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Lieutenant Luis Mendoza #27
Streets of Death
CREASE ON BOTTOM EDGE OF COVER. INITIAL ON FRONT COVER. DISCOLORATION INSIDE COVERS.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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28 people want to read
About the author
Dell Shannon
154 books23 followersPseudonym of Elizabeth Linington.
Barbara "Elizabeth" Linington (March 11, 1921 – April 5, 1988) was an American novelist. She was awarded runner-up scrolls for best first mystery novel from the Mystery Writers of America for her 1960 novel, Case Pending, which introduced her most popular series character, LAPD Homicide Lieutenant Luis Mendoza. Her 1961 book, Nightmare, and her 1962 novel, Knave of Hearts, another entry in the Mendoza series, were both nominated for Edgars in the Best Novel category. Regarded as the "Queen of the Procedurals," she was one of the first women to write police procedurals — a male-dominated genre of police-story writing.
Besides crime, Linington also took interest in archaeology, the occult, gemstones, antique weapons and languages. Linington was also a conservative political activist who was an active member of the John Birch Society
Barbara "Elizabeth" Linington (March 11, 1921 – April 5, 1988) was an American novelist. She was awarded runner-up scrolls for best first mystery novel from the Mystery Writers of America for her 1960 novel, Case Pending, which introduced her most popular series character, LAPD Homicide Lieutenant Luis Mendoza. Her 1961 book, Nightmare, and her 1962 novel, Knave of Hearts, another entry in the Mendoza series, were both nominated for Edgars in the Best Novel category. Regarded as the "Queen of the Procedurals," she was one of the first women to write police procedurals — a male-dominated genre of police-story writing.
Besides crime, Linington also took interest in archaeology, the occult, gemstones, antique weapons and languages. Linington was also a conservative political activist who was an active member of the John Birch Society
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 22, 2023
I think I read this series might predate the 87 precinct series. It has much of the same setting, but it's very different in that it does have a main protagonist. Lt Mendoza is somewhat henpecked.
A wheelchair bound person disappears, but the wheelchair is still in the room. It's a locked room mystery.
It's okay. The series lasted a while, but isn't seen as a classic.
A wheelchair bound person disappears, but the wheelchair is still in the room. It's a locked room mystery.
It's okay. The series lasted a while, but isn't seen as a classic.
May 20, 2023
I always enjoyed this one, because it focuses on Nick Galeano. In fact, any first reader, having a copy of the book which does not include a detailed blurb, would quickly conclude that Nick is either going to get himself killed, or fall in love. (It's the latter, fortunately.)
Having decided near the end of DEUCES WILD that they should endeavor to have another child, Alison has quickly done so. They are now into January, and she is about three months along. After breezily coming through her pregnancy with the twins, Alison is horrified to find herself subject to morning sickness with this one.
Mendoza is spending a lot of time enjoying a nifty gadget Alison gave him for Christmas--and terrifying anyone else in the vicinity. It's a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun--a full-sized gun--which belches forth flame when one presses the trigger. (It seems rather funny that Mendoza, who detests carrying his own real gun, finds this fake so much fun.) He is still feeling rather touchy about having come back to Mother Church, so everyone carefully avoids referring to the subject. However, having come back to the church, he is now exceptionally infuriated at the latest in a series of brutal attacks against the elderly. A trio of "pretty boys" has been ambushing people at random, the common denominator being that they are all too old to fight back. Clearly the attacks are being made for the fun of it, because none of the victims had much money. Their latest victim was a priest, with nothing taken but a distinctive, crucifix from Ireland that's several hundred years old.
Carey, who has always been known for bringing Mendoza interesting cases, has another for him: the disappearance of Edwin Fleming. Fleming was confined to a wheelchair, and lived in an upstairs apartment. This was long before handicapped access was generally thought about; the apartment building doesn't even have an elevator, so getting him out of the building would be a monumental undertaking. He certainly could not do so by himself. And yet, he's gone. His wife, Marta, a German who had married him essentially to have some security, is certain that he has managed to kill himself, which he had spoken often of doing. Everyone else is convinced that she has either killed him or arranged for him to be killed, in order to escape the trap her marriage has become. Everyone but Nick, who is instantly smitten. One thing that gradually occurs to him as the investigation continues--if she wanted out of the marriage, why wasn't his body placed where it could be found? As it is, everything is stuck in limbo.
Among other cases is a man trying to report a murder before it occurs. Hackett is exasperated with him; he seems to expect them to believe that his neighbor has been discussing the murder of his own mother in within easy earshot. Eventually, the witness is forced to admit just HOW he knows what's going on behind closed doors....
A really strange one: a number of mature women attacked and raped by a young, very polite young boy. They only get onto this one because the boy made the mistake of attacking a woman who had lived for 40 years "with a man got mean in drink; many's the time I wiped the floor with him...." This is one where you wonder at the intelligence of the District Attorney's office; they want to save a little time and energy by simply having the boy put away as "incorrigible". Mendoza points out angrily that this will mean the boy will be released at 18 with no record whatsoever, and he clearly is, and will continue to be, extremely dangerous.
There's the sad tale of two runaways, coming to L.A. for fame and fortune and getting picked up by someone named Steve Smith who offers to help them out. It's not mentioned, but it's quite likely he meant to turn them into prostitutes. One girl, disliking the whole business, manages to get away and calls home for help, the other suffers the consequences of her foolishness. This one seemed odd to me, because the survivor, on being questioned, picked out three faces from the mugshots. One of those three men was, in fact, named Steve Smith, yet the detectives considered him as being the least likely of the three.
More cases turn up, including an amusing interlude involving a boa constrictor. ("Join the force and see life....")
On the personal side, Alison has decided that the house on Rayo Grande is too small for their growing family. This seems peculiar, because when she was designing the house she was planning in her own mind to have four children, so why didn't the house have enough rooms? The Pallisers are having problems with a very large, affectionate, and misbehaving German Shepherd. Palliser picks up a book on obedience training; hopefully the fact that Trina started chewing on it isn't a bad omen....
It has been somewhat over a year since the change to Robbery-Homicide. Wanda, who was so delighted to be secretary to the boys, is now taking time to qualify at the shooting range, because "I'm supposed to be a police officer, not just your secretary, boys." Later, she will request getting out to get some street experience.
The case of the "pretty boys" gets resolved in a very satisfactory manner even though the police have little to do with it.
The locked-room mystery gets solved eventually, the answer having been accidently mislaid, as it were. Our nice, soft-spoken Nick manages to break through Marta's prickly defences, and finds that she has a warm chuckle that does funny things to his insides. I love happy endings.
Having decided near the end of DEUCES WILD that they should endeavor to have another child, Alison has quickly done so. They are now into January, and she is about three months along. After breezily coming through her pregnancy with the twins, Alison is horrified to find herself subject to morning sickness with this one.
Mendoza is spending a lot of time enjoying a nifty gadget Alison gave him for Christmas--and terrifying anyone else in the vicinity. It's a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun--a full-sized gun--which belches forth flame when one presses the trigger. (It seems rather funny that Mendoza, who detests carrying his own real gun, finds this fake so much fun.) He is still feeling rather touchy about having come back to Mother Church, so everyone carefully avoids referring to the subject. However, having come back to the church, he is now exceptionally infuriated at the latest in a series of brutal attacks against the elderly. A trio of "pretty boys" has been ambushing people at random, the common denominator being that they are all too old to fight back. Clearly the attacks are being made for the fun of it, because none of the victims had much money. Their latest victim was a priest, with nothing taken but a distinctive, crucifix from Ireland that's several hundred years old.
Carey, who has always been known for bringing Mendoza interesting cases, has another for him: the disappearance of Edwin Fleming. Fleming was confined to a wheelchair, and lived in an upstairs apartment. This was long before handicapped access was generally thought about; the apartment building doesn't even have an elevator, so getting him out of the building would be a monumental undertaking. He certainly could not do so by himself. And yet, he's gone. His wife, Marta, a German who had married him essentially to have some security, is certain that he has managed to kill himself, which he had spoken often of doing. Everyone else is convinced that she has either killed him or arranged for him to be killed, in order to escape the trap her marriage has become. Everyone but Nick, who is instantly smitten. One thing that gradually occurs to him as the investigation continues--if she wanted out of the marriage, why wasn't his body placed where it could be found? As it is, everything is stuck in limbo.
Among other cases is a man trying to report a murder before it occurs. Hackett is exasperated with him; he seems to expect them to believe that his neighbor has been discussing the murder of his own mother in within easy earshot. Eventually, the witness is forced to admit just HOW he knows what's going on behind closed doors....
A really strange one: a number of mature women attacked and raped by a young, very polite young boy. They only get onto this one because the boy made the mistake of attacking a woman who had lived for 40 years "with a man got mean in drink; many's the time I wiped the floor with him...." This is one where you wonder at the intelligence of the District Attorney's office; they want to save a little time and energy by simply having the boy put away as "incorrigible". Mendoza points out angrily that this will mean the boy will be released at 18 with no record whatsoever, and he clearly is, and will continue to be, extremely dangerous.
There's the sad tale of two runaways, coming to L.A. for fame and fortune and getting picked up by someone named Steve Smith who offers to help them out. It's not mentioned, but it's quite likely he meant to turn them into prostitutes. One girl, disliking the whole business, manages to get away and calls home for help, the other suffers the consequences of her foolishness. This one seemed odd to me, because the survivor, on being questioned, picked out three faces from the mugshots. One of those three men was, in fact, named Steve Smith, yet the detectives considered him as being the least likely of the three.
More cases turn up, including an amusing interlude involving a boa constrictor. ("Join the force and see life....")
On the personal side, Alison has decided that the house on Rayo Grande is too small for their growing family. This seems peculiar, because when she was designing the house she was planning in her own mind to have four children, so why didn't the house have enough rooms? The Pallisers are having problems with a very large, affectionate, and misbehaving German Shepherd. Palliser picks up a book on obedience training; hopefully the fact that Trina started chewing on it isn't a bad omen....
It has been somewhat over a year since the change to Robbery-Homicide. Wanda, who was so delighted to be secretary to the boys, is now taking time to qualify at the shooting range, because "I'm supposed to be a police officer, not just your secretary, boys." Later, she will request getting out to get some street experience.
The case of the "pretty boys" gets resolved in a very satisfactory manner even though the police have little to do with it.
The locked-room mystery gets solved eventually, the answer having been accidently mislaid, as it were. Our nice, soft-spoken Nick manages to break through Marta's prickly defences, and finds that she has a warm chuckle that does funny things to his insides. I love happy endings.
June 30, 2008
And enjoyable read. Good characterizations, and the introduction of Marta into Nick Galeano's life.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews