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87th Precinct #52
Fat Ollie's Book
Another 87th precinct novel from 'the undisputed master - and there's nobody who does it better' DAILY MIRRORIrritating though he was, Lester Henderson had it all when he strode up to rehearse his keynote address in the darkness of a downtown theatre. Widely tipped to be the next mayor and possessing a nice line in catalogue-casual daywear, Henderson stood four-square facing his glorious future. But five shots later and his lifeblood was seeping away - gunned down by person or persons unknown from stage-right... At that point he became Ollie Weeks' problem. But this savage crime is suddenly overshadowed by a deed even more repugnant. Ollie's life's work is his novel. Honed by countless rejection letters, it is finally ready to be released to the general populace. But then the one and only manuscript disappears, leaving Ollie to head off in pursuit of the thief. A thief who is convinced that Ollie's work contains the secret location of a hoard of hidden diamonds...
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
75 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
710 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 121 reviews
May 8, 2016
Those who follow the 87th Precinct series know that Fat Ollie Weeks is a bigoted, misogynistic, sloppy and (considerably) overweight detective from the neighboring 88th Precinct. He has an inflated sense of his own importance, and is a living, breathing, mass of contradictions, blind to his own considerable faults. This is best illustrated when we occasionally see Ollie waddling down the street and noticing a person who is overweight. Ollie, who often eats two large pizzas at a single sitting, prefers to think of himself as a "large" man and, for the life of him, he can't understand why these fat slobs don't have enough pride in themselves and enough self-discipline to lose some weight.
Ollie's only saving grace is that he's a pretty good detective. Although no one at the 87th precinct likes him, Ollie has horned in on a few of the detectives' cases there, usually when jurisdictions overlap, and he has often been of considerable assistance in solving difficult cases.
In this instance, a city councilman who is planning to run for the Mayor's office is assassinated while preparing for a campaign rally. Ollie joins Steve Carella and the other detectives of the 87th in an effort to solve the case.
At the same time, Ollie, who imagines himself as a brilliant author has written a novel. The novel is only thirty-seven pages long, but Ollie has labored hard over its creation and he assumes that the quality of the book will more than make up for its brevity. Ollie is en route to a copy shop and makes a quick stop, leaving his only copy of the manuscript in a briefcase in his car. He returns to the car to discover that some perp has done a smash and grab and has stolen the briefcase along with Oliie's precious manuscript.
Ollie is determined to catch the thief and recover his book, and his search, along with the hunt for the councilman's killer constitutes the plot of Fat Ollie's Book. Interspersed within the pages of McBain's novel are the pages of Ollie's novel which is flat out hilariously bad. It all makes for another entertaining read from the master of the police procedural.
Ollie's only saving grace is that he's a pretty good detective. Although no one at the 87th precinct likes him, Ollie has horned in on a few of the detectives' cases there, usually when jurisdictions overlap, and he has often been of considerable assistance in solving difficult cases.
In this instance, a city councilman who is planning to run for the Mayor's office is assassinated while preparing for a campaign rally. Ollie joins Steve Carella and the other detectives of the 87th in an effort to solve the case.
At the same time, Ollie, who imagines himself as a brilliant author has written a novel. The novel is only thirty-seven pages long, but Ollie has labored hard over its creation and he assumes that the quality of the book will more than make up for its brevity. Ollie is en route to a copy shop and makes a quick stop, leaving his only copy of the manuscript in a briefcase in his car. He returns to the car to discover that some perp has done a smash and grab and has stolen the briefcase along with Oliie's precious manuscript.
Ollie is determined to catch the thief and recover his book, and his search, along with the hunt for the councilman's killer constitutes the plot of Fat Ollie's Book. Interspersed within the pages of McBain's novel are the pages of Ollie's novel which is flat out hilariously bad. It all makes for another entertaining read from the master of the police procedural.
October 18, 2014
Listened to this in the car and sometimes it's difficult to concentrate while driving...so had to go back once or twice or more.
It was good, though, the usual McBain. Clear, uncomplicated writing, good fun story about Detective Oliver who happens to be a big guy. And he enjoys his food; his three meals a day...surprise, surprise.
Not reading any (I don't think) of the 87th Precinct series I'm not all that familiar with them but Fat Ollie is from the 88th Precinct and works with the 87th on these crimes.
Fat Ollie...well, he's gotten creative and written a book. Said book was stolen from the backseat of his car and he's pissed and wants the only copy back---so off sleuthing he goes. Oh, and a councilman was killed, too, so he's working on solving that as well.
McBain never disappoints...not yet for me...always three or four and sometimes a five star read! What a guy, Ed McBain, and all his pen names. All twenty more or less.
It was good, though, the usual McBain. Clear, uncomplicated writing, good fun story about Detective Oliver who happens to be a big guy. And he enjoys his food; his three meals a day...surprise, surprise.
Not reading any (I don't think) of the 87th Precinct series I'm not all that familiar with them but Fat Ollie is from the 88th Precinct and works with the 87th on these crimes.
Fat Ollie...well, he's gotten creative and written a book. Said book was stolen from the backseat of his car and he's pissed and wants the only copy back---so off sleuthing he goes. Oh, and a councilman was killed, too, so he's working on solving that as well.
McBain never disappoints...not yet for me...always three or four and sometimes a five star read! What a guy, Ed McBain, and all his pen names. All twenty more or less.
August 24, 2024
Fat Ollie gets called to the homicide of a city councilman. While detecting, someone breaks into his car and steals the book he was writing.
This one seems almost quaint, even though it was written in 2002. It's got a 1950's overlay to it, but also some of the preoccupations of the 1990's. At least we're spared Carella's self righteousness.
This one seems almost quaint, even though it was written in 2002. It's got a 1950's overlay to it, but also some of the preoccupations of the 1990's. At least we're spared Carella's self righteousness.
July 18, 2019
87th Precinct number 52! I finished this with mixed feelings. Part of me really liked it, part of me wasn't so sure. I decided to give it a low 4. McBain once again explored some different territory with this one and I once again came away with the feeling he was getting bored with his characters and was trying to do something a little different. His highly unlikeable train-wreck of a detective, Fat Ollie Weeks, is the focal point of this one. And yet by book's end the reader has caught a glimpse of a more human and, yikes, maybe even likeable, side of the guy. There might even be a chance for romance in the future for Ollie, mirabile dictu.
There's of course a murder plot at center stage-- this time of an ambitious city councilman-- but it also serves as the backdrop for the theft of Ollie's manuscript. He fancies himself a crime novelist, you see, and he's created a brilliant and courageous female alter-ego version of himself as the protagonist. And McBain has a field day letting us read the hilariously bad book that Ollie has created. His only copy of the book is stolen from his car by a transvestite prostitute (welcome to McBain land) who thinks it's a real report by a real detective as well as a clue to where a fortune in diamonds might be found. There are enough stupid characters capering around in this book to make one think it's a Westlake opus.
Somehow McBain also works in his central characters, the detectives of the 87th Precinct and their ongoing personal sagas.
There's of course a murder plot at center stage-- this time of an ambitious city councilman-- but it also serves as the backdrop for the theft of Ollie's manuscript. He fancies himself a crime novelist, you see, and he's created a brilliant and courageous female alter-ego version of himself as the protagonist. And McBain has a field day letting us read the hilariously bad book that Ollie has created. His only copy of the book is stolen from his car by a transvestite prostitute (welcome to McBain land) who thinks it's a real report by a real detective as well as a clue to where a fortune in diamonds might be found. There are enough stupid characters capering around in this book to make one think it's a Westlake opus.
Somehow McBain also works in his central characters, the detectives of the 87th Precinct and their ongoing personal sagas.
November 18, 2014
A politician in an empty theater, prepping for a rally. Detective Fat Ollie Weeks gets the squeal, and while investigating in his usual offensive way, his finally completed manuscript is stolen from his car. Ollie recruits Steve Carella and Bert Kling to help in his investigation of the murder while he also tries to find his only copy of the manuscript. His book entitled "Report to the Commissioner" about a female cop locked in a basement with cache of blood diamonds is thought to be real by the brain-dead thief, and the thief and detectives all converge on a major drug bust in a basement. One highlight is the return of red-headed detective, Eileen Burke, who joins the 87th Precinct.
February 29, 2020
"It'd been 'Weeks' before he discovered they were both literary people. Now it was 'Ollie.' Next thing you knew, he'd be asking how to utilize metaphor most effectively."
Fat Ollie utilizing metaphors! What is this world coming to? Readers familiar with the cast of Ed McBain's monumental 87th Precinct series know Detective Ollie Weeks as a narrow-minded bigot, fat slob, and in general, a repugnant character. Well, maybe not any more. Fat Ollie's Book (2002), the 52nd installment in the series, shows that no one is beyond redemption. The author seems to eschew the bigotry cliché and understand that human weakness is a natural state. The reader will likely feel the warmth of the author's sympathy toward his characters, flawed or not, criminals or saints. I have not expected this from Evan Hunter (Ed McBain) so I like the novel a lot!
Anyway, the story begins when Fat Ollie has just finished writing his first novel, a crime drama masterpiece based on his professional experiences. A candidate for mayor is shot dead during preparations for a political rally, Ollie arrives at the scene of the shooting and ... his precious manuscript is stolen from his car. Naturally, it is the only copy!
While Detective Weeks is from the 88th Precinct Carella and some others from the 87th are helping him investigate the case because of a debt of gratitude that Carella owes to Weeks. The deal between the two precincts provides a convenient narrative device for the author - the reader enjoys the double first-hand perspective on the investigation.
I very much like the thread that focuses on the search for Carrie. The novel offer various side attractions as well: transvestite hookers, $300,000 coke deal, and Ollie's getting the shock of his life. The reader is also treated to a major surprise toward the end of the novel. Anyway, for me, the counter-cliché nature of the novel is the main attraction, and I will now be looking for the very late installments in the series to see whether the author can sustain the anti-cliché streak. Highly recommended read!
Three-and-a-half stars.
Fat Ollie utilizing metaphors! What is this world coming to? Readers familiar with the cast of Ed McBain's monumental 87th Precinct series know Detective Ollie Weeks as a narrow-minded bigot, fat slob, and in general, a repugnant character. Well, maybe not any more. Fat Ollie's Book (2002), the 52nd installment in the series, shows that no one is beyond redemption. The author seems to eschew the bigotry cliché and understand that human weakness is a natural state. The reader will likely feel the warmth of the author's sympathy toward his characters, flawed or not, criminals or saints. I have not expected this from Evan Hunter (Ed McBain) so I like the novel a lot!
"I realize this is getting boring..."writes the author in the epigraph and this might be the reason for changing the overall tone of the novel. Also, Fat Ollie shares the novel's focus with Detective Steve Carella, who is - in my view - the character most deserving of retirement in the entire history of crime novel. Is there a Time Off For Carella Society that I could join?
Anyway, the story begins when Fat Ollie has just finished writing his first novel, a crime drama masterpiece based on his professional experiences. A candidate for mayor is shot dead during preparations for a political rally, Ollie arrives at the scene of the shooting and ... his precious manuscript is stolen from his car. Naturally, it is the only copy!
While Detective Weeks is from the 88th Precinct Carella and some others from the 87th are helping him investigate the case because of a debt of gratitude that Carella owes to Weeks. The deal between the two precincts provides a convenient narrative device for the author - the reader enjoys the double first-hand perspective on the investigation.
I very much like the thread that focuses on the search for Carrie. The novel offer various side attractions as well: transvestite hookers, $300,000 coke deal, and Ollie's getting the shock of his life. The reader is also treated to a major surprise toward the end of the novel. Anyway, for me, the counter-cliché nature of the novel is the main attraction, and I will now be looking for the very late installments in the series to see whether the author can sustain the anti-cliché streak. Highly recommended read!
Three-and-a-half stars.
July 25, 2010
Disappointing. The main character in this book is such a buffoon that I had trouble finishing it. I have never ended a conversation with a coworker (or with anyone, actually) by grabbing my crotch, as Ollie does in this book. Would you? Is it a logical or effective way to conclude an argument?
Also, there isn't much to the plot, and there are so many characters that I had trouble keeping track of them all.
The novel-within-a-novel is atrociously written on purpose, but the humor wore thin. I liked the character of The Needle within Ollie's novel, though. The Needle is a confidential informant who was born in Jamaica and who speaks in rap; he's kind of the Jar Jar Binks of snitches.
Also, there isn't much to the plot, and there are so many characters that I had trouble keeping track of them all.
The novel-within-a-novel is atrociously written on purpose, but the humor wore thin. I liked the character of The Needle within Ollie's novel, though. The Needle is a confidential informant who was born in Jamaica and who speaks in rap; he's kind of the Jar Jar Binks of snitches.
November 15, 2018
A murder and a drug deal form the core police work in this story from the 87th, alongside a gently ironic storyline concerning the theft of Fat Ollie's draft novel before he can get it copied. Usual high quality from McBain
February 2, 2024
Another solid entry in the 87th Precinct series. There is one main crime to be solved but several peripheral events that serve more as background character development. As the title suggests, Fat Ollie Weeks is one of the main characters in this book and it seems that McBain is filling in his background, making him less objectionable than when he first appeared in the books.
Only a couple more books to go in this series.
Only a couple more books to go in this series.
December 17, 2013
Fat Ollie's Book is a clever story that contains a book within a book. When leaving the scene where a councilman was murdered, Detective/First Grade Oliver Wendell Weeks ("Fat Ollie") realizes that he now has to find two perpetrators, the person who killed Councilman Henderson and the person who stole a novel from his squad car during the murder investigation. As the first one from his police precinct (the 88th) on the scene, Ollie becomes the detective in charge and begins his interrogation. Since the councilman lived in the 87th precinct, Ollie works with the officers in the next precinct to help solve the murder. While the guys from the 87th are out interviewing family and colleagues, Ollie is busy looking for his other "perp." The missing novel isn't just any book - Ollie wrote it himself and made the grave mistake of creating it on a typewriter so there are no copies. He was on his way to copy it when he got the call about the murder. Seeing a Gucci dispatch case in the squad car, a thief stole the case unaware that Ollie's manuscript was inside. When the thief discovered the "Report to the Commissioner by Detective/First Grade Olivia Wesley Watts," he began reading it and was convinced that he could find the diamonds alluded to in the report. What the thief didn't realize is that this was Ollie's novel and truly a work of fiction. Since people tend to write what they know, Ollie, naturally, wrote a police procedural. While reading excerpts from the Report to the Commissioner, you can't help but get almost as involved in this secondary mystery. In true police procedural style, Ollie pursues each crime by the book while sharing all of the lingo and tricks of the trade such as how they cut deals with their informers and what the payoff is. Of course, that's not all that Ollie shares. Author Ed McBain makes sure that Ollie shares his traditional "Archie Bunker" style bigotry directed at practically everyone in town in addition to plenty of jabs at popular mystery writers making this one of his funniest books in the series.
July 19, 2019
Ed McBain is gone. He wrote the book on police procedurals for decades, getting better every year, and he left a treasure trove behind him; I miss him anyway.
His novels center around a particular police precinct, so there are several characters that turn up in his novels, developed carefully over the years, that he can limelight, though usually his main man is Carella. Not this time, though.
Fat Ollie is a complex character. Contemptuous, racist, unattractive, he is also a really shrewd cop who, despite his unseemly behavior and unlikeable personality, can unravel the most complex crime and put the correct bad guy behind bars.
This is the only one of McBain's books (yes, I HAVE read them all) in which Fat Ollie gets to star. McBain handled him with the deftness of an experienced, brilliant writer, which he was.
If you are fond of police procedurals and have not read McBain, or if you have read his early (not quite as good) work from the 60's but haven't read his recent work, do so. Give yourself a treat and read this.
His novels center around a particular police precinct, so there are several characters that turn up in his novels, developed carefully over the years, that he can limelight, though usually his main man is Carella. Not this time, though.
Fat Ollie is a complex character. Contemptuous, racist, unattractive, he is also a really shrewd cop who, despite his unseemly behavior and unlikeable personality, can unravel the most complex crime and put the correct bad guy behind bars.
This is the only one of McBain's books (yes, I HAVE read them all) in which Fat Ollie gets to star. McBain handled him with the deftness of an experienced, brilliant writer, which he was.
If you are fond of police procedurals and have not read McBain, or if you have read his early (not quite as good) work from the 60's but haven't read his recent work, do so. Give yourself a treat and read this.
March 22, 2021
Dvě knihy za cenu jedné. Máte tu klasický 87 revír, do kterého je ovšem ještě vložený románový epos Ollieho Weekse, jeho velkolepý vstup na literární scénu – celých zhruba pětatřicet stránek textu (jak známo, dobří autoři nemusí být rozkecaní). Tohle dílo je samozřejmě spíše vtipem, byť ve výsledku zase není tak špatné a rozhodně se mu nemůže upřít zábavnost. Klidně bych si další Weeksovy knihy přečetl. (Zvláště, pokud by měly tolik stránek.) Do toho dává Weeks navíc rady, jak psát úspěšné knihy, což se taky může začínajícím grafomanům hodit.
Rozhodně je to zajímavější než hlavní příběh (vražda politika během nácviku projevu), který je tady vážně jen jako taková ta lego podložka, na kterou se napíchávají další dílky. Těmi jsou v tomto případě pátrání Weekse po té smažce, co mu omylem ukradla jeho literární skvost, pátrání té smažky, která považuje román za skutečnou policejní zprávu, po sklepením plném diamantů... a do toho ještě nějaké ty drogové kšefty a jiné maličkosti, které to celé zahušťují.
Z klasické sestavy se tady objevuje už vlastně jen Carella a Kling, zbytek knihy je v režii Ollieho. Jsou tu temnější noty, ale je to především zábavnější odskok, postavený na odpudivém tlusťochovi, který je ovšem zajímavý tím, jak se vyvíjí. Což je asi největší hřivna posledního McBainova období. Když máte postavu, která je dokonalá, tak co s ní? Ale když vyrukujete s nesnesitelným rasistickým tlusťochem, tak můžete jít jen nahoru. I když má Ollie sociální schopnosti Erica Cartmana, tak je to nejen dobrý polda, ale i člověk, který je ochotný na sobě pracovat - byť trochu podivně (naučit se na klavír přesně pět skladeb, umět jednu větu ve všech možných jazycích, napsat román...). A každým dílem dělá tahle postava krok někam dál.
Což je fajn.
Rozhodně je to zajímavější než hlavní příběh (vražda politika během nácviku projevu), který je tady vážně jen jako taková ta lego podložka, na kterou se napíchávají další dílky. Těmi jsou v tomto případě pátrání Weekse po té smažce, co mu omylem ukradla jeho literární skvost, pátrání té smažky, která považuje román za skutečnou policejní zprávu, po sklepením plném diamantů... a do toho ještě nějaké ty drogové kšefty a jiné maličkosti, které to celé zahušťují.
Z klasické sestavy se tady objevuje už vlastně jen Carella a Kling, zbytek knihy je v režii Ollieho. Jsou tu temnější noty, ale je to především zábavnější odskok, postavený na odpudivém tlusťochovi, který je ovšem zajímavý tím, jak se vyvíjí. Což je asi největší hřivna posledního McBainova období. Když máte postavu, která je dokonalá, tak co s ní? Ale když vyrukujete s nesnesitelným rasistickým tlusťochem, tak můžete jít jen nahoru. I když má Ollie sociální schopnosti Erica Cartmana, tak je to nejen dobrý polda, ale i člověk, který je ochotný na sobě pracovat - byť trochu podivně (naučit se na klavír přesně pět skladeb, umět jednu větu ve všech možných jazycích, napsat román...). A každým dílem dělá tahle postava krok někam dál.
Což je fajn.
October 7, 2025
I think Ollie is a horrible character. He is narcissistic, a glutton, racist, sexiest and generally a horrible human being. The two stories are a philandering councilman has been murdered. Lester was shot six times while rehearsing a speech in an auditorium. The other story is about Ollie’s manuscript being stolen and his humorous attempts to retrieve it.
Carella is in the story with his deaf wife Teddy. Overall the stories are average. Ollie trying to find the manuscript which Emil believes is real is amusing with them looking for the mythical blood diamonds. In the other story the wife of Lester finds love letters from a mistress and gives them to the detective. No surprise who turns out to be the killer.
Carella is in the story with his deaf wife Teddy. Overall the stories are average. Ollie trying to find the manuscript which Emil believes is real is amusing with them looking for the mythical blood diamonds. In the other story the wife of Lester finds love letters from a mistress and gives them to the detective. No surprise who turns out to be the killer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2015
#52 in the 87th Precinct series.
87th Precinct mysteries - Murders happen every day in the big bad city. They're not such a big deal, you know. Even when the victim is a city councilman as well known as Lester Henderson. But this is the first time Fat Ollie Weeks of the 88th Precinct has written a novel, ah yes. Called Report to the Commissioner, it follows a cunning detective named Olivia Wesley Watts, who, apart from being female and slim, is rather like Fat Ollie himself. While Ollie's responding to the squeal about the dead councilman, his leather dispatch case is stolen from the back of his car -- and in it, the only copy of his precious manuscript. Joined by Carella and Kling from the neighboring 87th Precinct, Ollie investigates the homicide with all the exquisite crudeness, insensitivity, and determination for which he is famous. But the theft of his first novel fills Ollie with a renewed passion for old-fashioned detective work.
87th Precinct mysteries - Murders happen every day in the big bad city. They're not such a big deal, you know. Even when the victim is a city councilman as well known as Lester Henderson. But this is the first time Fat Ollie Weeks of the 88th Precinct has written a novel, ah yes. Called Report to the Commissioner, it follows a cunning detective named Olivia Wesley Watts, who, apart from being female and slim, is rather like Fat Ollie himself. While Ollie's responding to the squeal about the dead councilman, his leather dispatch case is stolen from the back of his car -- and in it, the only copy of his precious manuscript. Joined by Carella and Kling from the neighboring 87th Precinct, Ollie investigates the homicide with all the exquisite crudeness, insensitivity, and determination for which he is famous. But the theft of his first novel fills Ollie with a renewed passion for old-fashioned detective work.
September 4, 2014
Fat Ollie Weeks fancies himself a writer along the lines of Joseph Wambaugh that has written a sure fire bestseller. That it's not very long shows that our boy doesn't really understand. When his "book" is stolen from his car, he turns the city upside down looking for it.
The crook thinks it's a report on a hidden cache of gems and starts looking for them. When no street names or businesses match up, he presumes it's code and tries to break it.
While Ollie is trying to find his bestseller, the 87th is stuck working real crimes. The fun is watching Ollie's single-minded hunt for the thief.
The crook thinks it's a report on a hidden cache of gems and starts looking for them. When no street names or businesses match up, he presumes it's code and tries to break it.
While Ollie is trying to find his bestseller, the 87th is stuck working real crimes. The fun is watching Ollie's single-minded hunt for the thief.
May 14, 2016
Fat Ollie's Book is my favorite of the 87th Precinct novels I've read so far (but I think I have about 47 books to go!). Ollie is an interesting, complex character, bigoted, gluttonous, and insensitive, but also a clever sleuth. In this one he fancies himself a brilliant crime novelist, and it was fun to read excerpts from his excruciatingly bad manuscript, of which the only copy has been stolen from his car.
I do like the way these solid mysteries of Ed McBain's are lightened by humor. I haven't even tried to read these books in series order, but I definitely want to read more of them.
I do like the way these solid mysteries of Ed McBain's are lightened by humor. I haven't even tried to read these books in series order, but I definitely want to read more of them.
June 6, 2014
A bit daft. The idea of an unpleasant cop writing a first person book in voice of a woman requires suspension of belief, and suspension is further stretched when an unpleasant perp believes the book to be real and tries to track down the characters. But, McBain has a great gift for dialogue and creating believable people. The scenes describing Fat Ollie eating are vivid and show a brilliant gift for painting memorable pictures from ordinary events.
May 26, 2017
One of the best detective series around. While a bit dated the characters all have strong personalities and over the years grow into the roles and age appropriately. Not every story ends with the police on top and we lose characters and gain new ones. Probably the best series for depicting a real life setting vs a fictional tale.
March 12, 2010
A little variation from the usual Ed McBain police procedural - a novel within a novel. I skipped Fat Ollie's novel, but enjoyed, as usual, the good characterizations in the 87th Precinct series.
December 7, 2021
This is possibly McBain at his funniest. The 'main' plot is fairly slight, but enjoyable enough. It probably doesn't even take up half the book, it's the subplot that makes this one special. Ollie Weeks having his book stolen is what this one is all about, as we might guess from the title.
It allows McBain to really get his teeth into satirising writers and writing, crime writing in particular, as well as giving us much more of an insight into Ollie himself. You have to be careful when you're humanising bigots, but I think it's well done here. With empathy and care, but not minimising what he is.
There's a general lightness of touch here that reminds me of McBain 25 years earlier.
The 'book within a book' sections are hilarious, although some running jokes maybe overstay their welcome.
It's great to see McBain trying something new here and it working so well. The old guy still had it. Although, if I remember correctly, one of the last 3 books after this might make me eat those words once I get to it on my reread.
It allows McBain to really get his teeth into satirising writers and writing, crime writing in particular, as well as giving us much more of an insight into Ollie himself. You have to be careful when you're humanising bigots, but I think it's well done here. With empathy and care, but not minimising what he is.
There's a general lightness of touch here that reminds me of McBain 25 years earlier.
The 'book within a book' sections are hilarious, although some running jokes maybe overstay their welcome.
It's great to see McBain trying something new here and it working so well. The old guy still had it. Although, if I remember correctly, one of the last 3 books after this might make me eat those words once I get to it on my reread.
August 17, 2019
The funniest detective story I have ever read.
January 9, 2013
Perhaps I've had too much of the 87th Precinct lately. Perhaps I just can't find Fat Ollie, a racist and a glutton, endearing. With this, my fourth book in the very long 87th Precinct series, I no longer find fictional police detection as fascinating as when it was new to me.
There are two stories in the book, and also a novel within a novel. So I was confused. The first story has to do with the theft of the only copy of a detective novel that Ollie wrote. Most or all of Ollie's 36 page book is interspersed throughout the greater novel, as the drug addict thief ponders the book and tries to identify people he supposes to be real characters and find what he supposes to be real diamonds hidden somewhere in the City. The second story is that of Ollie's investigation of a real murder of a city councilman. That's the real mystery, and I just didn't find it as clever as I found some of McBain's other books.
McBain is a good and a prolific writer. I will pick him up again some day, but there are other books waiting right now.
There are two stories in the book, and also a novel within a novel. So I was confused. The first story has to do with the theft of the only copy of a detective novel that Ollie wrote. Most or all of Ollie's 36 page book is interspersed throughout the greater novel, as the drug addict thief ponders the book and tries to identify people he supposes to be real characters and find what he supposes to be real diamonds hidden somewhere in the City. The second story is that of Ollie's investigation of a real murder of a city councilman. That's the real mystery, and I just didn't find it as clever as I found some of McBain's other books.
McBain is a good and a prolific writer. I will pick him up again some day, but there are other books waiting right now.
August 7, 2011
at first i wasn't that keen on it, but the dialogue sold me on the story. the fast paced dialogue and its back and forth rat-ta-tat speed and misunderstandings between characters was actually hilarious. i always find it odd to start out not liking a book only to discover that by the end i am madly in love with it.
August 9, 2009
Fat Ollie Weeks is one of those characters that makes you cringe even though he is only in a book. He has little redeeming value at all but life wouldn't be as interesting without him...right?
June 23, 2010
Inept cop writes a novel, leaves manuscript on the back seat of the car and it's stolen. Carella helps solve the real crime and lets Fat Ollie take credit. Lots of fun farce in this book
May 31, 2013
Would probably help if you knew Fat Ollie's history, but it's a great book all by itself. The entire 87th Precinct Series is HOT!
Great development of characters. Excellent author.
Great development of characters. Excellent author.
February 9, 2014
Another in the 87th precinct series. I really enjoy these books. They are mindless, fun police drama.
June 13, 2015
Enjoyable and amusing.
April 14, 2016
Typical of Ed McBain - a good but fairly light detective story with a hint of humour.
November 7, 2017
A few good characters but most just babble and wasted words.
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