressing peace among the rival gangs by ordering whacks on various members. Peace through violence, akin to Vietnam which was wrapping up when this book was published. Also, he keeps a fun story sideline going. Carella's wife Teddy is featured in most novels and Kling proposes in this one. I'm not giving up at all on the 87th. Hail to the Chief just seemed a bit off from the rest.
it was an odd transition that required some deep concentration at times. Something would happen and then it would switch to the leader's recall of it.
But it contained the grit that the 87th is known for. I felt like I was watching Hill Street Blues while reading his books.
There was also the Ed McBain humor and sarcasm. The gang leader was stressing peace among the rival gangs by ordering whacks on various members. Peace through violence, akin to Vietnam which was wrapping up when this book was published. Also, he keeps a fun story sideline going. Carella's wife Teddy is featured in most novels and Kling proposes in this one. I'm not giving up at all on the 87th. Hail to the Chief just seemed a bit off from the rest.
May 30, 2022
“There were three men, two young girls, and a baby in the ditch.” All naked. All dead. Caught up in a gang war. Between three gangs!
Interestingly, abortion is a major factor in this. A fifteen year old girl is ‘not allowed’ to have one, which precipitates the violence. Interesting, as some folks in the United States RIGHT NOW, nearly 50 years after this book was published, are still attempting to ‘not allow’ an entire country of woman to have the freedom to choose. 50 years! WTF.
Not a fan of Randall Nesbitt’s statement interspersed between the story of the investigation. I found it to be more interruptive than interesting.
But, I’m a big fan of the 87th, and the story of their investigation was as good as always!
Interestingly, abortion is a major factor in this. A fifteen year old girl is ‘not allowed’ to have one, which precipitates the violence. Interesting, as some folks in the United States RIGHT NOW, nearly 50 years after this book was published, are still attempting to ‘not allow’ an entire country of woman to have the freedom to choose. 50 years! WTF.
Not a fan of Randall Nesbitt’s statement interspersed between the story of the investigation. I found it to be more interruptive than interesting.
But, I’m a big fan of the 87th, and the story of their investigation was as good as always!
July 4, 2022
Wasn't the worse in the series, just wasn't good, it was dull. McBain I think just wrote these in one go, putting whatever in his head down and called it a day. He tried to be different by having the confession of the main agitator going on in sequence with the actual investigation of six murders. The bodies all found naked in a ditch. It goes this way til the two streams meet back up at the end, might have worked if the guy who was the agitator and doing so much talking was interesting at all. In fact the dialog throughout was quite bad. Still can't figure out how there is so much padding in a 150 page paperback.
Can't recommend, the series started out great but now I'm lucky if one out of three are at least solid.
Can't recommend, the series started out great but now I'm lucky if one out of three are at least solid.
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