The back cover invites us to watch "the compelling television series based on Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels each week on NBC". Doing a quick search on IMDB I learned that the series was called "87th Precinct" (very original!) starred Robert Lansing and Ron Harper and ran for all of one season in 1961-62. Clearly the TV audience of the time didn't find the show all that compelling.The headlines screamed:
KILLER SLAYS SECOND COP!First Mike Reardon--his face nearly blasted away. Then young Dave Foster, sprawled on the concrete with a chest full of slugs. Only a maniac could have done it, people said. Only a raging cop hater.With only one meager clue, Detective Steve Carella began his grim search: a search that led him through the city's low life to a notorious brothel, to the apartment of a beautiful and dangerous widow, and finally to a room where the cop hater was waiting--waiting with a .45 automatic loaded and ready to kill again.
Showing posts with label Ed McBain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ed McBain. Show all posts
Friday, July 15, 2016
Cop Hater by Ed McBain (Permabooks, 1962)
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Killer's Wedge by Ed McBain (Permabooks, 1959)
SQUADROOM 87TH PRECINCTFour cops getting through a routine day. Complaints, interrogations, reports--holdups, beatings, rapes, murders.Then in walks a dame in black."Yes?" asks Detective Cotton Hawes.She reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a cold, hard object."This is a .38," she says and points it at the four men. "Give me your guns.""Look, Lady," says Hawes, "put up the piece. The joke's not funny."The dame's eyes narrow to slits. "Shut up, Copper. I've come here to kill. One phony move and I keep shooting until every man in this place is dead."
And the award for All Time Most Awkward Posture goes... to the "dame" on the front cover. Seriously. I think she's supposed to have one of her feet resting on a chair rung, but it looks like she's doing some kind of seated can can dance.
(Incidentally, at no time in this book is she referred to as a "dame". We're spared that cliché at least. Nor do the cops in the book commit any beatings, rapes or murders. It's not that kind of story!)
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