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87th Precinct #8
Lady Killer
Detective Cotton Hawes of the 87th Precinct scrutinizes a tip-off letter that says "I will kill the lady tonight at 8"--giving him nine hours to find the victim and the killer in a city of eight million people.
235 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
122 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
710 books668 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 126 reviews
April 15, 2013
First published in 1958, this is the eighth entry in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. By this point, the main characters were fairly well-established and needed no introduction, but the book itself is something of an oddity in the series in that most of the books have the detectives of the 87th working at least a couple of cases. This book focuses on a single case, worked by all of the detectives over a the course of a long and frustrating twelve-hour day.
As the team assembles in the morning, a young boy delivers a printed message to the desk sergeant. The man who wrote the message announces that he is going to kill "the Lady" at 8:00 that evening. The detectives have no idea if this is a practical joke or not, but naturally, they have to take the threat seriously.
In a desperate race against time the detectives work along parallel tracks, trying to determine the identity of the victim and that of the man who intends to kill her. As always, McBain provides an interesting and entertaining ride, although this would not rank among the better books in the series.
In a new introduction, McBain explains that he wrote the book under a deadline, in just nine days. His contract provided that he had to produce a manuscript of 180 pages--no more, no less--and that is exactly what he did. In order to do so, though, he added a lot of filler to what otherwise could have been a fairly short novella. There are a lot of extended descriptions of the weather and of various characters where McBain is obviously just attempting to fill space in an effort to hit his 180-page target and to get the book done as quickly as possible.
In less capable hands, this schedule would have almost certainly produced a book that would hardly be worth reading. But McBain is so good that even a book written under this kind of pressure turns out to be very entertaining and demonstrates what a talented and prolific writer could do "back in the day" when pulp novelists regularly produced several books a year. I wouldn't recommend that someone new to the series start with this book, but fans of the series will want to seek it out.
As the team assembles in the morning, a young boy delivers a printed message to the desk sergeant. The man who wrote the message announces that he is going to kill "the Lady" at 8:00 that evening. The detectives have no idea if this is a practical joke or not, but naturally, they have to take the threat seriously.
In a desperate race against time the detectives work along parallel tracks, trying to determine the identity of the victim and that of the man who intends to kill her. As always, McBain provides an interesting and entertaining ride, although this would not rank among the better books in the series.
In a new introduction, McBain explains that he wrote the book under a deadline, in just nine days. His contract provided that he had to produce a manuscript of 180 pages--no more, no less--and that is exactly what he did. In order to do so, though, he added a lot of filler to what otherwise could have been a fairly short novella. There are a lot of extended descriptions of the weather and of various characters where McBain is obviously just attempting to fill space in an effort to hit his 180-page target and to get the book done as quickly as possible.
In less capable hands, this schedule would have almost certainly produced a book that would hardly be worth reading. But McBain is so good that even a book written under this kind of pressure turns out to be very entertaining and demonstrates what a talented and prolific writer could do "back in the day" when pulp novelists regularly produced several books a year. I wouldn't recommend that someone new to the series start with this book, but fans of the series will want to seek it out.
December 2, 2022
When a young boy walks into the 87th Precinct and hands the desk sergeant an envelope it starts a 12 hour search for a would-be killer. The contents of the letter are made up of cut out words and letters to form the message: "I will kill the Lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?"
A few things have to be determined right off the bat. Is the message a crank or real? How literally should the detectives take the words? Where the heck should they start?
Trying to work out who created the letter in only 12 hours is a big ask, but the cops from the 87th set about the task following a number of, shall we say, fanciful ideas. They serve to put the detectives through their paces with Cotton Hawes taking the lead.
Almost by necessity, given the enormity of the task at hand and the tight deadline, there are some leaps of faith to be taken and astoundingly good fortune to be endured for the story to work.
One of the drawcards to reading Lady Killer is the interaction between a good selection of the 87th Precinct regulars on the one case. Normally you might see them flit in and out of the scene while a single pair dominates but due to the desperation with which the search is carried out, you get to see more of them. Devotees of the series will enjoy this one more than someone who might happen upon it cold.
One thing that was never made clear, and it really bugged me, was the reason for the killer to send the letter at all. Apart from creating a deadline for the detectives to work to and creating a feeling of impending doom, there was simply no logic to it nor explanation for it.
The bottom line is that, although there unfolds a lot of frantic action, it was all held together by the most tenuous of connections. This was a good entry in the series but nothing more.
A few things have to be determined right off the bat. Is the message a crank or real? How literally should the detectives take the words? Where the heck should they start?
Trying to work out who created the letter in only 12 hours is a big ask, but the cops from the 87th set about the task following a number of, shall we say, fanciful ideas. They serve to put the detectives through their paces with Cotton Hawes taking the lead.
Almost by necessity, given the enormity of the task at hand and the tight deadline, there are some leaps of faith to be taken and astoundingly good fortune to be endured for the story to work.
One of the drawcards to reading Lady Killer is the interaction between a good selection of the 87th Precinct regulars on the one case. Normally you might see them flit in and out of the scene while a single pair dominates but due to the desperation with which the search is carried out, you get to see more of them. Devotees of the series will enjoy this one more than someone who might happen upon it cold.
One thing that was never made clear, and it really bugged me, was the reason for the killer to send the letter at all. Apart from creating a deadline for the detectives to work to and creating a feeling of impending doom, there was simply no logic to it nor explanation for it.
The bottom line is that, although there unfolds a lot of frantic action, it was all held together by the most tenuous of connections. This was a good entry in the series but nothing more.
November 17, 2021
It's getting difficult to find new superlatives to write about this series and its author, Ed McBain, so I'm putting that aside. I am thoroughly enjoying my reading journey through this series. Enough said.
April 25, 2025
The work of an author that was finding it hard to come up with believable or surprising twists. The story was quite good, but things got less interesting towards the end. It would have been better if the murderer had really wanted to kill a woman.
January 14, 2013
A little boy turns up at the 87th Precinct with a cryptic letter from a killer.
"I will kill the lady at 8 tonight. What can you do about it?"
It could well be a hoax but can they take that risk?
Although this one is a bit contrived it's still a lot of fun as the 87th spends 12 hours running about trying to catch the letter sender before the hammer falls. Cotton Hawes gets to do plenty of the hero bit, though his falling in love thrice a day is getting a bit wearing as is his constant explanation of how he got his white streak. I'm pretty sure McBain still hasn't got over being foisted with the big lunk and is deliberately sending him up.
Remember 'Cop Hater' the first book in the series and set in a relentless heatwave. Well this is another hot one. The year has gone full circle. It doesn't quite drip with heat as 'Cop Hater' did, but it's still a scorcher.
Sure this one has its flaws but at this stage McBain/Hunter etc was knocking about three of these out a year, just as a sideline to his more profitable work. Eight books into the series and the first thing that happens after the last page turns is a hunt for the next one.
"I will kill the lady at 8 tonight. What can you do about it?"
It could well be a hoax but can they take that risk?
Although this one is a bit contrived it's still a lot of fun as the 87th spends 12 hours running about trying to catch the letter sender before the hammer falls. Cotton Hawes gets to do plenty of the hero bit, though his falling in love thrice a day is getting a bit wearing as is his constant explanation of how he got his white streak. I'm pretty sure McBain still hasn't got over being foisted with the big lunk and is deliberately sending him up.
Remember 'Cop Hater' the first book in the series and set in a relentless heatwave. Well this is another hot one. The year has gone full circle. It doesn't quite drip with heat as 'Cop Hater' did, but it's still a scorcher.
Sure this one has its flaws but at this stage McBain/Hunter etc was knocking about three of these out a year, just as a sideline to his more profitable work. Eight books into the series and the first thing that happens after the last page turns is a hunt for the next one.
July 12, 2022
They paid Ed McBain for 180 pages so he took a holiday with his family and wrote 20 pages a day for 9 days with no re-writes and, despite being a quick and entertaining read, it probably could've done with a bit of a tidy up.
February 23, 2017
finished this one this morning, 8:36 a.m. if it matters. great story! and this one, too, kindle, has an intro from mcbain written in the early 90s, nice, as mcbain explains a bit more (like in the other intros) how this particular story came to be. says he wrote it in...was it nine weeks? had friends coming over and he was the last chapter and he wanted to go to the beach, after. so say we all. or wait now. nine days. he wrote the piece in nine days. heh! and too he writes about length...limit to 180 pages i think he said. so you got the economy of words going on, this, that, the other. i enjoyed the comedic relief in this one, the boys in the red striped tee-shirts, the cop talk, plus he throws in more than a few police artist sketches. always a plus. don't believe i've ever seen that before. good read. check it out. cue the song.
December 5, 2024
★★★
I enjoyed Lady Killer. The race-against-the-clock plot was a fun change of pace, keeping me hooked as the detectives scrambled to prevent a murder. McBain’s knack for quick dialogue and snappy procedural detail shines through, but the time limit meant the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as usual. The ending worked, but after all the suspense, it felt a bit too tidy.
Not my favourite in the series, but a solid, entertaining read.
I enjoyed Lady Killer. The race-against-the-clock plot was a fun change of pace, keeping me hooked as the detectives scrambled to prevent a murder. McBain’s knack for quick dialogue and snappy procedural detail shines through, but the time limit meant the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as usual. The ending worked, but after all the suspense, it felt a bit too tidy.
Not my favourite in the series, but a solid, entertaining read.
December 21, 2021
It's been a while since I last read an Ed McBain novel. I usually enjoy these and have quite a few others that I haven't read. Anyway, in this one a young boy delivers a message to the precinct saying "I will kill the lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?" So is this message to be taken seriously or is it just a prank? Well the cops of the 87th do take it seriously and the novel unfolds over a hectic day trying to figure out who and where the crime will be committed. There were several possibilities for who the lady could be including a hooker and a lady singer. So the men in the 87th precinct have twelve hours to try to stop the killer and identify who he is after. Can they do it?
This was a pretty good entry in the 87th Precinct series which I usually enjoy reading. I last read one of these several years ago and I look forward to reading more.
This was a pretty good entry in the 87th Precinct series which I usually enjoy reading. I last read one of these several years ago and I look forward to reading more.
January 27, 2024
A decent entry in the 87th Precinct Crime Series, but lacks the intensity and complexity of earlier books in the series.
Still a fun change of pace from my usual horror reads.
Still a fun change of pace from my usual horror reads.
June 9, 2019
COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 234 (of 250)
In McBain's introduction, he says he wrote this book in nine days. And it shows, compared to other books McBain has written.
Hook - 1 star: "A crank is a person who calls Frederick 7-8024 and says, "I don't want to have to tell you about that Chinese laundry downstairs. The owner uses a hissing iron..." and so it goes. And goes. More cranks calling in. Until a letter is handed to a desk sergeant that is very unsettling, but that could have taken place on the first line of the first page.
PACE - 2: After an oft-putting opening page, things get going. And this book reads fast until McBain, seeming to realize he has to up the word count to reach a 'novel' length, introduces a lovely lady in a negligee who has nothing to do with the story. She just sort of stands around too tempt the absolutely magnificent stud of a man, Cotton Hawes. Then another lovely lady is picked up off the street by a stranger who buys her a $300 ring she admires in a jewelry store. Now, eventually, this does lead to the plot but I didn't believe the scene: no lady with self-respect would allow herself to be bought, on the street, for a ring, unless she's a hooker. And in this case, she isn't. So that's 2 scenes stretched to the limit for word length.
Plot - 2: A sergeant desk clerk, at 8am in the morning, gets a letter that "A Lady is to be killed at 8pm that night." It is interesting what the cops do to track the to-be killer, especially a sequence in which the killer's face is drawn with info from 2 witnesses. This story is a novella, but one supposes the publisher is demanding a novel-length work. And McBain holds a clue until the final few pages, so you're not going to be able to even guess what's going on, and minus 1 star for this feature.
Characters: 1: Carella is homophobic and I'm getting tired of hearing about it. Hawes has the ladies swooning: one wonders why this stupendous-looking physical specimen isn't a model or in the movies instead of a cop making 5k a year, it makes no sense. And by this 8th book, the 'stupid cops' joke is just irritating: you can't be stupid to pass the tests to be a cop. Personally, I have never met a cop anywhere near foolish. I know of people, though, who have failed the written portion of the test. And oh, please, please stop with the coffee jokes: the world drinks coffee. And about the would-be killer? Not much information is provided at all.
ATMOSPHERE: 2: Sweaty days, run down bars, coffee. And more coffee. And a lady in a negligee cause ALL ladies in seedy apartment houses wear very expensive, sheer negligees in which to answer their door or just to walk the halls. Yes, that feature is very much a part of the pulp fiction world in which authors were sometimes given a cover (with a lovely lady almost naked) and told to write the most sensational story they could based upon the cover. But this series isn't mean to be part of that world.
SUMMARY: 1.6. McBain can do so much better. 2 major issues: 1)this is a very good novella, but is turned into a 'stretched-to-the-limit' novel and 2) cops are smart and work hard but, for example, they gotta eat and stay alert, so what's the deal with coffee and more coffee? Am I being picky? Yes, but it's my review and I'm giving my honest opinion, equal to everyone else's opinion, equal in weight to the many 5-star reviews for this work. You, too, might love this and give it 5 stars. That's great!
BOOK 234 (of 250)
In McBain's introduction, he says he wrote this book in nine days. And it shows, compared to other books McBain has written.
Hook - 1 star: "A crank is a person who calls Frederick 7-8024 and says, "I don't want to have to tell you about that Chinese laundry downstairs. The owner uses a hissing iron..." and so it goes. And goes. More cranks calling in. Until a letter is handed to a desk sergeant that is very unsettling, but that could have taken place on the first line of the first page.
PACE - 2: After an oft-putting opening page, things get going. And this book reads fast until McBain, seeming to realize he has to up the word count to reach a 'novel' length, introduces a lovely lady in a negligee who has nothing to do with the story. She just sort of stands around too tempt the absolutely magnificent stud of a man, Cotton Hawes. Then another lovely lady is picked up off the street by a stranger who buys her a $300 ring she admires in a jewelry store. Now, eventually, this does lead to the plot but I didn't believe the scene: no lady with self-respect would allow herself to be bought, on the street, for a ring, unless she's a hooker. And in this case, she isn't. So that's 2 scenes stretched to the limit for word length.
Plot - 2: A sergeant desk clerk, at 8am in the morning, gets a letter that "A Lady is to be killed at 8pm that night." It is interesting what the cops do to track the to-be killer, especially a sequence in which the killer's face is drawn with info from 2 witnesses. This story is a novella, but one supposes the publisher is demanding a novel-length work. And McBain holds a clue until the final few pages, so you're not going to be able to even guess what's going on, and minus 1 star for this feature.
Characters: 1: Carella is homophobic and I'm getting tired of hearing about it. Hawes has the ladies swooning: one wonders why this stupendous-looking physical specimen isn't a model or in the movies instead of a cop making 5k a year, it makes no sense. And by this 8th book, the 'stupid cops' joke is just irritating: you can't be stupid to pass the tests to be a cop. Personally, I have never met a cop anywhere near foolish. I know of people, though, who have failed the written portion of the test. And oh, please, please stop with the coffee jokes: the world drinks coffee. And about the would-be killer? Not much information is provided at all.
ATMOSPHERE: 2: Sweaty days, run down bars, coffee. And more coffee. And a lady in a negligee cause ALL ladies in seedy apartment houses wear very expensive, sheer negligees in which to answer their door or just to walk the halls. Yes, that feature is very much a part of the pulp fiction world in which authors were sometimes given a cover (with a lovely lady almost naked) and told to write the most sensational story they could based upon the cover. But this series isn't mean to be part of that world.
SUMMARY: 1.6. McBain can do so much better. 2 major issues: 1)this is a very good novella, but is turned into a 'stretched-to-the-limit' novel and 2) cops are smart and work hard but, for example, they gotta eat and stay alert, so what's the deal with coffee and more coffee? Am I being picky? Yes, but it's my review and I'm giving my honest opinion, equal to everyone else's opinion, equal in weight to the many 5-star reviews for this work. You, too, might love this and give it 5 stars. That's great!
October 13, 2018
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this book is explained in an updated foreword by the author. In it, McBain explains the circumstances surrounding the reasons he wrote this very short (180 pages) book in just nine days in the summer of 1957.
At that time, these books went straight to paperback and were to be exactly 180 pages- exactly. So McBain, who was on vacation with his family and soon to be joined by another family, hunkered down in a garage behind the rented house in which they were staying and cranked out 20 pages per day. Straight through, no rewrites.
That might explain the very linear nature of the story, the occasional filler, and the restriction to just one crime for the boys of the 87th Precinct to solve / prevent rather than the more typical multiple crimes scenario so common to this series.
As such, this installment suffers a bit and though entertaining, falls shy of the lofty standards set by McBain in this series. Taken for what it was back in the ‘50s, it plays just fine. A quick read that will be enjoyed by fans, but might fail to impress someone new to this author. Those folks would be better served to read some of the more involved issues of the 87th Precinct series before this one.
At that time, these books went straight to paperback and were to be exactly 180 pages- exactly. So McBain, who was on vacation with his family and soon to be joined by another family, hunkered down in a garage behind the rented house in which they were staying and cranked out 20 pages per day. Straight through, no rewrites.
That might explain the very linear nature of the story, the occasional filler, and the restriction to just one crime for the boys of the 87th Precinct to solve / prevent rather than the more typical multiple crimes scenario so common to this series.
As such, this installment suffers a bit and though entertaining, falls shy of the lofty standards set by McBain in this series. Taken for what it was back in the ‘50s, it plays just fine. A quick read that will be enjoyed by fans, but might fail to impress someone new to this author. Those folks would be better served to read some of the more involved issues of the 87th Precinct series before this one.
January 18, 2025
Lady Killer by Ed McBain (1959)...I've really enjoyed reading the early 87th Precinct novels over the last year. I especially liked Book 2, The Mugger, which I thought was fantastic. Unfortunately I have found Book 8, Lady Killer to be the weakest since the series began. It stars Det. Cotton Hawes as he tries to figure out if a murder will in fact take place and who the murderer will be. The plot is not plausible and I found Hawes investigation to be rather boring...The high point is a shootout on top of some roof-tops in the downtown area. There are a few loose ends that were not tied up. -I could go on but lets just say Lady Killer did not do it for me...3.0 outta 5.0...
August 6, 2012
Not as good as a locked room mystery but still intriguing. I am awed McBain could write an entire novel based on the premise. A note is given to the desk sergeant, "I Will Kill the Lady TONIGHT At 8 What CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?" This is the novel. Solving the crime in less than 24 hours using reasonable police methods for 1958. Remember this was before DNA testing and cameras on every corner etc. The story itself wasn't earth-shattering but I thought it was entertaining and clever.
June 21, 2019
Very simple plot: you just read to see what happens.
January 9, 2025
A tad short and the spectre of sexism haunted this book. However, I do like the 87th Precint novels and it passed the time on a very slow work day.
December 4, 2025
I will kill the lady tonight at 8pm. This cryptic note is delivered anonymously to the 87th Precinct. Is it a crank or a killer wanting to be caught. It’s July 24th and a hot, humid day where everyone is sweating and hoping for a breeze to cool them down or rain.
Carella, Hawes and the other detectives are in a race against the clock. There is a chase, gunfight and clues which are tantalizing but keep leading them up blind alleys.
Apparently the author wrote this in 20 days snd it definitely could have used a bit more refinement and editing. Still entertaining with the motive getting more money for an expensive woman.
Carella, Hawes and the other detectives are in a race against the clock. There is a chase, gunfight and clues which are tantalizing but keep leading them up blind alleys.
Apparently the author wrote this in 20 days snd it definitely could have used a bit more refinement and editing. Still entertaining with the motive getting more money for an expensive woman.
February 13, 2012
Good fast paced book. The 87th precinct receives a letter made up of cut out words/letters that says "I will kill the Lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?" It is currently 8:00am - the detectives have twelve hours to figure out who the killer is, who "the lady" is, where the murder is going to take place and stop it.
I was struck once again by the differences between the time this series of books was written (this book in 1957 I believe) and our own time - Lieutenant Byrnes sent the letter over to the lab to process for fingerprints, etc., but he also had the lab take a picture of it so that the precinct can try to figure out the clues from the picture while the lab works with the original. What? Just take it down the hall to the copy machine! Oh, ok, no copy machine. This series is particularly fun to see the extra leg work the police must put in to solve the crimes because they don't yet have some of the technology that have since made police work a bit easier - no computer searches, digging through years' worth of handwritten file cards, hand-typing forms in triplicate with messy carbon paper, etc. (Oh... I felt so bad for them).
This was a good story and because of the twelve hour deadline, I felt more tension and urgency while the detectives went about their assignments and hunches, etc. to prevent the threatened death - or was it just a hoax to send them scurrying around for some nut's amusement? Read the book and find out.
I was struck once again by the differences between the time this series of books was written (this book in 1957 I believe) and our own time - Lieutenant Byrnes sent the letter over to the lab to process for fingerprints, etc., but he also had the lab take a picture of it so that the precinct can try to figure out the clues from the picture while the lab works with the original. What? Just take it down the hall to the copy machine! Oh, ok, no copy machine. This series is particularly fun to see the extra leg work the police must put in to solve the crimes because they don't yet have some of the technology that have since made police work a bit easier - no computer searches, digging through years' worth of handwritten file cards, hand-typing forms in triplicate with messy carbon paper, etc. (Oh... I felt so bad for them).
This was a good story and because of the twelve hour deadline, I felt more tension and urgency while the detectives went about their assignments and hunches, etc. to prevent the threatened death - or was it just a hoax to send them scurrying around for some nut's amusement? Read the book and find out.
January 1, 2012
Quite simply, this is one of my favorite books. Having just finished it for the second time, I admit there are some weaknesses to it, but I am willing to look the other way as the pace of the plot is fairly tight and there is much tension in the race against time to find and stop a killer with only a short cut & pasted note to go on.
I think the thing I like most about the book is its simplicity. McBain simply doesn't get bogged down in detail or more words than the absolute minimum needed to tell the story. Physical descriptions are rudimentary, just like the police sketches of the suspect, and the barest adjectives are thrown in to casually sketch the locations. In less-skilled hands this approach would be too bland and threadbare, but with McBain it just clicks. He apparently wrote this in nine days with no rewrites, and if so, it reads very well for an unpolished manuscript.
The end is something of a twist, and others might find it weak, but I think it adds to the book. If you can overlook some questionable procedural work (questioning a suspect and victim together at the same time) and suspend disbelief that a squad of detectives would burn rubber for a possible crank note, I think the book can reward as an entertaining piece of escapism for a few hours.
I think the thing I like most about the book is its simplicity. McBain simply doesn't get bogged down in detail or more words than the absolute minimum needed to tell the story. Physical descriptions are rudimentary, just like the police sketches of the suspect, and the barest adjectives are thrown in to casually sketch the locations. In less-skilled hands this approach would be too bland and threadbare, but with McBain it just clicks. He apparently wrote this in nine days with no rewrites, and if so, it reads very well for an unpolished manuscript.
The end is something of a twist, and others might find it weak, but I think it adds to the book. If you can overlook some questionable procedural work (questioning a suspect and victim together at the same time) and suspend disbelief that a squad of detectives would burn rubber for a possible crank note, I think the book can reward as an entertaining piece of escapism for a few hours.
December 13, 2019
In McBain's introduction, he says he wrote this one in 9 days, talking about how he was trying to hurry up and get it done so he could get to the beach. You can definitely tell.
While it's still an excellent mystery (even if it does hinge on McBain's favorite device.. word play), it's alot more straight forward than the others... no 'B' or 'C' plots here... just one mystery that the crew at the 87th have 12 hours to solve.
It feels like McBain has come to terms with Cotton.. he's now firmly established as Carella's understudy, and the 'action man'... sorta the Riker to Carella's Picard. It works. I'm looking forward to the scene where Cotton the ladies man meets Teddy Carella.
8 books in, it does get a little annoying when McBain repeats some of his stock jokes (like Meyer Meyer's name), but every book is someone's first, so that's just something one has to live with.
Extra points for the shout out to Richard Matheson, too.. that's the way to describe a hot day!
While it's still an excellent mystery (even if it does hinge on McBain's favorite device.. word play), it's alot more straight forward than the others... no 'B' or 'C' plots here... just one mystery that the crew at the 87th have 12 hours to solve.
It feels like McBain has come to terms with Cotton.. he's now firmly established as Carella's understudy, and the 'action man'... sorta the Riker to Carella's Picard. It works. I'm looking forward to the scene where Cotton the ladies man meets Teddy Carella.
8 books in, it does get a little annoying when McBain repeats some of his stock jokes (like Meyer Meyer's name), but every book is someone's first, so that's just something one has to live with.
Extra points for the shout out to Richard Matheson, too.. that's the way to describe a hot day!
May 10, 2020
Solid entry in the series, only has the one case but it's a good one. Trying to find a guy who sends a note saying he is going to murder a lady. Typical police procedural, which McBain is a master of, really goes into detail of what the police would do to try and figure out if it was real and who it is.
Recommended, again a solid entry, has a nice little twist of a conclusion. And is written suspenfully so keeps your interest.
Recommended, again a solid entry, has a nice little twist of a conclusion. And is written suspenfully so keeps your interest.
October 17, 2018
Again a good quick read, with likeable characters.
January 13, 2020
Kniha, kterou McBain napsal za devět dnů... a člověk jí má přečtenou za tři hodiny. Je to přímočará a rychlospádová záležitost, která se liší od ostatních románů tím, že tam není žádná mrtvola. Zatím. Na 87. revír dorazí anonymní dopis od někoho, kdo tvrdí, že dnes v osm hodin zabije lady. Ovšem už není jasné, která dáma je tím myšlena... a dokonce ani jestli je to žena nebo pes či dostihový kůň. A policie se vydá po stopě a čas odtikává.
Hlavní roli tady hraje ustavičně se zamilovávací Cotton Hawes a taky trochu Carella. Ostatní jsou spíše kulisy. Pořád jsou tu zábavné dialogy (nejzábavnější je asi situace, kdy na stanici vtrhne matka vyslýchaného chlapečka a rozpoutá se chaos), ale určující je tu tempo vyprávění, takže se McBain nikde zase tak moc nezdržuje. Ani tady nemá nějaké šokující zvraty, či složitější práci s příběhem, spíš servíruje různé možnosti, posílá hrdiny na další a další výslechy... než usoudí, že už to má dost stránek, naservíruje pachatele a kniha se uzavře.
87. revír byl odrazový můstek, od kterého se odrazila spousta tvůrců, kteří to pak dotáhli ještě dál, takže z dnešního hlediska je už překonaný. Ale jednak je tu respekt z toho, co všechno tu bylo otevřeno - a tím nemyslím nejen policejní postupy, ale i snahu o realistickou atmosféru města, civilní dialogy a i nečernobílé vnímání postav a zločinů. A samozřejmě, co je asi nejdůležitější, pořád se to dobře čte.
Hlavní roli tady hraje ustavičně se zamilovávací Cotton Hawes a taky trochu Carella. Ostatní jsou spíše kulisy. Pořád jsou tu zábavné dialogy (nejzábavnější je asi situace, kdy na stanici vtrhne matka vyslýchaného chlapečka a rozpoutá se chaos), ale určující je tu tempo vyprávění, takže se McBain nikde zase tak moc nezdržuje. Ani tady nemá nějaké šokující zvraty, či složitější práci s příběhem, spíš servíruje různé možnosti, posílá hrdiny na další a další výslechy... než usoudí, že už to má dost stránek, naservíruje pachatele a kniha se uzavře.
87. revír byl odrazový můstek, od kterého se odrazila spousta tvůrců, kteří to pak dotáhli ještě dál, takže z dnešního hlediska je už překonaný. Ale jednak je tu respekt z toho, co všechno tu bylo otevřeno - a tím nemyslím nejen policejní postupy, ale i snahu o realistickou atmosféru města, civilní dialogy a i nečernobílé vnímání postav a zločinů. A samozřejmě, co je asi nejdůležitější, pořád se to dobře čte.
June 15, 2017
In the introduction of this book, McBain explains that his book was written to meet a deadline. 20 pages a day for 9 days. As a result of that forced time frame this is a very linear story. There is only one case and the detectives follow it from beginning to end with very little sidetracking.
The 87th Precinct receives a cryptic anonymous note saying that a murder will be committed at 8 pm that evening, so it's a race against the clock. The entire book covers less than a 12 hour period and reading this felt like an episode of the TV series 24.
These are great books if you are into 1950's detective fiction and need a quick, easy read between other major reads. I have another dozen or so on my Kindle and look forward to reading more of the 87th Precinct.
The 87th Precinct receives a cryptic anonymous note saying that a murder will be committed at 8 pm that evening, so it's a race against the clock. The entire book covers less than a 12 hour period and reading this felt like an episode of the TV series 24.
These are great books if you are into 1950's detective fiction and need a quick, easy read between other major reads. I have another dozen or so on my Kindle and look forward to reading more of the 87th Precinct.
March 13, 2025
So you know how in fictions or movies a kidnapper or serial killer might crop words from magazines, paste them to a letter and then send them to the authorities with demands or warnings? At the start of "Lady Killer" (1958) an anonymous similarly-styled letter arrives at the 87th Precinct that the detectives immediately investigate. The letter states that at 8 PM tonight the letter's author is going to kill "the lady." First suspecting that this might just be one of those standard crank calls that cops receive as part of everyday interactions with the public, clues from the letter itself have Detectives Carella, Meyer and Hawes slowly convinced this is actually a real threat.
Verdict: A fun ride from start to finish, "Lady Killer"'s focus on one investigation and one single day keep it tight and well-paced, tense and humorous, immersive in the hot summer NYC-1950's-style street, diners, and central-park beats in a good mystery and police procedural.
Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
Verdict: A fun ride from start to finish, "Lady Killer"'s focus on one investigation and one single day keep it tight and well-paced, tense and humorous, immersive in the hot summer NYC-1950's-style street, diners, and central-park beats in a good mystery and police procedural.
Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG-13
June 25, 2021
Another good police procedural by Ed McBain. His ensemble cast of detectives works to prevent a murder they've been tipped to by the killer him/herself. This, the 8th in the 87th Precinct series, adds a little to the characters backgrounds and personalities but mostly they've been well established by the previous novels.
Excellent pacing, wonderful dialog and an interesting plot keep the reader's interest up to the last page. As in a couple of previous novels, I was disappointed with how McBain wraps up the mystery, and the killer's game playing by taunting the cops of his upcoming crime wasn't really explained, a big miss IMO.
Excellent pacing, wonderful dialog and an interesting plot keep the reader's interest up to the last page. As in a couple of previous novels, I was disappointed with how McBain wraps up the mystery, and the killer's game playing by taunting the cops of his upcoming crime wasn't really explained, a big miss IMO.
September 8, 2022
Quick easy to read novella written in 1958.
November 8, 2023
Another great, simple, tightly told mystery with good characters and phenomenal style.
August 8, 2021
I rated this one as okay. My first Ed McBain book. The plot seemed a bit thrown loosely together. I read that he wrote this in a short amount of time, so that probably explains it.
September 5, 2024
Another entertaining romp with the guys of the 87th Precinct.
A kid comes into the station and delivers a letter to the cop on desk duty. The letter contains the message, "I will kill the Lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?" Is it a prank? Can they take a chance that it isn't?
A kid comes into the station and delivers a letter to the cop on desk duty. The letter contains the message, "I will kill the Lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?" Is it a prank? Can they take a chance that it isn't?
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