Killer's Choice

87th Precinct #5

by Ed McBain

Annie Boone is dead. She was shot four times in the chest, pieces of the liquor store’s windows spread over her body like raindrops from a lethal storm. For 87th Precinct Detectives Carella, Kling, and newcomer Hawes, even more troubling is the loss of one of their own. Detective Roger Havilland is murdered shortly thereafter, a shard of glass through his jugular. Faced with a host of suspects—from Annie’s former mother-in-law to her ex-husband, employer, and a string of boyfriends—the detectives find themselves with a victim whose identity spurns all conventional definition. She was the store’s saleswoman…as well as a divorced mother, pool shark, society lady, drunk, and patron of the ballet. Each facet of her life has a corresponding potential suspect. The only way for Carella and the men to find her killer—and maybe that of Havilland, too—is to find out who she really was. The problem is, the only one who really knew her died in a shower of glass.A brooding, mesmerizing psychological thriller, Killer’s Choice is a stunning addition to mystery icon Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series. Its complex plotting and extraordinary intensity, which culminates in an explosive finish, will leave you breathless.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Procedural, Detective, Police, Thriller

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1957

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

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This early Ed McBain 87th Precinct entry from 1957 is a fast-flowing, incredibly intriguing read. Fans of the series get to follow Carella, Kling, Meyer Meyer and the boys around fictional Isola — which mirrored New York City — on two distinct cases. The first involves the death of a not-well-liked brother-in-arms who has been shot and killed. While none of the detectives were fond of the slain officer or his heavy-handed approach to policing, all of them understood why he’d adopted those tactics, and in the end, he was one of their own.

This first case introduces readers to a new face in the 87th — the tall, lean but muscular redhead, Cotton Hawes. Created at the insistence of the publisher, who felt Carella — who was married to deaf Teddy in the series — would not appeal to both male and female readers, and therefore could not be the hero. While that theory was invalidated over time, Cotton became a nice addition to the 87th nonetheless. Hawes’s inexperience with “real” crime nearly gets Carella killed right off the bat. Because Carella is not the type to hold a grudge, and Hawes is the type of cop who learns from his mistakes, and tries to redeem himself, in a strange way the edgy incident cements Cotton Hawes into the fold.

The second story-line, which is how the novel opens, is the most intriguing for the reader, and it take up the largest portion of the swiftly-moving narrative. Young Annie Boone, the divorced mother of a five-year-old daughter, lies dead on the floor of the liquor store where she worked. I’ll not get into specific suspects and questioning, but the interviews are mesmerizing because not one picture of Annie Boone emerges, but several. Described by various people — all suspects — in ways diametrically opposed, each of their accounts and perceptions have the ring of truth. From saint to sinner, tea-toddler to drunk, prim and proper to wanton desire, Annie appeared to be very different things to each individual in her life, making it almost impossible to get a bead on her, and therefore, her killer.

My only caveat — and it’s rather minor — with Killer’s Choice was McBain’s choice, which was to describe Annie’s child as a five-year-old. This became occasionally jarring because in order to drive the narrative — and thereby the case — forward, the dialog he puts in Monica’s mouth simply doesn’t ring true for anyone who’s had or been around a five-year-old. Descriptions of the phone call she had with the killer — that’s not a spoiler in any way — came off as artificial, rather than a real conversation between an adult killer and a child of that age. One minute she’s speaking almost like an adult, the next she wants to hang up and go play with her dolly.

While not on the level of some later entries in the 87th Precinct series, Killer’s Choice is still a fun and worthwhile read in McBain’s groundbreaking series of police procedurals, in which his only true rival in the field was the great Elizabeth Linington, known to most knowledgeable mystery readers as Dell Shannon and Lesley Egan. Her groundbreaking Luis Mendoza series, the splendid Ivor Maddox/Sue Carstairs series, and to a slightly lesser degree, her Vic Varallo series, deserve a proper paperback reprint just as McBain received.

Killer’s choice is a quick, fun read in the police procedural genre created and formed to perfection by McBain and Linington, and gets a solid four stars.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death knocked a man down. Death stole a man's dignity. A dead man didn't care whether or not his hair was parted. A dead girl didn't worry about whether or not her slip was showing. The postures of death managed to simplify a human being to an angular mound of fleshy rubble. And so looking at what had once been a woman - a woman who smiled prettily, and kissed her lover, and adjusted her stockings, and applied lipstick with utmost feminine care - looking at what had once been warm and alive, Carella felt overwhelming sadness, a sense of tragedy which he could not quite grasp.


When a female liquor store clerk is murdered, the suspects are plentiful...yet they all seem to have airtight alibis. Then, another robbery turns deadly, and the precinct has its hands full once again.

Luckily, Cotton comes to the 87th, Cotton Hawes, that is.. While not exactly a rookie, his former precinct was not quite as crime-ridden, and he's a bit out of his element. (SIX homicides in four years - HA! That's like a week's worth for the 87th!) After a few embarrassing and dangerous mistakes, he proves himself capable, and will likely be a great addition to the team...IF he survives the next few books, anyway.

Detectives DO tend to die on the job a lot in McBain World.

[James Thane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book in which Ed McBain adds Cotton Hawes to the cast of detectives who populate the 87th Precinct. As Hawes comes on board, a young woman named Annie Boone is shot and killed while working as a clerk in a liquor store. The store is then totally trashed and the owner seems more concerned about the damage to his stock than the death of his employee.

Annie, a divorced mother of a young daughter, seems to be something of a chameleon. Virtually everyone that the detectives interview has a radically different impression of the woman, and without knowing exactly who she was, it's going to be awfully difficult to catch her killer. Then, as the investigation progresses, Roger Havilland, one of the detectives, is also murdered. This increases the pressure to find the killer or killers and Steve Carella, Meyer Meyer, Bert Kling and Hawes, the new addition to the team must follow a very slim trail of evidence in their effort to find a solution to the crimes.

This is a quick, fun read, one of the better of the earlier books in the series. It's fun to watch the interaction with Hawes, the new guy, especially as he makes a nearly catastrophic mistake early on in the investigation. Any fan of the 87th Precinct will want to find this one.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killer's Choice has a couple of notable landmarks which include the last appearance by hard-as-nails cop, Detective Roger Havilland. He's found in the broken remains of a grocery store window after an apparent hold-up, fatally injured by a shard of glass. Steve Carella follows a lead to track down the killer but is joined by the newly transferred Cotton Hawes. Carella soon discovers that Hawes is having trouble adapting from the more genteel surroundings of his previous posting compared to the mean streets patrolled by the 87th. Trouble that just might get somebody killed.
Meanwhile Detectives Bert Kling and Meyer Meyer have to track down another killer from a suspected hold-up, this time at a liquor store. The detectives soon discover that the victim, a beautiful redhead, seems to have lived a variety of lives depending on who they question. Thematically not as strong as Con Man, the previous entry, but Killer's Choice still right royally entertains with some character driven dialogue that's going to please any fan of the series. Every book seems to add something new.

[Kev Ruiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this one! The plot in Killer's Choice was engaging, with the main storyline full of twists and just enough red herrings to keep me hooked. The pacing was spot-on—fast enough to build tension but with enough detail to delve into the intricacies of the investigation.

One of the highlights for me was the ongoing development of the detectives at the 87th Precinct. It’s always great to see how the characters continue to grow and interact with each other, and this book doesn’t disappoint in that regard.

That said, I’m still on the fence about the introduction of Cotton Hawes. While his addition felt a bit unnecessary so early in the series, I can’t deny that he brought something new to the group dynamic and even served a purpose in this story. It’ll be interesting to see how he fits in—or doesn’t—in future installments.

Overall, another strong entry in the series, and I’m looking forward to the next one!

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 3 out of 5]

The intrigue was a bit surprising but then not really. The book was entertaining, but I would have preferred it to be lengthier. I feel like someone who selects short books to complete a challenge. Still, the shortness of the book enhanced its quality. I like when new characters appear in this series, so that is one box checked. And oh, the Rashomon influence did not go unnoticed.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 172 (of 250)
So far, this series brings to me quick breaks between the heavier, darker novelists.
HOOK - 4 stars: "The liquor store reeked," opens the book. A woman is on the floor, dead, surrounded by liquor and broken bottles. McBain places us immediately in the crime and to me, that's a very good hook.
PACE - 2: This story is more of a novella, stretched out with padded, circular conversations.
PLOT - 3: I thought the murderer obvious. This is a by-the-numbers police procedural, absolutely adherent to the genre.
CHARACTERS - 4: In the introduction, McBain talks about the development of a TV series. Detective Steve Carella, married to his deaf-mute wife, Teddy, wouldn't work according to the producers. So McBain brings in the single, handsome Cotton Hawes. Plus, we have the mysterious Annie Boone: a drunk or non-drinker, an intellectual but a bore, and more. I think Steve and Teddy are the real stars, although Cotton is interesting.
PLACE - 2: This short work skimps on atmosphere.
SUMMARY - 3.0. I liked this better than the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the series.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pleased to have found McBain's 87th Precinct series for a number of reasons. Reading these books is like a breath of fresh air in between some of the other heavier books in the genre. McBain keeps things simple though not simplistic, down-to-earth, and with only enough details to give the reader a good picture of what's going on.

His use of humor in the detectives' interactions with one another also lends itself to lightening up the atmosphere just enough to make it pleasurable.

Sometimes when those psychological thrillers or action-packed dramas have you feeling heavy-headed, take a trip to the 87th Precinct. Good cop series.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally addicting series! The fifth installment revolves around the murder of a beautiful young redhead at a liquor store. The more the detectives investigate, the murkier things seem to be. Who was this woman? Each person she knew gave wildly different takes on her. The trademark repartee moves the tale along. These books are only about 150 pages, so really more like novellas. Good stuff! 4 strong stars.

[wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

finished this one this morning, 5:27 a.m. if it matters and it doesn't. i really liked it. 4-stars.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weakest of the 87th Precinct books to date. Murder of a young girl and then the death of one of thier own. Very readable but entirely predictable.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so I continue with my reading in order of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. I've barely started. This is the fifth of the books in the series which stretches all the way from the 1950s to 2005 and numbers more than fifty. At this point, I'm still in the 1950s and these early books now qualify as historical mysteries.

I continue to be struck by McBain's crisp, to-the-point, just-the-facts prose and just how much information and atmosphere he's able to convey with only a few choice, spare words. The man could write!

In this book, he introduces a new character, a new detective for the 87th, one interestingly named Cotton Hawes. He transferred in from another precinct which didn't see much crime and virtually no murders. He has no experience investigating murders and it shows on the first case that he's sent out on, but he's smart and diligent and a quick learner. He's teamed up with Steve Carella, a good man from whom to learn the skills needed for investigating murders.

This time out the 87th has two murders to investigate. The first one is a woman who managed a liquor store. Her name is Annie Boone and she was shot dead in the store that she managed, and much of the store's stock was knocked off the shelves and landed, broken, on the floor, like Annie's body.

Annie was the divorced mother of a five-year-old daughter. She and her daughter lived with her mother and she was on friendly terms with her ex-husband. The preliminary investigation of a family link to her murder turns up nothing. The detectives must cast their net farther afield.

When they do, they discover a woman of many contradictions. Her friends and associates had very different perspectives and opinions about the dead woman's character. She seems to have been many different women, but which one of them provoked a murderer?

Meantime, the second murder occurs and this one strikes closer to home. Detective Roger Havilland was out patrolling the streets when he came across a man sitting on the sidewalk and went over to see if he was all right. The man jumped up and pushed Havilland through a plate glass window. A shard of glass punctured his jugular vein and his windpipe. He was dead almost by the time he hit the ground.

Havilland had been notorious for his free fists when it came to dealing with suspects and prisoners. He was brutal, but, in many ways, had been a good cop. A man of contradictions. His fellow officers determine to find his killer and make sure he is punished. It is in the search for his killer that the inexperienced Hawes makes his almost fatal mistake in his debut as a murder investigator - a mistake that is nearly fatal not just for him but for Carella as well.

The Annie Booth case offers a large cast of possible suspects which the detectives must sort through until they isolate the real murderer. In the Havilland case, they have a good idea who the killer is after their initial inquiries are made, but now they must find him.

McBain takes us through the step-by-step procedures as the dogged investigators pursue the solutions to these crimes. It's a mesmerizing process and a quick read, made quicker by the fact that it's very hard to put the book down. Yes, the man could write!

[Joe Santoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite one so far. We get introduced to the new 'hero' Cotton Hawes, but even better than that is the introduction where the author explains WHY we get him. Then, there's the end, where one of the detectives tells us with a HUGE wink to the reader... 'George the Wino, he's the real hero'. Fantastic! I'm not usually a meta sort of guy, but McBain's intros (written long after the fact, and I'm sure subject to some entertaining revisionism) are just as good as the novels.

The plot for this one was really good... there was a pretty clear suspect right away, but then red herrings galore until it came back around to George the Wino's 'tip'. It's too bad Annie Boone was the victim.. she seems like she would have been an awesome recurring character.

There was a lack of Teddy Carella in this book, which was sad, but I understand she's the wife of the not-main character and probably won't feature much. Still missed her, though.

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by Ed McBain. It's got two investigations going simultaneously, as is usual. One the murder of a liquor store manager who seems like a different person to everyone the detectives interview, the other the murder of one of their own.

McBain's writing is crisp and to the point. The dialog is excellent and the characters are fleshed out nicely, especially so over the course of multiple books.

I was disappointed not to get to the bottom of vic#1's multiple personalities and I thought the ending was too abrupt. On the whole though this is a good read.

[Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m getting used to McBain’s plot structures. Long, peripherally important scenes feature suspects, witnesses, spouses. We never get too much of any one character or even of the regular cast. When the regulars appear, its usually for something important. So we have two crimes being solved in one novel, with the regulars interweaving in the solving process, but with other characters in supporting roles, in subplots that keep the dynamics of the novel moving all the time.

[Marc Stephenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward procedural with a nagging flaw

Here McBain seems to be hitting stride in the series in terms of focus and delivery. There is less (to me) extraneous personal life storyline than in previous works in the series and he allows the precinct activity to take front stage.

What did make me cringe a bit was the use of an unrealistically mature extended interaction with a 5-year-old. That part didn’t ring true for me at all.

Still, all in all, an easy-to-consume procedural from the 50s.

[Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cocci di bottiglie

Altra indagine corale di quelli dell'87°, in cui sono le loro personalità e interazioni la parte più interessante.
Vite da sbirri.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here in this book, you have a murder of a liquor store clerk Anne Booth. The man who owns the liquor store though gives you the impression that he does not seem to care that his employee has been killed. He is more concerned about cleaning up his story and when can he re-open for business. Though this book was written in 1957 there are still people like that character sorry to say.
The author adds a new detective to the squad Hawes. Who actually acts like a new detective or any new guy or gal, does not want to make a mistake but does. For me, this is what gave his books a sense of realism having his characters appear real this really added to the story for me.
When the author has one of the detectives killed this really changes the story and makes everyone want to catch the killer quicker. There is a lot going on but the author does a good job of sorting through everything and making it a good read to go along with the series. Worth the read.

[Tom Stamper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young beautiful woman leading so many lives is murdered in a liquor store and it's up to Meyer, Kling, and Carrera to find the killer. The parallel plot involves the surprising murder of another detective. This time we learn more about Meyer's life and family story having been filled up with Kling and Carrera in earlier books. There is a homage of sorts to Egdar Allan Poe's Purloined Letter, both in the evidence of a letter and a killer in front of their noses.

Again, I'm surprised at how frank some of the suggestions are for circa 1960. It's what you would have thought Jack Webb's Dragnet would be without network censors.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cotton Hawes is introduced in this solid 87th Precinct novel. He begins as a rather arrogant, self-satisfied screw-up. Enjoy finding out how this happens and if/how he redeems himself.

[Joshua Van Dereck · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems like by this fifth book in the 87th Precinct series, McBain had really given up on any attempt to write mysteries with substance and integrity. There is so much masculine posturing and idle filler, with men expounding on the virtues of a cold beer and the like, one can't help but feel as though the writer was just trying to churn out pages to make money. For example, there is a huge controversy at the heart of this book over a sequence wherein a detective knocks on the door of a suspect's residence instead of kicking it down. Everyone calls the guy a dummy and makes fun of him and talks about it with their families over dinner, etc. And yet... knocking on a door is standard legal procedure. Kicking down a door at the very least requires a warrant (which the characters in question did not have) and really ought only to be done if police know that a suspect whom they have a lot of evidence against is at the given location. In other words, all of the fuss is pure fantasy ridiculousness, and it feels like McBain writes as so much macho posturing filler because it eats up pages rather than because it fuels plot or characters.

Even at the high point of this series (around book 3) the books were extremely pulpy, dripping with misogyny and racism and toxic masculinity. They were rescued by rich prose, interesting plotting, and occasionally dimensional character development. With the last two entries in the series though, it has tanked hard, and I'd be hard pressed to imagine that McBain rights the ship in the books to come. I'd say, based on this novel, the 87th Precinct is a series to avoid.

[Gav451 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #5. The introduction to this one was particularly interesting. It opens a small window into what was the world of he pulp writer and the way the publishers used to think

The book itself is good, not too long and with a decent story at its core but there were a couple of moments where I disengaged. It may have been the author trying out new styles but suddenly mid book there was comment in the narration as to why an action was a mistake. I was not so keen on that as for a moment my disbelief was not longer suspended. Also a couple of the conversations felt like they went on too long. Was this because the author did not believe in the story? Was there some filler in a plot too light? I don't know, all I do know is that this was not the best of the series.

Thats not to say it wasn't a good read. It was. My time within the pages of this book flew by and I love a short, self contained tale. It just felt a bit light in the end.

[Joe Nicholl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killer's Choice by Ed McBain (1958), the fifth 87th Precinct novel, is not great, certainly not nearly as good as #2, The Mugger, but still a pretty good read. Killer's Choice has the now familiar cast of the 87th detectives Carella, Meyer, Kling, etc., plus one is lost (no spoilers) but they gain a new one. The mystery & action portions are good, especially involving Carella, who by now is always getting his butt kicked in these early novels. The book is an easy and quick read, in fact I'd almost say Killer's Choice is a novella not a novel. So, like all the other 87'ths it's worth a read because it is entertaining, you can't go wrong, it's just not as strong as some of the others by Ed McBain...I'd say it's almost a 3.5 so I'll give it a strong 3.0....yeah, 3.0 outta 5.0....

[Corey Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. Nothing crazy, but I am once again impressed by certain parts that seem like they'd add up to something greater.
1. The dialogue is so impressive. Sharp, cutting, realistic, and at times downright funny as hell(remember this was written in 1957, so that's damn impressive to hold up comedically that long)
2. Poetic vignettes such as this : "The drunk named George had not been lying, and the age of miracles was dead."

I'm REALLY looking forward to readin some of the later installments that are longer (80s and 90s especially)

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in '57, this crime procedural follows the investigation of a young woman's murder. The victim worked in a liquor store, and everyone the police interview paint a different picture of Annie. We struggle to find if she is bright, or a party girl, a drunkard, or sober. The suspects include her liquor store boss, his wife, Annie's ex, and her current and former boyfriends.

Series favorite Steve Carella, along with Meyer Meyer, and newly engaged cop Bert Kling have a new addition to their precinct - Cotton Hawes. Cotton is not the easiest guy to like, and he's been in a precinct that has few murders compared to the 87th.

Quick, tough noir story with good character development.

[Mark Schiffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one, even though the denouement wasn’t life changing. Just a couple of great character beats and conversations, and tons of economical storytelling. If they leave you wanting more, sometimes that’s not a bad thing.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double murders in Isola test the detectives of the 87th precinct. One of the murders is a standard and clever whodunit investigation with a lot of suspects and the other is a more street-crime-style perp hunt. For fans of the series, this is the first to include Detective Cotton Hawes, transferring in from a suburb that doesn't have as much crime as his new assignment in Isola.

Verdict: A short, smart, well-paced mystery and police procedural.

Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13

[James Shrimpton · Rating 5 out of 5]

McBain is fast becoming one of my favourite writers. Easy to read, brilliant storytelling, lovable characters. Woven in with threads of pure poetic brilliance in the descriptions. Love it.

[Franziska Self Fisken · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy to read, clever plot.

describes mid-1950s USA police and their offices in pre-computer times.

[Curlyhair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good quick read in this good detective series.