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87th Precinct #42
Vespers
A Catholic priest is brutally murdered. A church practicing Satanism is not four blocks away, and the cult sign of Baphomet is found scrawled on the the garden gate. The trail leads to a shadowy Easter Sunday, and the conclusion is breathtaking and ironic.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
219 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
712 books670 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 87 reviews
October 25, 2015
When Father Michael Birney is savagely knifed to death in the middle of saying his vespers, there's a veritable laundry list of suspects, not the least of which is a satanic cult that's opened a competing "church" only a few blocks away. Additionally, some gangbangers have been fighting in the church and ran afoul of the priest. There's also a very irate parishioner who's been arguing vehemently with Father Birney over the collection plate. Detectives Steve Carella and Collon Hawes of the 87th Precinct are going to have their work cut out for them trying to nail this killer.
At the same time, Hal Willis's girlfriend, who happens to be a former prostitute, is threatened by a couple of very evil thugs from out of her past. She keeps Willis largely in the dark and attempts to deal with the situation herself, which may or may not be such a great idea.
The investigation of the priest's murder is complex and entertaining; the subplot involving Willis's girlfriend, not so much. Part of my problem with this subplot is that the girlfriend's actions don't make a lot of sense to me and are not all that believable. Beyond that, this is a novel about the detectives of the 87th precinct who really have no role in the subplot. As a practical matter, the only two members of the squad who get real any face time here are Carella and Hawes, which is a bit unusual for this series.
I enjoyed the book, but it didn't grab me to the extent that most of the others in the series have, so three stars for me.
At the same time, Hal Willis's girlfriend, who happens to be a former prostitute, is threatened by a couple of very evil thugs from out of her past. She keeps Willis largely in the dark and attempts to deal with the situation herself, which may or may not be such a great idea.
The investigation of the priest's murder is complex and entertaining; the subplot involving Willis's girlfriend, not so much. Part of my problem with this subplot is that the girlfriend's actions don't make a lot of sense to me and are not all that believable. Beyond that, this is a novel about the detectives of the 87th precinct who really have no role in the subplot. As a practical matter, the only two members of the squad who get real any face time here are Carella and Hawes, which is a bit unusual for this series.
I enjoyed the book, but it didn't grab me to the extent that most of the others in the series have, so three stars for me.
April 22, 2013
About halfway through this book, I realized I might have read it before. But it worked out alright since I barely remembered any of what happened.
Like recent McBain books I've read recently, there's one good plot and one absolutely stupid plot - usually involving one of the women of the 87th. This one involved Marilyn. By the time she died, I didn't give a hoot about her and was thankful the whole thing was over. (After reading Lullaby, I wondered what Eileen had called Marilyn about.)
I know they can't get to every character each book, but I wanted to know where Kling was this time around. I missed him!
Like recent McBain books I've read recently, there's one good plot and one absolutely stupid plot - usually involving one of the women of the 87th. This one involved Marilyn. By the time she died, I didn't give a hoot about her and was thankful the whole thing was over. (After reading Lullaby, I wondered what Eileen had called Marilyn about.)
I know they can't get to every character each book, but I wanted to know where Kling was this time around. I missed him!
September 17, 2025
I'd have liked this better if McBain hadn't written about satanism with such apparent zest. Members of a satanic cult are suspects in the murder of a Catholic priest -- that made sense -- but this is the kind of book that made me feel like I needed a shower after reading it.
February 17, 2018
It’s an Easter Sunday unlike any other at St. Catherine’s Catholic church in the city. Father Michael has completed his duties for the day, but he is beset with doubts; he is losing his faith, and this was a difficult day indeed. The day is made worse when a black man bursts into an unlocked door at the church, his head bloodied, screaming for help.
Some six weeks later, Father Michael is found murdered, and once again, it’s up to the guys in the 87th precinct to figure out who killed the priest.
This is by far the absolute worst McBain books I’ve read. I’ve always looked forward to snagging books from this series when they came up in my to-read pile, and I went into this one with much anticipation, only to be sickened and even disgusted with parts of this.
This seems to have been written back in the days when the pseudo-journalist Geraldo Rivera was so fascinated with Satan worship. One of the subplots in this book involves a group of Satan worshippers whose “church” is less-than four blocks away from the Catholic church were the priest was murdered.
McBain needlessly goes into great details regarding the Satan worship. These details are gut-wrenching and they so denigrate and ridicule Jesus that I was horrified and even angry. The thing is, he could have told the story wonderfully without all the Satan worship details—details that include using women as “living altars” into whom Satanic priests thrust themselves and other things. The words used as part of the worship service so thoroughly trash and degrade Jesus and his life and work that I was both horrified and saddened. The book would have been perfect without those details. I wonder whether McBain just wanted to get in on the titillating salacious Satan-worship fad that so fascinated so many around the time this was written.
As to the rest of this, the police procedural part is typical McBain excellence. The character development here is typical McBain amazing. Even the Parrish secretary, Chrissie, becomes an unforgettable character based on McBain’s writing. His dialogue doesn’t flag here. You’ll be drawn to those things that make McBain McBain. But the Satan worship subplot pretty much ruined the book for me. I came away wishing I could somehow take a brain shower. I suspect most of you will find it ridiculous that I make such a big deal of such a relatively small part of a book, but this was truly despicable and nasty in places.
Some six weeks later, Father Michael is found murdered, and once again, it’s up to the guys in the 87th precinct to figure out who killed the priest.
This is by far the absolute worst McBain books I’ve read. I’ve always looked forward to snagging books from this series when they came up in my to-read pile, and I went into this one with much anticipation, only to be sickened and even disgusted with parts of this.
This seems to have been written back in the days when the pseudo-journalist Geraldo Rivera was so fascinated with Satan worship. One of the subplots in this book involves a group of Satan worshippers whose “church” is less-than four blocks away from the Catholic church were the priest was murdered.
McBain needlessly goes into great details regarding the Satan worship. These details are gut-wrenching and they so denigrate and ridicule Jesus that I was horrified and even angry. The thing is, he could have told the story wonderfully without all the Satan worship details—details that include using women as “living altars” into whom Satanic priests thrust themselves and other things. The words used as part of the worship service so thoroughly trash and degrade Jesus and his life and work that I was both horrified and saddened. The book would have been perfect without those details. I wonder whether McBain just wanted to get in on the titillating salacious Satan-worship fad that so fascinated so many around the time this was written.
As to the rest of this, the police procedural part is typical McBain excellence. The character development here is typical McBain amazing. Even the Parrish secretary, Chrissie, becomes an unforgettable character based on McBain’s writing. His dialogue doesn’t flag here. You’ll be drawn to those things that make McBain McBain. But the Satan worship subplot pretty much ruined the book for me. I came away wishing I could somehow take a brain shower. I suspect most of you will find it ridiculous that I make such a big deal of such a relatively small part of a book, but this was truly despicable and nasty in places.
January 5, 2014
This 87th Street Precinct novel revolved around the stabbing death of a Catholic priest, which seemed to be either drug related or related to nearby satanic church. However, the depth and multitude of lies has to be unraveled by Steve Carella. The other plot is Detective Willis' girlfriend Marilyn Hollis' former life as a prostitute catching up with her. Too little of the squad in this one -- just a little Cotton Hawes.
July 1, 2025
Early McBain 87th were sharp, crisp and riveting.
These later ones are mostly overlong and boring.
The only real intensity in this book is the over written sexual scenes. Teen girls are very unlikely to get into the details McBain writes as dialogue. Seems McBain was satisfying himself with the pages of overt sexual scenes.
The plots involved are pretty loose and poorly planned out. A continued plot from other books is predictable. Writing overall if the lesser of McBain. A long way to go to find an entry in the 87th Precinct series wanting.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
These later ones are mostly overlong and boring.
The only real intensity in this book is the over written sexual scenes. Teen girls are very unlikely to get into the details McBain writes as dialogue. Seems McBain was satisfying himself with the pages of overt sexual scenes.
The plots involved are pretty loose and poorly planned out. A continued plot from other books is predictable. Writing overall if the lesser of McBain. A long way to go to find an entry in the 87th Precinct series wanting.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 2 out of ten points.
July 30, 2022
A bit different to many of the 87th Precinct books in that the solution to the crime was not one that I saw coming. Lot's of twists and turns and many suspects in the main case and there was also a sub plot dealing with one of the detectives personal lives. (One other than Burt Kling).
A solid entry in the series. Only another dozen books to go!
A solid entry in the series. Only another dozen books to go!
April 26, 2014
Another McBain 87th Precinct goody. A popular priest is murdered, and the reader is carried off on a spree of devil worship, drugs and sex. Subplot about an 87th Precinct detective and his ex-prostitute girl is weak.
Should have saved this one for the beach.
Should have saved this one for the beach.
April 8, 2018
In una città di fantasia degli Stati Uniti un prete viene brutalmente ucciso. Gli agenti dell'87° distretto indagano. Nel frattempo da un altro lato della città spunta fuori un ricatto per un vecchio delitto e da un altro lato dei devoti fedeli celebrano delle messe nere al loro Signore: Satana.
Dall'intreccio di queste tre storie nasce un giallo poliziesco molto avvincente di cui McBain è il maestro che ne intreccia sapientemente i fili interrompendo e riprendendo le tre storie sempre nei momenti più opportuni di modo che l'attenzione e la suspence restano svegli e vigili.
La trama, l'ambientazione della tipica città statunitense coi suoi quartieri rigidamente suddivisi tra neri, ispanici, italiani, e americani delle zone residenziali, l'introspezione psicologica molto ben costruita ti pone davanti ad una storia molto veritiera ed estremamente umana. I poliziotti, per esempio, non sono supereroi ma uomini comuni con le loro forze e debolezze. Non manca la critica che McBain rivolge alla società e al cosidetto sogno americano.
I gialli di McBain hanno ormai qualche anno ma sembrano non risentire per nulla del tempo che passa perché son sempre molto attuali per tematiche e psicologia.
Dall'intreccio di queste tre storie nasce un giallo poliziesco molto avvincente di cui McBain è il maestro che ne intreccia sapientemente i fili interrompendo e riprendendo le tre storie sempre nei momenti più opportuni di modo che l'attenzione e la suspence restano svegli e vigili.
La trama, l'ambientazione della tipica città statunitense coi suoi quartieri rigidamente suddivisi tra neri, ispanici, italiani, e americani delle zone residenziali, l'introspezione psicologica molto ben costruita ti pone davanti ad una storia molto veritiera ed estremamente umana. I poliziotti, per esempio, non sono supereroi ma uomini comuni con le loro forze e debolezze. Non manca la critica che McBain rivolge alla società e al cosidetto sogno americano.
I gialli di McBain hanno ormai qualche anno ma sembrano non risentire per nulla del tempo che passa perché son sempre molto attuali per tematiche e psicologia.
March 15, 2017
finished this one...'bout a week after i started it, on a flight between home and hawaii. had to wait to complete it as i left my kindle in the seatback, flight 300. retrieved the kindle on the return trip. apparently travelers forget all manner of kindles, readers, lap-tops, this, that, the other...in seat-backs or elsewhere on the plane. this after the pilot comes on to welcome them to their destination, or way-station...and to check around their seat. the lost and found has a pile of devices...no way to identify the owner, the device locked perhaps.
this one is an okay story. i didn't get the inclusion of the church of the boneless one...kept reading it as "boneless" though actually it is 'bornless'. been jumping around, too...was doing these 87th precinct stories in lineal fashion. this story is big into crack. crack had made the scene. that...and children doing the adult...while some argue for childish restraint.
don't know what to make of this story. maybe it is the time-change...something. feels like it should be later in the day.
this one is an okay story. i didn't get the inclusion of the church of the boneless one...kept reading it as "boneless" though actually it is 'bornless'. been jumping around, too...was doing these 87th precinct stories in lineal fashion. this story is big into crack. crack had made the scene. that...and children doing the adult...while some argue for childish restraint.
don't know what to make of this story. maybe it is the time-change...something. feels like it should be later in the day.
February 6, 2016
If there's an author that writes dialogue in this genre better than Ed McBain, please let me know! I so enjoy his 87th precinct series and despite this one being somewhat more sexually oriented than others in the series, it was still a great read.
The storyline had plenty of red herrings and I was surprised by the ending, which I admit, disappointed me a bit. But it's the rich dialogue between characters of the precinct that makes these books so much fun. One feels as though he's listening to the exchange rather than reading it. Like watching Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue actors carrying on their lines and forgetting that they're just acting. Fun book.
The storyline had plenty of red herrings and I was surprised by the ending, which I admit, disappointed me a bit. But it's the rich dialogue between characters of the precinct that makes these books so much fun. One feels as though he's listening to the exchange rather than reading it. Like watching Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue actors carrying on their lines and forgetting that they're just acting. Fun book.
July 29, 2017
I know McBain is a modern classic of crime thrillers but I didn't care for this book. All the characters are stereotypical, the women nags or sluts and the descriptions of the Satanic rituals as the opposite of Mass creeped out my Catholic sensitivities. I can now say I've read this author, but I won't be adding other volumes to my TBR list.
February 26, 2018
A violent murder of a Catholic priest is the main storyline of this quite dark story for the 87th Precinct team - well written as usual but longer than necessary because of inclusion of a unlinked second sub-plot involving the partner of Detective Hal Willis as her past catches up with her.
December 28, 2020
Oukej. V minulém díle zabili mimino, tady kněze. McBain přitvrzuje. Motivů může být spousta, včetně satanistické církve, která sídlí o pár bloků dál.
Autor se tady inspiroval Rašomonem, čili jinými pohledy na tu samou situaci. Na zač��tku máme černého kluka pronásledovaného skupinou bílých rasistů, který se schová v kostele. Celkem jasný obraz. Jenže když se detektivové začínají vyptávat, začíná z toho vycházet zcela jiný obrázek. A pak zase. A zase. Všechno je proměnlivé, zůstává jen jediná konstanta - mrtvý kněz.
Do toho ještě zesiluje vedlejší příběhy postav, které často ani nemají s pátráním nic společného. Jasně, jeho detektivové měli vždycky svůj vlastní osobní život, ale důraz na něj v posledních dílech sílí – v minulé knize se potýkala jedna z detektivek se svým znásilněním, tady začíná přítelkyni Hanka Willise dohánět její minulost. Jo a na ulicích se objevuje crack… v podstatě jsou McBainovky dějinami drog v USA.
Další solidní a stále kvalitní příspěvek do série.
Autor se tady inspiroval Rašomonem, čili jinými pohledy na tu samou situaci. Na zač��tku máme černého kluka pronásledovaného skupinou bílých rasistů, který se schová v kostele. Celkem jasný obraz. Jenže když se detektivové začínají vyptávat, začíná z toho vycházet zcela jiný obrázek. A pak zase. A zase. Všechno je proměnlivé, zůstává jen jediná konstanta - mrtvý kněz.
Do toho ještě zesiluje vedlejší příběhy postav, které často ani nemají s pátráním nic společného. Jasně, jeho detektivové měli vždycky svůj vlastní osobní život, ale důraz na něj v posledních dílech sílí – v minulé knize se potýkala jedna z detektivek se svým znásilněním, tady začíná přítelkyni Hanka Willise dohánět její minulost. Jo a na ulicích se objevuje crack… v podstatě jsou McBainovky dějinami drog v USA.
Další solidní a stále kvalitní příspěvek do série.
October 27, 2019
Ed McBain at his most cynical and sleazy. A catholic priest is murdered and among the suspects are the members of a satanic cult, who “celebrate” a few blocks from the priest’s church.
Personally, I think satanic cults are just an excuse for sadists and people with an overactive sexual drive to - sort of - glorify their mean instincts. If you want to f**k everything that breaths you’re a maniac, if you do it during a parody of anti-religious performance, you’re a rebel...
McBain seems to relish so much narrating every little detail of the super-sleazy satanic ”mass”, that I start to believe he also published pornography under yet another pen name, even if he denied it to his death.
Apart from way too much details about the cult, the feeling of the book is defined pessimistic: the secondary plot is about ex-hooker Marilyn, now happily living with detective Willis and her past catching up with her.
The murderer will turn out to be a very unlikely one, just to add to the dismay feeling of the tale.
Personally, I think satanic cults are just an excuse for sadists and people with an overactive sexual drive to - sort of - glorify their mean instincts. If you want to f**k everything that breaths you’re a maniac, if you do it during a parody of anti-religious performance, you’re a rebel...
McBain seems to relish so much narrating every little detail of the super-sleazy satanic ”mass”, that I start to believe he also published pornography under yet another pen name, even if he denied it to his death.
Apart from way too much details about the cult, the feeling of the book is defined pessimistic: the secondary plot is about ex-hooker Marilyn, now happily living with detective Willis and her past catching up with her.
The murderer will turn out to be a very unlikely one, just to add to the dismay feeling of the tale.
June 19, 2021
There were a couple of sequences in this book that I wasn’t so keen on, but overall it’s such an excellent entry in the 87th Precinct series that I had to go all out with a 5 star rating.
The main plot concerns the murder of a Catholic priest and is beautiful handled. The mystery and investigation are great and it allows McBain to reflect on faith in modern America and on Carella’s own lapsed Catholicism. The bits I didn’t like related to black masses at a satanist church, which seemed needlessly provocative.
The second plot, about Marilyn Hollis, is just as gripping. I had some reservations about her back story, which felt a little bit clumsily shoe horned in to ‘Poison’, but the continuation of her tale here is stunningly good. Like the storyline about Eileen Burke that spanned a few of the books leading up to this one, it’s a plot line that really rewards readers who tackle the books in their order.
All in all, a really great cop novel from a writer who I really admire.
The main plot concerns the murder of a Catholic priest and is beautiful handled. The mystery and investigation are great and it allows McBain to reflect on faith in modern America and on Carella’s own lapsed Catholicism. The bits I didn’t like related to black masses at a satanist church, which seemed needlessly provocative.
The second plot, about Marilyn Hollis, is just as gripping. I had some reservations about her back story, which felt a little bit clumsily shoe horned in to ‘Poison’, but the continuation of her tale here is stunningly good. Like the storyline about Eileen Burke that spanned a few of the books leading up to this one, it’s a plot line that really rewards readers who tackle the books in their order.
All in all, a really great cop novel from a writer who I really admire.
July 20, 2017
A nasty tale, confusing Kindle version
The goings-on in Precinct 87 are weirder and meaner than usual, and it wasn't helped by the Kindle version. Each chapter follows various characters around, hopping from on to the other. I have to assume that in the paper version there is some visual indication of the shift - extra spacing, a symbol, something - but there is no such indication in the Kindle version I read. Result: you are reading about person A, and become aware that something odd is going on, to finalize realize you're now reading about person B, and you have to go back and figure out where the shift happened. Confusing. When shift happens....
The goings-on in Precinct 87 are weirder and meaner than usual, and it wasn't helped by the Kindle version. Each chapter follows various characters around, hopping from on to the other. I have to assume that in the paper version there is some visual indication of the shift - extra spacing, a symbol, something - but there is no such indication in the Kindle version I read. Result: you are reading about person A, and become aware that something odd is going on, to finalize realize you're now reading about person B, and you have to go back and figure out where the shift happened. Confusing. When shift happens....
May 28, 2020
Not my favorite 87th Precinct story. This one is about a Catholic priest who has lost his way and is murdered for it. Also, just blocks away a church that worships the devil is operating and there is way too much detail about their dark masses for my taste. Lots of sex and overall disregard for anything else but sex. While Carella investigates the priest's murder, he reminisces about his childhood experiences with the church and realizes the reasons he no attends. The other plot is about Detective Willis who loses Marilyn to two bad hombres that have finally tracked her down. There's a lot of underage sex and violence in this one...a bit too much for me.
July 24, 2017
Based on generally good reviews of the 87th Precinct series I read this book that my wife had picked up, and was terribly disappointed. Through the mid-way mark, it was "ok", but the finish was unsatisfying, and combined with the disjointed "sub-plot" of Marilyn Hollis, and sudden jumps from scene to scene without a transition, I give it a 2 star, or 1 1/2 star at best.
I plan on going back to an earlier book to see if they are any better, but this one is not worth reading.
I plan on going back to an earlier book to see if they are any better, but this one is not worth reading.
September 3, 2021
Back to the 87th Precinct once again. A Catholic Priest is stabbed to death and Carella and Hawes are on the case. Meanwhile, Willis is still living with the former hooker Marilyn whose past is starting to catch up with her. This is a book about the relentless and mundane police legwork that leads to drugs, weapons, satanism and the betrayal of vows. A good straightforward read.
I@ll go with 4 stars for this one.
I@ll go with 4 stars for this one.
October 3, 2010
Quite good at first, then it got somewhat boring: some characters are just useless to the plot and you don't care about them when wondering about the 'culprit'. As for the homicide on which the novel is based, yes you get to know who did it, but it's a sudden revelation and you don't understand how the police got to them after all.
April 18, 2019
Disappointed
One thing good I can say about McBain is that he knows his stuff when writing a police procedural. Then there's this book that says he's equally unequipped to deal with church topics in any depth. Guess it's time to find something else to read for a while.
One thing good I can say about McBain is that he knows his stuff when writing a police procedural. Then there's this book that says he's equally unequipped to deal with church topics in any depth. Guess it's time to find something else to read for a while.
September 22, 2008
This is one of the better McBain's in his 87th precinct series. His cops seem more real than most fictional cops. Good twist ending. Nice God versus Satan side play.
March 5, 2016
Great book -- TERRIBLE bad guys, and some pretty terrible good ones.
August 15, 2016
The Satan Worshipers were over-the-top. Otherwise, this was another of McBain's solid police procedurals, with his usual attention to social issues.
June 22, 2025
I'm reading my way through all 54 of the 87th Precinct Series. I'm a fan of Ed McBain. I love the series, and many of its characters. But ... this is my least favourite of all the novels so far.
It's intentionally nightmarey. But not in a good way. Its darkness is unresolved, to my mind. I think that's because aspects of it are unresolved inside the head of its creator.
Theoretically, it's an interesting idea -- to start with the murder of a Catholic Priest, and then establish a connection between that event and the Black Sabbath meeting just down the road. It seems likely that McBain's own Italian-American origins had ensured familiarity with Catholic church practice, though so far as I know, our author was not a religious man.
But as for the Satanic Church meetings taking place just down the road, McBain seems equally well informed. In fact, does he not describe the Satanic procedures with just a little too much relish?
"Kissing the altar/woman full on her genitals, the priest had recited the timeless words, 'Satan is Lord of the Temple, Lord of the World, he bringeth to me joyous youth, all praise Satan, all hail Satan!' and the celebrants had responded 'All hail Satan!' and the girl acolyte had come to the altar and raised her garments to the priest, revealing herself naked beneath them. The boy acolyte had held a silver container to catch her urine, and the priest had dipped a phallus-shaped aspergill into the container and sprinkled the celebrants with the little girl's urine< If thou hast thirst, then let thee come to the Lord Satan. If thou wouldst partake of the water of life, the Infernal Lord doth offer it. And then had passed among them with the chalice containing the Ecstasy capsules, and they had washed the caps down with thick red wine offered by the deacon and one of the subdeacons, sixty-one people times twenty bucks a pop came to twelve hundred and change. // The girl acolyte stood to the right of the altar now. //She was a darling little blonde girl, all of eight years old, whose mother was tonight serving as the altar. She was dressed entirely in black, as was her father who was sitting among the other stoned celebrants and feeling enormously proud of the separate important roles his wife and daughter were playing in tonight's ritual. The boy acolyte was only seven. He was standing to the left of the altar/woman, staring a bit wide-eyed at the tufted blonde patch above the joining of her legs....."
Okay, maybe it's all relevant, like all the police procedural stuff. But only if he's going to expose the whole thing somehow. It would appear, after all, that somebody is making a significant profit out of Ecstasy sales to an entire congregation. And can it be, in any sense, legal to expose children as young as seven and eight to the full details of ritualised human copulation? Isn't that a form of what we now call 'grooming'?
But none of this turns out to have much relevance to the plot, when all's said and done. And none of the good guys become privy to any Satanic shenanigans. It's only the reader who is invited into the intimate details of the scene. Why? Probably because McBain is having a bit of fun with it. But it wasn't fun that I enjoyed. I was worried about those children.
Also worried about the thirteen-year-0ld who [SPOILER ALERT] is driven to kill a priest after she witnesses him busily fornicating in a back room of the Catholic church. What she sees is disturbing enough to drive her over the edge, obviously. But the two younger children in the Satanic Church down the road aren't even apparently slightly troubled by what they're observing on a regular basis.
Moral compass? Another main plot element is the past catching up with Marilyn Hollis, Willis's true love. In her past life as a multiple rape victim and sex worker, she poisoned her pimp and ran away with his money. If she hadn't, Willis would never have met her living a pure and luxurious life in a penthouse apartment. But he has been facing a quandary ever since she told him the truth. He's a cop and he's living with a murderess. What should he do about it? The answer is: nothing.
Nothing, that is, until her past comes back to haunt her, as McBain always intended it should. And the moral compass says those that kill will ultimately be killed. The writing's on the wall for Marilyn because she sinned. Except, really not. She poisoned a guy who had sold her for sex, and who had deliberately commissioned an illegal termination of her pregnancy AND a hysterectomy thrown in for good measure. Doesn't she deserve to be cut a bit of slack? She's only 26, a year younger than the woman spreading her legs on the altar of the Church of Satan.
No, Marilyn has to die. Because otherwise, her cop-lover, Willis, would be morally compromised. He might even have had to help her planned execution of her two assassins, thus joining her on the wrong side of the law. It would have been a lot more interesting than what does actually happen. But no matter.
This novel went down some dark alleyways and didn't think through their implications. I didn't like it. Not one bit.
It's intentionally nightmarey. But not in a good way. Its darkness is unresolved, to my mind. I think that's because aspects of it are unresolved inside the head of its creator.
Theoretically, it's an interesting idea -- to start with the murder of a Catholic Priest, and then establish a connection between that event and the Black Sabbath meeting just down the road. It seems likely that McBain's own Italian-American origins had ensured familiarity with Catholic church practice, though so far as I know, our author was not a religious man.
But as for the Satanic Church meetings taking place just down the road, McBain seems equally well informed. In fact, does he not describe the Satanic procedures with just a little too much relish?
"Kissing the altar/woman full on her genitals, the priest had recited the timeless words, 'Satan is Lord of the Temple, Lord of the World, he bringeth to me joyous youth, all praise Satan, all hail Satan!' and the celebrants had responded 'All hail Satan!' and the girl acolyte had come to the altar and raised her garments to the priest, revealing herself naked beneath them. The boy acolyte had held a silver container to catch her urine, and the priest had dipped a phallus-shaped aspergill into the container and sprinkled the celebrants with the little girl's urine< If thou hast thirst, then let thee come to the Lord Satan. If thou wouldst partake of the water of life, the Infernal Lord doth offer it. And then had passed among them with the chalice containing the Ecstasy capsules, and they had washed the caps down with thick red wine offered by the deacon and one of the subdeacons, sixty-one people times twenty bucks a pop came to twelve hundred and change. // The girl acolyte stood to the right of the altar now. //She was a darling little blonde girl, all of eight years old, whose mother was tonight serving as the altar. She was dressed entirely in black, as was her father who was sitting among the other stoned celebrants and feeling enormously proud of the separate important roles his wife and daughter were playing in tonight's ritual. The boy acolyte was only seven. He was standing to the left of the altar/woman, staring a bit wide-eyed at the tufted blonde patch above the joining of her legs....."
Okay, maybe it's all relevant, like all the police procedural stuff. But only if he's going to expose the whole thing somehow. It would appear, after all, that somebody is making a significant profit out of Ecstasy sales to an entire congregation. And can it be, in any sense, legal to expose children as young as seven and eight to the full details of ritualised human copulation? Isn't that a form of what we now call 'grooming'?
But none of this turns out to have much relevance to the plot, when all's said and done. And none of the good guys become privy to any Satanic shenanigans. It's only the reader who is invited into the intimate details of the scene. Why? Probably because McBain is having a bit of fun with it. But it wasn't fun that I enjoyed. I was worried about those children.
Also worried about the thirteen-year-0ld who [SPOILER ALERT] is driven to kill a priest after she witnesses him busily fornicating in a back room of the Catholic church. What she sees is disturbing enough to drive her over the edge, obviously. But the two younger children in the Satanic Church down the road aren't even apparently slightly troubled by what they're observing on a regular basis.
Moral compass? Another main plot element is the past catching up with Marilyn Hollis, Willis's true love. In her past life as a multiple rape victim and sex worker, she poisoned her pimp and ran away with his money. If she hadn't, Willis would never have met her living a pure and luxurious life in a penthouse apartment. But he has been facing a quandary ever since she told him the truth. He's a cop and he's living with a murderess. What should he do about it? The answer is: nothing.
Nothing, that is, until her past comes back to haunt her, as McBain always intended it should. And the moral compass says those that kill will ultimately be killed. The writing's on the wall for Marilyn because she sinned. Except, really not. She poisoned a guy who had sold her for sex, and who had deliberately commissioned an illegal termination of her pregnancy AND a hysterectomy thrown in for good measure. Doesn't she deserve to be cut a bit of slack? She's only 26, a year younger than the woman spreading her legs on the altar of the Church of Satan.
No, Marilyn has to die. Because otherwise, her cop-lover, Willis, would be morally compromised. He might even have had to help her planned execution of her two assassins, thus joining her on the wrong side of the law. It would have been a lot more interesting than what does actually happen. But no matter.
This novel went down some dark alleyways and didn't think through their implications. I didn't like it. Not one bit.
April 10, 2023
The finish line is nearer (of the series) but this entry was a harder book to read. More because of the encyclopedic recitation of satanic procedures (surely you expected that) and rituals for shock effect /and filler, boring stereotypical Christian Church behavior and actions, and an underwhelming personal story for our pal, Hal Willis.
The 87th has been a favorite of mine for most of the previous 41 entries, still is to be honest, just felt lackluster with the continuing criminal activities ongoing. We have Carella doing the leg work on the bullying, fighting, drug/crack church angle. Much of it felt like a rehash from earlier stories. Surprisingly, McBain cites and delivers Rashoman descriptions of what "really" happened at the church. Again, we get urban speak-writing from McBain. Not a fan. We get the Italian kids tussling with the Blacks, and way more Eddie Murphy discussion than I expected.
We get Cotton Hawes assisting with handling the murder of the priest case, while falling in love with the priest's secretary. That coupled poorly with the accounting practices of the church and the congregation's reaction. Just wasn't interesting reading. Nice that it was Cotton falling for a dame, and not Bert (who didn't make an appearance) who is the usual suspect. The murder sequence and reveal was another long and drawn out story. McBain showed some writing chops by deftly inserting the murderer in several scenes, right under the reader's nose. And aside from Q&A sequence with grumpy old Art, mad about the tithe-ing sermons, and his drinking /abuse problems at home, only the resolution of the murder had any legalities discussed. This doesn't include the international flavor of the month in Hal's story.
Much like Bert and his first wife, Hal gets the personal torment treatment this time around. The Marilyn Hollis story, while engaging in previous stories, becomes trite and predictable (for the most part), creating a weird "What If?" or "What would you do?" vibe of having to choose your side as a reader. Presumably, most would be on Marilyn's side just because of the methodology of criminals. Guess it depends on how your morals are checked after following the whole story. Just felt bad for Hal, arguably second tier of the 87th, but still part of the detective family. His story had police work crossing the country borders, showing some Spanish flair and language ignorance. Hal's actions and situation weren't enough to elevate the material.
Being #42 in the sequence, just wow that I am still reading these. And looking ahead to Widows. Continues to be an interesting ride.
Recommend the series. This one is up to you.
Thanks for reading.
The 87th has been a favorite of mine for most of the previous 41 entries, still is to be honest, just felt lackluster with the continuing criminal activities ongoing. We have Carella doing the leg work on the bullying, fighting, drug/crack church angle. Much of it felt like a rehash from earlier stories. Surprisingly, McBain cites and delivers Rashoman descriptions of what "really" happened at the church. Again, we get urban speak-writing from McBain. Not a fan. We get the Italian kids tussling with the Blacks, and way more Eddie Murphy discussion than I expected.
We get Cotton Hawes assisting with handling the murder of the priest case, while falling in love with the priest's secretary. That coupled poorly with the accounting practices of the church and the congregation's reaction. Just wasn't interesting reading. Nice that it was Cotton falling for a dame, and not Bert (who didn't make an appearance) who is the usual suspect. The murder sequence and reveal was another long and drawn out story. McBain showed some writing chops by deftly inserting the murderer in several scenes, right under the reader's nose. And aside from Q&A sequence with grumpy old Art, mad about the tithe-ing sermons, and his drinking /abuse problems at home, only the resolution of the murder had any legalities discussed. This doesn't include the international flavor of the month in Hal's story.
Much like Bert and his first wife, Hal gets the personal torment treatment this time around. The Marilyn Hollis story, while engaging in previous stories, becomes trite and predictable (for the most part), creating a weird "What If?" or "What would you do?" vibe of having to choose your side as a reader. Presumably, most would be on Marilyn's side just because of the methodology of criminals. Guess it depends on how your morals are checked after following the whole story. Just felt bad for Hal, arguably second tier of the 87th, but still part of the detective family. His story had police work crossing the country borders, showing some Spanish flair and language ignorance. Hal's actions and situation weren't enough to elevate the material.
Being #42 in the sequence, just wow that I am still reading these. And looking ahead to Widows. Continues to be an interesting ride.
Recommend the series. This one is up to you.
Thanks for reading.
July 8, 2018
Several months ago, my friend and fellow Goodreads reviewer Nolan Crabb definitely got my attention when he gave this entry in the 87th Precinct series a very mixed review. I've been enjoying the books for the most part and was surprised that his review was so negative. The curiosity brought about by that review almost caused me to jump ahead in the series to see what I thought, but I resisted the urge to do that simply because I've really been enjoying the extra benefits which come about from reading the books in order (or close to it anyway.)
Unfortunately, I have to echo Nolan's review.
Detectives Carella and Hawes investigate the death of a parish priest, Father Michael. It looks like a local satanic group is responsible, but things aren't always what they seem. I'll resist the urge to give more details since one reason I kept reading was because of the way in which the story unfolds.
While the overall plot is compelling, I had a definite problem with this novel. McBain spends far too much time detailing the beliefs and actions of the satanic cult. Yes, some of that is necessary in order to tell the story, but the scenes are so graphic and so offensive that I couldn't help thinking that McBain was resorting to the shock value of TV shows such as the one hosted by Jerry Springer. McBain is far too gifted a writer to stoop so low, but stoop he did.
The story is compelling and McBain gives it extra depth by exploring Carella's own religious experiences. If he hadn't included all the prurient details, this would have been an outstanding entry in a terrific series.
Unfortunately, I have to echo Nolan's review.
Detectives Carella and Hawes investigate the death of a parish priest, Father Michael. It looks like a local satanic group is responsible, but things aren't always what they seem. I'll resist the urge to give more details since one reason I kept reading was because of the way in which the story unfolds.
While the overall plot is compelling, I had a definite problem with this novel. McBain spends far too much time detailing the beliefs and actions of the satanic cult. Yes, some of that is necessary in order to tell the story, but the scenes are so graphic and so offensive that I couldn't help thinking that McBain was resorting to the shock value of TV shows such as the one hosted by Jerry Springer. McBain is far too gifted a writer to stoop so low, but stoop he did.
The story is compelling and McBain gives it extra depth by exploring Carella's own religious experiences. If he hadn't included all the prurient details, this would have been an outstanding entry in a terrific series.
August 19, 2018
Nom de code : Baphomet ! A un jet de pierre de l'église Sainte Catherine on adore Satan. Derrière l'autel vivant , une femme nue enserré dans les branches d'une étoile inversée, le signe sacré de Baphomet, le Bouc Noir, indique la direction de l'Enfer...
L'enfer, c'est ce que vit le Père Michaël en ce dimanche de Pâques. Avant de mourir, lardé de coups de couteau dans les jardins du presbytère, il se souvient de ces menaces haineuses proférées dans la cure, puis des coups martelés au portail. Et de ce jeune Noir en mal de crack, courant se réfugier dans l'église, le visage ruisselant de sang...
Un dimanche décidément bien toxique à Isola. Drogue, secte et sexe... Le cocktail est détonant, voire stupéfiant. Steve Carella et ses collègues du 87è District n'ont plus que l'embarras du choix...
Un dimanche décidément bien toxique à Isola. Drogue, secte et sexe... Le cocktail est détonant, voire stupéfiant. Steve Carella et ses collègues du 87è District n'ont plus que l'embarras du choix... Le récit démarre lentement, mais se construit en hommage à Rashômon. Ed McBain maîtrise l'art du suspense.
L'enfer, c'est ce que vit le Père Michaël en ce dimanche de Pâques. Avant de mourir, lardé de coups de couteau dans les jardins du presbytère, il se souvient de ces menaces haineuses proférées dans la cure, puis des coups martelés au portail. Et de ce jeune Noir en mal de crack, courant se réfugier dans l'église, le visage ruisselant de sang...
Un dimanche décidément bien toxique à Isola. Drogue, secte et sexe... Le cocktail est détonant, voire stupéfiant. Steve Carella et ses collègues du 87è District n'ont plus que l'embarras du choix...
Un dimanche décidément bien toxique à Isola. Drogue, secte et sexe... Le cocktail est détonant, voire stupéfiant. Steve Carella et ses collègues du 87è District n'ont plus que l'embarras du choix... Le récit démarre lentement, mais se construit en hommage à Rashômon. Ed McBain maîtrise l'art du suspense.
August 14, 2017
It has been awhile since I've picked up an 87th Precinct book, but I have long considered them to be perfect Summer reads. This one though? Not so much. I think I noticed it while reading the last couple, but McBain's Isola (his version of Manhattan) is darker and bleaker and more depressing than in books past. I guess that is a by-product of them being written in the '80s and '90s when the real New York was feeling the effects of the AIDs and crack epidemics and was not the Disneyfied tourist mecca that it is today. Still, this is a good read for fans of McBain, but not one I would recommend for a first time reader of the series.
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