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Lt. Hastings #4
Hiding Place
How well do parents know their children? Mrs. Towers thought her daughter June was a good girl. Why, then, did the pretty teen turn up dead atop a rubbish heap in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park? Had she gone there to rendezvous with her killer? Had she always done what mother said?
Lt. Frank Hastings has some answers and some obvious suspects, but not all of either. He keeps digging, and it's a good thing. There's more to this than a wayward girl, as a second murder confirms. It's up to Hastings to stop a third.
"Involves you like (Dashiell) Hammett does." (Ross MacDonald)
- GenresMystery
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1973
2 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Collin Wilcox
57 books3 followersAka Carter Wick
Collin Wilcox was an American mystery writer.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".
Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).
Collin Wilcox was an American mystery writer.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, his first book was The Black Door (1967), featuring a sleuth possessing extrasensory perception. His major series of novels was about Lieutenant Frank Hastings of the San Francisco Police Department. Titles in the Hastings series included Hire a Hangman, Dead Aim, Hiding Place, Long Way Down and Stalking Horse. Two of his last books, Full Circle and Find Her a Grave, featured a new hero-sleuth, Alan Bernhardt, an eccentric theater director. Wilcox also published under the pseudonym "Carter Wick".
Wilcox's most famous series-detective was the television character Sam McCloud, a New Mexico deputy solving New York crime. The "urban cowboy" was played by Dennis Weaver in the 1970-1977 TV series McCloud. Wilcox wrote three novelizations based on scripts from the series: McCloud (1973), The New Mexican Connection (1974), and The Park Avenue Executioner (1975).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 7, 2020
Really fast read.
A young woman is found beaten to death and the police investigation tracks down who was in the area at the time. They delve into the girls family, friends and neighbors.
This case involves mental illness, both diagnosed and not. It also touches on blackmail and the testimony of children.
I borrowed a copy from the public library, but have purchased the books in this series that are not available from the library.
These books are dated but very readable.
A young woman is found beaten to death and the police investigation tracks down who was in the area at the time. They delve into the girls family, friends and neighbors.
This case involves mental illness, both diagnosed and not. It also touches on blackmail and the testimony of children.
I borrowed a copy from the public library, but have purchased the books in this series that are not available from the library.
These books are dated but very readable.
July 18, 2018
The plot is OK, but you can't help feeling that the detective just follows the procedure, and reacts, appropriately to the events. Also, the reader is left with no clue allowing him to guess what's going on.
Very well delineated characters, though.
Very well delineated characters, though.
January 3, 2019
Good detective mystery - set in the late 60's or early 70's in San Francisco. Fun to read a story line that talks about calling on pay phones and old forensic methods.
October 2, 2007
HIDING PLACE (Pol. Proc-Lt. Frank Hastings-San Francisco-Cont) – VG
Wilcox, Collin – 4th book in series
Random House, 1973, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0394482344
First Sentence: I unlocked my top right-hand desk drawer and grunted as I drew my revolver.
*** The body of a girl is found in Golden Gate Park. As Lt. Frank Hastings and his team investigate, their impression is the girl was different personas to different people. With a second murder, the pressure is on to find the killer.
*** Wilcox wrote great police procedurals. Although there is good character development, the book is principally dialogue-driven, which I loved. And, even though Hastings is the protagonist and voice of the story, the supporting officers play a significant role. There are a lot of suspects, all of whom live within a few blocks of the victim, with various motives. The story is not only about the crime, but about families and the closing scene is one of the most powerful I’ve read. Mr. Wilcox is no longer with us, but he books are well worth seeking out.
Wilcox, Collin – 4th book in series
Random House, 1973, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0394482344
First Sentence: I unlocked my top right-hand desk drawer and grunted as I drew my revolver.
*** The body of a girl is found in Golden Gate Park. As Lt. Frank Hastings and his team investigate, their impression is the girl was different personas to different people. With a second murder, the pressure is on to find the killer.
*** Wilcox wrote great police procedurals. Although there is good character development, the book is principally dialogue-driven, which I loved. And, even though Hastings is the protagonist and voice of the story, the supporting officers play a significant role. There are a lot of suspects, all of whom live within a few blocks of the victim, with various motives. The story is not only about the crime, but about families and the closing scene is one of the most powerful I’ve read. Mr. Wilcox is no longer with us, but he books are well worth seeking out.
September 18, 2008
Tedious. Poor man's 87th Precinct.
If interested, here is a link to my longer review of the Finnish edition of Hiding Place: http://koti.mbnet.fi/cocacola/pokkari...
There is also a second edition: http://www.kolumbus.fi/timo.palonen/k...
And a third one: http://koti.mbnet.fi/cocacola/pokkari...
Timo
If interested, here is a link to my longer review of the Finnish edition of Hiding Place: http://koti.mbnet.fi/cocacola/pokkari...
There is also a second edition: http://www.kolumbus.fi/timo.palonen/k...
And a third one: http://koti.mbnet.fi/cocacola/pokkari...
Timo
August 24, 2014
police procedural...set in San Francisco..long time ago since a house just south of GG park is $45,000....must be early 70s or even late 60s
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews