The Number to Call Is

by Raymond Thompson, Treve Daly

It began as a Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. The hosts for the evening were an aging comic on his way down, a beautiful young singer on her way up, and a high-priced low-living sex symbol. But no one counted on a very special guest—terror. Held hostage by a band of fanatics. Manny Proole, Morgan Stevens and Gloria de Petrie are forced into a bloody spotlight of perversion and torture. While the captive studio audience watches helplessly, the show goes on the air — world-wide. The police, the FBI and the President of the United States all agree that the demands cannot be met. That is, until the prime time killing begins...

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Raymond Webster Thompson was a British-born Canadian/New Zealand screenwriter, composer and producer.

Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trashy pulp thriller about a set of dangerous terrorists who take over a live tv telethon. Will well-meaning small town sheriff Ben be able to get the hostages out, or will the gung-ho government generals force the terrorists hand?

As usual for pulp, there are a number of dated elements here, but it sort of gets away with it as everything is so over the top, it ends up being almost cartoonish. So while it is likely to offend pretty much anyone who reads it, accept it for what it is, and you get an action thriller with sharp edges.