Exceptional Clearance

by William J. Caunitz

Detective Lieutenant John Vinda is willing to break the law to break his latest case when a ruthless killer begins stalking young women on the streets of New York. By the author of One Police Plaza. Reprint. K.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Procedural, Thriller, Detective

308 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 1991

About the author

William J. Caunitz was a New York City Police Department officer who used his own experiences to write best-selling thrillers.

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, and working for an insurance company, he joined the NYPD in his twenties. He first worked as a patrolman, and eventually rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant, followed by an assignment as a detective squad commander.Caunitz would eventually serve 30 years with the N.Y.P.D.

Caunitz was praised for his "raw authenticity" when describing precinct day-to-day life in his novels, especially for One Police Plaza , which was eventually made into a television movie. His novels usually center around one or two police officers that follow detailed police procedures to solve a crime, and he also used some sensational elements of thrillers.

Caunitz died in 1996 from pulmonary fibrosis. His last novel, Chains of Command, was half-completed at the time of his death and finished by Christopher Newman.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked reading this cop procedural. The sharp writing, realistic characters, and fast-paced plot are its strong points. I also liked the unusual antagonist. There's even a little romance thrown in. I believe I read another novel by the author a few years back. If you like cop novels, this one might be what you're looking for.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This early 90s story is about a psychotic killer that travels all over and misses the bulls-eye. 3 of 10 stars

[Lianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains great early 90's cop dialog like "I'll teach you some gratitude with that attitude!" and "You can't play grab-ass with me, I'm the king of grab-ass!"

Serious overuse of the phrase "the Job" and people who look 10 years older after something stressful happens.

Still not sure how Exceptional Clearance procedures tie in with the book although it was explained two separate, foreshadowing times.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The story captured me from the beginning and definitely climaxed. A lieutenant who had been given desk duty due to some previous event, was brought back to action when a serial killer began terrorizing the town. The characters in the book were written with real-life descriptions. The only part I struggled with was the many acronyms used throughout the book. I will be looking forward to reading other books by this author.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

New York City Detective Lieutenant John Vinda is assigned to the dead-end job of missing persons following the the death of his wife. When a serial killer strikes the city is is recalled to homicide and given the case with instructions to solve quickly using any method to do so before the killer strikes aagain.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptional Clearance offers an impressive selection of products at unbeatable prices, much like a well-organized police clearance system that ensures efficiency and reliability. The shopping experience is streamlined and user-friendly, making it easy to find what you need. The quality of the items is consistently high, and the clearance deals truly deliver value without compromising on standards. Shipping is prompt, and customer service is attentive and responsive, ensuring a smooth transaction from start to finish. Whether you’re looking for everyday essentials or unique finds, Exceptional Clearance is a go-to destination for savvy shoppers seeking great bargains. Overall, it's a fantastic resource for anyone looking to maximize their savings while enjoying quality products.

[Elly Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* This is an action thriller. Heavy on the action, but, alas, lighter on believability. I can’t say 2* and that I didn’t like it because I did finish it, after all. But I got tripped up way too many times by things that didn’t make sense or just couldn’t happen. For my interests and attention, there is a great deal of choice out there, and many of the writers I enjoy manage to put together the whole package including action, information, plot, and character development, for a start. How they do it continues to amaze me. Possibly some other novels by this author will seem stronger to me and I hope so. I did enjoy many of the characters and would like to ‘meet’ them again.

[Steven Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of the books written by this author. They are definitely books of their time. No cell phones, computers, or safe sex. I can't imagine so much unprotected sex, even with prostitutes including a transvestite prostitute.

I like the main character who although broken by the death of his wife, still retains enough of his integrity to remain a good cop. Some interesting twists in the book that I did not see coming.

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very suspenseful police procedural set in the early 1990’s in New York City. Vinda is a police lieutenant who had been dealing with the death of his wife and the death of his career when a serial killer strikes. Vinda is given another chance as a detective when he is chosen to lead the task force to catch the killer who is slashing the throats of his young female victims. Some of the dialogue is very cliche but overall I really enjoyed the book which reads as a movie.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The jacket of this book sounded like it would be so good. Unfortunately I found it too confusing and full of details that didn’t add anything to the story line. I almost DNFd it but had to know how they caught the killer. It really was ridiculous - don’t waste your time. There are other, far better books out there to read.

[Edmond Gaudelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1991

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in awhile. It's from 1991 but the plot development is exceptional.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1992. Serial killer on the loose at Christmas in New York.

[John Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Caunitz might have peaked with Suspects.

[Discount Compost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insane airport thriller nonsense plus competent police procedural. Totally ridiculous and highly enjoyable.

[Donald Trump · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bigly!
*** 3 Stars.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK Thriller

Synopsis: There have been a series of violent murders involving women with no known connection having their throats slashed with a some kind of weapon that the NY City coroners have never seen before. A special task force is set up to catch the mysterious killer and Lt. John Vinda, a tainted cop is placed in charge of the investigation (partially because he's that good and partially because he will be easy to pin the blame on since he is already damaged goods).

Exceptional Clearance was an enjoyable read, but it was kind of like eating a handful of candy - it was fun while it was going down but there wasn't much to it. There was an interesting twist to the manhunt in that the cop and the serial killer have both suffered similar losses. It is interesting to see how the serial killer has warped himself into a monster while Vinda has buried himself in his job to avoid his pain. In reality, he's not dealing with his loss that much better than the killer.

Caunitz (1933-1996) was a retired NYPD detective so the language and scenes ring true and it is fun to watch the chase unfold. I dropped the rating for this book a bit for a couple of the more contrived scenes.

http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Caunitz's earlier police procedural, "Suspects", I was super excited about another gritty NYPD novel. No such luck here...the plot was ridiculous, characters were one-dimensional, and the ending was so rushed that I felt as if it were like watching time-lapsed photography. Skip this one. Since this was written closer to the time the author passed away, I'm guessing he may have been losing his touch.

[Joshua Emil · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Exceptional circumstances require exceptional actions". Three seemingly random murders turn in to a delusional act of terror but Lieutenant John Vinda found the connection in these murders.

Caunitz's novel is an exciting good read where experiences of a detective becomes real in print.

[Bill Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from a used shelf because it was a Cop Thriller. It started slow and I almost put it down, but I had a 3 hour flight and had nothing else to read. I can see this as a movie and the ending was enjoyable. Good Guys win again.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serial murderer is on the loose. The book is not so much as whodunnit, although the reader learns that in bits and pieces, but how the police discover whodunnit. I thought it was interesting. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

8

[Nancy Shaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading this author. Liked it so-so...

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

NYPD novel - Lt. John Vinda is called back from police purgatory to lead the squad searching for a serial killer who kills by ripping the throats of young women.

[Sheldon Lehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not a fan of this guy.