RARA-AVIS: Re: 87th Precinct

From: JIM DOHERTY ( jimdohertyjr@yahoo.com)
Date: 17 Jul 2007


Ed,

Re your question below:

"Does anyone have reading favorites of Ed McBain's 87th precinct series?"

THE HECKLER, the first of the sub-series featuring the master crimina known as "The Deaf Man."

In fact, it's the only one of that sub-series that really works for me. A Moriarty/Fu Manchu figure doesn't really fit into the naturalistic world of he police procedural, but in THE HECKLER McBain brings it off masterfully. For those of you who like caper novels like THE ASPHALT JUNGLE or CLEAN BREAK, THE HECKLER effectively combines the two sub-genres. The
"Deaf Man" sequels, such as FUZZ, LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE DEAF MAN, EIGHT BLACK HORSES, etc., are less successful.

I also like THE PUSHER, the first in the series I ever read, COP HATER, the first in the series period, SEE THEM DIE, a whole novel built around a "barricaded suspect" situation years before SWAT, and KING'S RANSOM, which became the excellent Japanese cop film HIGH AND LOW.

JIM DOHERTY

       
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