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87th Precinct #21
Eighty Million Eyes
Meyer Meyer and Steve Carella, detectives at the 87th Precinct, investigate the mysterious poisoning of Stan Gifford, a popular television comedian
165 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
111 people are currently reading
423 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 97 reviews
April 24, 2014
First published in 1966, this is a solid entry in the 87th Precinct series. It's tighter and more focused than many of the books that preceded it and which, while very entertaining, contain a lot of extended commentaries about the weather, life in the city, and other such things that might charitably be described as "filler," seemingly designed to stretch out the stories.
In this book, two totally disconnected investigations occupy the time of the detectives of the 87th. The larger of the two cases involves a comedian named Stan Gifford who hosts one of the most successful variety shows on network television. Forty million people tune in to watch every week and thus eighty million eyes are focused on Gifford when he suddenly drops dead one night, three-quarters of the way through the show.
It quickly becomes apparent that Gifford was poisoned by a particularly fast-acting drug. The only problem is that there seems to have been no point during the show when anyone would have had a chance to give the victim the capsule in which the poison was contained. It's also difficult to figure out who might have wanted him dead. There's the possibility that Gifford might have committed suicide, but Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer will be conducting a lot of interviews, running a lot of tests, and scratching their heads for quite a while before they figure this one out.
In the parallel case, a stalker is pursuing an attractive young woman and he beats up a police patrolman who comes to her assistance. It's clear that the stalker poses a definite threat and Detective Bert Kling is assigned to track him down and to protect the woman in the interim. The only problem here (or one of several, actually) is that Kling and the victim have a history together, which is going to complicate matters considerably.
The author bounces back and forth between the two cases and, as always, provides a very entertaining evening's diversion for the reader. These books are more than a little dated now, especially given the fact that technology and investigative procedures have evolved so much in the last fifty years, but still, they're a lot of fun.
In this book, two totally disconnected investigations occupy the time of the detectives of the 87th. The larger of the two cases involves a comedian named Stan Gifford who hosts one of the most successful variety shows on network television. Forty million people tune in to watch every week and thus eighty million eyes are focused on Gifford when he suddenly drops dead one night, three-quarters of the way through the show.
It quickly becomes apparent that Gifford was poisoned by a particularly fast-acting drug. The only problem is that there seems to have been no point during the show when anyone would have had a chance to give the victim the capsule in which the poison was contained. It's also difficult to figure out who might have wanted him dead. There's the possibility that Gifford might have committed suicide, but Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer will be conducting a lot of interviews, running a lot of tests, and scratching their heads for quite a while before they figure this one out.
In the parallel case, a stalker is pursuing an attractive young woman and he beats up a police patrolman who comes to her assistance. It's clear that the stalker poses a definite threat and Detective Bert Kling is assigned to track him down and to protect the woman in the interim. The only problem here (or one of several, actually) is that Kling and the victim have a history together, which is going to complicate matters considerably.
The author bounces back and forth between the two cases and, as always, provides a very entertaining evening's diversion for the reader. These books are more than a little dated now, especially given the fact that technology and investigative procedures have evolved so much in the last fifty years, but still, they're a lot of fun.
December 26, 2017
Ed McBain has always been one of those crime fiction writers that I said I'd get around to reading "one of these days." Well, the day finally came, and now I know what everyone's been talking about. Eighty Million Eyes (forty million viewers times two eyes each...) is a lean, mean fighting machine. No fluff. No lengthy descriptive passages. No character contemplating his or her navel. Two major plots. No subplots. This could be the recipe for something excruciatingly boring for a reader like me who likes character-driven plots and strong settings, but it most certainly isn't because Ed McBain was a master of his craft.
Written in 1966, there are no gun-toting CSI folks spraying everything down in luminol or running DNA tests, but you'd be amazed at the amount of evidence that can be found by good, dedicated detectives with sharp eyes-- detectives who have to track down a payphone in order to call the precinct. I do enjoy the science in modern crime fiction, but reading something like this from back in "the Stone Age" can be quite refreshing.
This is around the twentieth book in this series, and although it's the first I've read, I didn't feel as though I'd been dropped on my head in the middle of the story. McBain's lean prose style brought this big city to life, I got to know some first-rate detectives, and I read a couple of scenes where my blood ran cold. This author pulls you right into the story. I want to thank the person who finally nudged me through the door of the 87th Precinct. As Arnie would say, "I'll be back!"
Written in 1966, there are no gun-toting CSI folks spraying everything down in luminol or running DNA tests, but you'd be amazed at the amount of evidence that can be found by good, dedicated detectives with sharp eyes-- detectives who have to track down a payphone in order to call the precinct. I do enjoy the science in modern crime fiction, but reading something like this from back in "the Stone Age" can be quite refreshing.
This is around the twentieth book in this series, and although it's the first I've read, I didn't feel as though I'd been dropped on my head in the middle of the story. McBain's lean prose style brought this big city to life, I got to know some first-rate detectives, and I read a couple of scenes where my blood ran cold. This author pulls you right into the story. I want to thank the person who finally nudged me through the door of the 87th Precinct. As Arnie would say, "I'll be back!"
April 5, 2013
From time to time, I read another entry in the 87th Precinct cop series because it's an old favorite of mine. Sue Grafton's private eyes series is another one as is Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series. This particular McBain title is a keeper, too. Eighty million viewers watch a TV comedian die before the camera, and the homicide detectives swing into action. Suicide is suspected. I like Detective Carella who is married to the deaf Teddy (there is a tender domestic scene near the beginning when Carella is at home watching TV with her) and Detective Kling who has a stubborn streak. In another sub-plot, Kling goes after a violent thug who beats up his "girlfriend" when she doesn't even know who he is. The police procedural stuff included is always interesting even if it's dated by now with DNA analysis. My fantasy would be to read all the 87th Precinct titles in their right order. But that will never happen anytime soon, therefore I just read a title, such as this one, every once in a while.
March 15, 2018
A well known TV comedian drops dead on air and Carella and Meyer Meyer set about investigating. Around the same time a man walks into an office and asks for Cindy only she does not know him and the man assaults a policeman that has been called to help. Bert Kling is on this squeal and finds someone from the past. Both cases march on swiftly, in typical 87th precinct fashion, with painstaking enquiries some subterfuge and late nights until the criminals are caught.
All good stuff and no shoot outs in this one.
All good stuff and no shoot outs in this one.
September 1, 2021
A pretty good outing with the boys, as two cases are solved concurrently. Carella catches the on-air murder of a popular talk show host, and Bert Kling is assigned to protect a young woman who's being harassed.
September 3, 2016
An enjoyable entry in the 87th Precinct series. Steve Carella, Meyer Meyer, and Bert Kling are the featured detectives and have two interesting cases to investigate.
May 13, 2025
★★★ ½
Another enjoyable entry in the 87th Precinct series. I particularly liked that this one carried two major plots. The main thread involving a popular television comedian dying on air was intriguing enough, but it was the subplot featuring Bert Kling that held my attention more. It centres around a stalking case and sees the return of a character from a previous novel, which was a nice touch for long-time readers of the series.
What I appreciated most was how this storyline gave us further insight into Kling’s character. It felt like a natural continuation for him and the novel leaves a small note of potential promise for his future.
As ever, the brevity of these novels works in their favour. McBain keeps his plots tight, the action well-paced, and there’s no room for wasted scenes. It’s lean, effective storytelling, and while not one of the very best in the series, it’s a solid, satisfying read.
Another enjoyable entry in the 87th Precinct series. I particularly liked that this one carried two major plots. The main thread involving a popular television comedian dying on air was intriguing enough, but it was the subplot featuring Bert Kling that held my attention more. It centres around a stalking case and sees the return of a character from a previous novel, which was a nice touch for long-time readers of the series.
What I appreciated most was how this storyline gave us further insight into Kling’s character. It felt like a natural continuation for him and the novel leaves a small note of potential promise for his future.
As ever, the brevity of these novels works in their favour. McBain keeps his plots tight, the action well-paced, and there’s no room for wasted scenes. It’s lean, effective storytelling, and while not one of the very best in the series, it’s a solid, satisfying read.
November 4, 2022
The main mystery is entertaining enough but it's Bert Kling's adjacent case that makes this one magnificent. There's no fluff or filler in this one at all, which is all this reader ever asks for.
December 21, 2018
Book number 21, and I'm coming up on the half way point of this series. When I started this read I thought it would be a monumental task, but it's turning out to be relatively easy. Most of that is due to characterizations of the principal detectives of the 87th Precinct. Not all of them are featured in each book and that seems to keep them fresh and more interesting.
This book goes back to the format of having two cases being investigated at the same time. There is little cross over and different detectives handle each one. The main case involves a TV personality who drops dead during his live show. An estimated forty million viewers nationwide witness his death, hence the title. The secondary case gives a bit more insight into Bert Kling's personal life and has a 'to be continued' feel to it.
Another solid read in the series. Next up I will be reading the 87th Precinct Christmas Special.
This book goes back to the format of having two cases being investigated at the same time. There is little cross over and different detectives handle each one. The main case involves a TV personality who drops dead during his live show. An estimated forty million viewers nationwide witness his death, hence the title. The secondary case gives a bit more insight into Bert Kling's personal life and has a 'to be continued' feel to it.
Another solid read in the series. Next up I will be reading the 87th Precinct Christmas Special.
December 3, 2016
Another solid entry in the 87th Precinct series. There were two story lines going down. The best by a mile for me was the one involving Kling protecting a young woman who was severely beaten. The description of the actual assault itself felt very real and troubling. And while you knew that she and Kling were probably going to get together from the very beginning of the arc, I'm glad he's getting a little good news thrown his way. The other story involved a television star who dies by poisoning while live on the air. For me, it felt somewhat forced. Still entertaining, but forced. But definitely a well written and crisp addition.
June 23, 2024
Cool. Awesome. Weirdly good prose sometimes for a pulp detective novel. Some of the best dialogue(and most realistic) I've ever come across
February 28, 2023
Another enjoyable police procedural by one of the greats. It does feel a little dated, but that's because it was published in 1966 and some things were a little different then. It's interesting, though, how much hasn't changed a bit.
Ed McBain tells of two simultaneous investigations, one about the death on live television of a very popular comic with a viewership of 40 million, hence the title. First the have to figure out if it's a suicide or a murer (guess) and then whodoneit. The other starts out as a real puzzle, with a man coming to an office asking to see a woman employee who sayss she doesn't know him, but he won't leave the office until she is summoned. She comes and doesn't recognize him, he won't leave and gets a little rough. The police are summoned and the man beats the responding office nearly to death. He leaves and officers have no clue of how to find him.
I'm never disappointed with an Ed McBain novel and my guess is that if you like crime fiction you won't be either.
Ed McBain tells of two simultaneous investigations, one about the death on live television of a very popular comic with a viewership of 40 million, hence the title. First the have to figure out if it's a suicide or a murer (guess) and then whodoneit. The other starts out as a real puzzle, with a man coming to an office asking to see a woman employee who sayss she doesn't know him, but he won't leave the office until she is summoned. She comes and doesn't recognize him, he won't leave and gets a little rough. The police are summoned and the man beats the responding office nearly to death. He leaves and officers have no clue of how to find him.
I'm never disappointed with an Ed McBain novel and my guess is that if you like crime fiction you won't be either.
August 9, 2013
I just finished Ed McBain's EIGHTY MILLION EYES, one of his novels set in the 87th Precinct of an unnamed city. I've only read a a few of these books, but after this one, I feel like tracking them ALL down and devouring them.
Eighty Million Eyes features two cases being worked on by the stalwart cops: a TV entertainer who is a lot like Jack Paar keels over and dies on live TV; and a stalking and assault case that puts a young woman and a cop in the hospital.
This book reads like an excellent episode of NYPD Blue or Law & Order -- quick action, world-weary cops and villains worthy of getting taken down. The mysteries are almost pedestrian, but that's not a problem because the 87th Precinct series is about procedure and plain old cop work.
The writing comes flying off the page and even though the pace is brisk, there is enough charcterization for me to care about the people, but not so much that the plot gets bogged down. And then there are gems in the prose, little takeaways that will stick with me like sauce on a BBQ rib:
"There is an intuitive feel to detection; and the closest thing to sudden truth -- outside of fiction -- is the dawning awareness of a cop when he is about to make a fresh discovery."
I liked this book so much that I immediately found someone to pass it on to, and that's high praise from me.
Eighty Million Eyes features two cases being worked on by the stalwart cops: a TV entertainer who is a lot like Jack Paar keels over and dies on live TV; and a stalking and assault case that puts a young woman and a cop in the hospital.
This book reads like an excellent episode of NYPD Blue or Law & Order -- quick action, world-weary cops and villains worthy of getting taken down. The mysteries are almost pedestrian, but that's not a problem because the 87th Precinct series is about procedure and plain old cop work.
The writing comes flying off the page and even though the pace is brisk, there is enough charcterization for me to care about the people, but not so much that the plot gets bogged down. And then there are gems in the prose, little takeaways that will stick with me like sauce on a BBQ rib:
"There is an intuitive feel to detection; and the closest thing to sudden truth -- outside of fiction -- is the dawning awareness of a cop when he is about to make a fresh discovery."
I liked this book so much that I immediately found someone to pass it on to, and that's high praise from me.
October 2, 2012
One of the better 87th Street Precinct books: a comedian drops dead during his weekly variety show and Steve Carella has to track down his killer, who uses a very clever method to cloak his/her involvement. Naturally, there are many suspects from the cast, crew, and advertisers. The other plot involves a psycho who shows up and the workplace of a character from an earlier book and claims a relationship with her. Bert Kling, who she dislikes from her prior dealings, is assigned to protect her and, in fact, pretends to be her new beau to help capture the maniac.
July 7, 2008
How does one commit murder in front of 80 million eyes, yet no one see the murderer. This is a question for the men of the 87th Precinct. McBain has an interesting group of characters whose stories move forward a little bit with each installment of his 87th Precinct novels. It is a gritty police station, kind of like Barney Miller without the humor. McBain brings quick dialog and human emotions to the police procedural genre.
December 10, 2009
This is just one of many many Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. I think I read most of them and loved almost every single one. The late McBain (aka Evan Hunter) sure had a way with mysteries and writing in general! Not only was he able to come up with an original story every time, but his style and sense of humor are inimitable!
December 5, 2017
The guys of the 87th work hard, as usual, to unravel the mystery of a TV performer dying while on stage. We've all read stories where a doctor is involved in diagnosing poison but they have to prove HOW it was done before they can convict him. An interesting and different solution to this one.
November 4, 2017
As I've been working my way through this terrific series, I've been thinking a lot about why I don't seem to tire of it. One reason is the element of surprise. None of the solutions are predictable ... and often, the beginnings aren't either. That is definitely true of the two cases which comprise this book.
The first case deals with a man who enters an office and won't tell the receptionist exactly what he wants. After a while, he mentions the name of a woman who works there. It becomes apparent that he is stalking the woman and, when a cop is summoned to deal with the situation, the stalker attacks the cop. Detective Burt cling is assigned to investigate. The only complication is that he has a bit of a history with the victim and, because of that, she hates him.
The other story is of comedian Stan Gifford who hosts a top rated TV show. Forty million viewers tune in each week; so eighty million eyes are watching when, shortly after Gifford takes the stage for his weekly monolog, he suddenly collapses and dies. The detectives learn that his death was caused by a particularly fast acting poison, but they can't figure out when it could possibly have been administered given all the activity on the set.
If you are looking for an 87th Precinct book whose primary focus is on the cases themselves rather than the cops who populate the books, this is the entry for you. The story is original and I could not put it down.
The first case deals with a man who enters an office and won't tell the receptionist exactly what he wants. After a while, he mentions the name of a woman who works there. It becomes apparent that he is stalking the woman and, when a cop is summoned to deal with the situation, the stalker attacks the cop. Detective Burt cling is assigned to investigate. The only complication is that he has a bit of a history with the victim and, because of that, she hates him.
The other story is of comedian Stan Gifford who hosts a top rated TV show. Forty million viewers tune in each week; so eighty million eyes are watching when, shortly after Gifford takes the stage for his weekly monolog, he suddenly collapses and dies. The detectives learn that his death was caused by a particularly fast acting poison, but they can't figure out when it could possibly have been administered given all the activity on the set.
If you are looking for an 87th Precinct book whose primary focus is on the cases themselves rather than the cops who populate the books, this is the entry for you. The story is original and I could not put it down.
April 9, 2020
This book was written in 1966 at a time where T.V. shows and comedians were the hit. It reminded me of one of those shows. Here you have the host dying while on-air live-in front of the whole audience back when it was live T.V. Carella is called in and at the beginning of the book you also get a look at his wife Teddy and their relationship. Carella and Meyer Meyer begin their investigation and they don’t believe that it was suicide.
The second investigation deals with Kling and his fight he got into and his issues that are still lingering over from the previous book. The author does a good job separating the two and giving you the reader a good look at what is going on with solving each case. A good book with two really good storylines.
The second investigation deals with Kling and his fight he got into and his issues that are still lingering over from the previous book. The author does a good job separating the two and giving you the reader a good look at what is going on with solving each case. A good book with two really good storylines.
June 11, 2019
The 21st novel has Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer trying to solve a murder of a variety show emcee who dies in front of 80 million television eyes. The subplot involves the unlucky in love Bert Kling protecting a fetching blonde from a sociopath wanna be boyfriend. Carella is resourceful, Meyer is funny and Kling is becoming a better detective in each novel. I wouldn't call this a classic episode in the series, but it's fast and entertaining.
This was written in the mid 1960s so the lurid details of police work is somewhat jarring compared to the contemporary production standards of films and television. Therefore, you could film these 50 books as 50 episodes of a television series today and it could feel like a period piece and current all at once.
This was written in the mid 1960s so the lurid details of police work is somewhat jarring compared to the contemporary production standards of films and television. Therefore, you could film these 50 books as 50 episodes of a television series today and it could feel like a period piece and current all at once.
October 30, 2015
I'll Be Back
This is the first novel I've ever read by Ed McBain, the pen name of author and screenwriter Evan Hunter. There are over 50 novels in the 87th Precinct Series and if this book is any indication of the quality of the others then I will be returning to this fictitious but realistic world. Detectives Carella and Kling are characters that I really enjoyed and even though this book was written in 1966 it has a fast paced, modern feel. I like the era of the 60's that this book is set in and while I'm not a huge fan of crime stories this one kept my attention. It's a quick read that I was able to finish in just a few hours. Give it a try.
This is the first novel I've ever read by Ed McBain, the pen name of author and screenwriter Evan Hunter. There are over 50 novels in the 87th Precinct Series and if this book is any indication of the quality of the others then I will be returning to this fictitious but realistic world. Detectives Carella and Kling are characters that I really enjoyed and even though this book was written in 1966 it has a fast paced, modern feel. I like the era of the 60's that this book is set in and while I'm not a huge fan of crime stories this one kept my attention. It's a quick read that I was able to finish in just a few hours. Give it a try.
February 22, 2018
A thrilling 2-for-1 crime novel, centering on the death of a TV variety show host on the air and the stalking and beating of a young woman by an unknown assailant. The detectives of the 87th Precinct have a lot of work to do and manage to sift through hundreds of suspects and seemingly odd combinations of forensic evidence to find the culprits. The description of the techniques used to analyze the forensic evidence is very detailed and provides the reader a mini-crash course in forensics. Once you start reading, you won't want to stop.
May 24, 2019
As I read this series in publication order, most of the plot lines have been fairly simple. By that, I don't mean that they are easy to guess the outcome, but that there is a manageable number of suspects to keep track of throughout the book. With Eighty Million Eyes, McBain raised the bar (a bit) by introducing a far greater number of folks who had motives for wanting the poor victim dead. This made for a much more enjoyable read. I look forward to similar complications in the volumes to come.
February 3, 2020
I'm loving the good old fashioned nuts and bolts of this generation of crime writers. The last few years of reading the contemporary bunch has left me a tad cold and empty... a lot of slick writing with not a lot to say. Evan Hunter (Ed McBain) sums up all I love from this period, when plot was everything and struggling to impress as a 'writer' was not the priority ! Maybe I've finely become an old fuddyduddy >> bring it on !!
April 19, 2020
This one mixes 2 stories, both focusing, like McBain often does, on warped kinds of love, and what people do in its name. It's a decent entry, the recovery arc of a major character continues and there's the usual interesting minor characters being interviewed where McBain's dialogue sparkles.
The opening scenes for both stories are memorable ones, too, one of the few sequences I've remembered from when I read the books 20+ years ago out of any of the books so far.
The opening scenes for both stories are memorable ones, too, one of the few sequences I've remembered from when I read the books 20+ years ago out of any of the books so far.
May 21, 2017
87th precinct criminal cases come alive in this and all of Ed McBains work
This was a great read by a writer who uses imagery to great advantage. Norman Mailer once said that writers must illumine each line with the greatest intensity of urgency. Mr !McBain is the master of this recommendation making his story's and characters cone alive, especially in this work.
This was a great read by a writer who uses imagery to great advantage. Norman Mailer once said that writers must illumine each line with the greatest intensity of urgency. Mr !McBain is the master of this recommendation making his story's and characters cone alive, especially in this work.
December 9, 2017
another from mcbain, just finished, 7:15 pee em the 8th of december 2017, friday. three stars, i liked it, kindle...not a loaner. and the 173rd title i've read this year. not yet a record...that was in 2012 though the stats have disappeared as they had appeared though they're still available somewhat, right?
ummm. anyway, good read. have another mcbain queued up.
ummm. anyway, good read. have another mcbain queued up.
November 9, 2017
A solid McBain. Television actor dies on live television - a how & who done it. Published in 1966, a time when you could smoke everywhere, including hospitals. Also learned the word, "telop," a device used to broadcast images directly without the use of a camera.
December 27, 2017
Really fun 87th mystery with the Carella and Meyer investigating the on screen death of a TV star and a decent side story involving Kling and a character from an earlier book. The denouement isn’t brilliant, but the ride is a lot of fun.
October 19, 2018
My first McBain novel, and what a pleasant surprise! It's engaging, funny, fast, nicely written, and very suspenseful - one chapter in particular was almost unbearably suspenseful. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews