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Twice outfoxed by a brilliant maniac, the men of the 87th attempt to uncover the master criminal known as the Deaf Man who shot the commissioner dead on the steps of Philharmonic Hall. Reprint.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
140 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
711 books661 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 130 reviews
May 30, 2014
In Fuzz, a master criminal nicknamed the Deaf Man returns to bedevil the detectives of the 87th Precinct. As is often the case in this series, the weather plays an important part in the book. It's the middle of winter; the snow is deep, and the temperatures are freezing. It's not fit weather for man or beast, but the criminals are not taking the winter off and so neither can the police.
In one particularly aggravating series of crimes, someone is pouring gasoline on sleeping homeless men and then setting them on fire. Detective Steve Carella goes under cover in order to catch the killers, but this means he's going to spend a lot of time freezing in alleys and doorways, playing bait for the attackers. It won't be any fun at all, and it's going to be a particularly frustrating assignment.
While Carella is thus occupied, someone calls the 87th Precinct and demands that he be paid $5,000 or he will shoot the Parks Commissioner. Almost everyone, including the Parks Commissioner, assumes the call is a prank. Sadly it isn't, and after the Parks Commissioner is shot and killed, the caller, who turns out to be the old nemesis of the 87th, the Deaf Man, steps up his game and puts the city in a panic.
All in all, this is a very entertaining read that should appeal to the legions of fans who follow this series.
In one particularly aggravating series of crimes, someone is pouring gasoline on sleeping homeless men and then setting them on fire. Detective Steve Carella goes under cover in order to catch the killers, but this means he's going to spend a lot of time freezing in alleys and doorways, playing bait for the attackers. It won't be any fun at all, and it's going to be a particularly frustrating assignment.
While Carella is thus occupied, someone calls the 87th Precinct and demands that he be paid $5,000 or he will shoot the Parks Commissioner. Almost everyone, including the Parks Commissioner, assumes the call is a prank. Sadly it isn't, and after the Parks Commissioner is shot and killed, the caller, who turns out to be the old nemesis of the 87th, the Deaf Man, steps up his game and puts the city in a panic.
All in all, this is a very entertaining read that should appeal to the legions of fans who follow this series.
February 16, 2022
"Parks Commissioner Cowper will be shot to death tomorrow night unless I receive five thousand dollars before noon," a man's voice said. "More later."
And, with that, the 87th precinct is launched into an investigation that will have them tangling once more with an old nemesis.
There's a lot going on in this volume - plenty of minor cases, and involving subplots. McBain even finds a new way to torture poor Steve Carella, who's been shot, and had the crap beaten out of him more times than I can recall.
In all, it's a fun and memorable entry in the series.
And, with that, the 87th precinct is launched into an investigation that will have them tangling once more with an old nemesis.
There's a lot going on in this volume - plenty of minor cases, and involving subplots. McBain even finds a new way to torture poor Steve Carella, who's been shot, and had the crap beaten out of him more times than I can recall.
In all, it's a fun and memorable entry in the series.
July 15, 2021
It was good to return to the 87th Precinct and the cops who work there. I haven't read an Ed McBain police novel in a good while. I like to return to the old series I've enjoyed reading over the years. Fuzz is a solid entry in the series. There's much to admire. I like how McBain uses the cold weather in his narrative. In every scene, the wintry temperatures are found. Reading it in July is a good way to stay cool. The different subplots are tied together at the end with neat precision. The humor is dry and sarcastic as you'd expect in a police station. The painters hired to put a fresh coat on the walls are a riot. I hope I can return again to the 87th Precinct in the near future.
March 23, 2018
For me this is not one of the best 87th Precinct novels but it does involve a great many of the squad roster. The deaf man appears again and is threatening the Mayor and his team. Why is Carella in hospital and what is going down at the tailor's shop and Bert Kling is in love. All the usual ingredients but somehow there were too many plot lines that arrived together with haste.
October 5, 2017
Nobody writes police procedurals quite like Ed McBain, and his ear for dialogue separates him from oh so many authors. This installment of the 87th precinct brings back the squad's nemesis, the deaf man-- a criminal mastermind who seems to relish outwitting cops while operating his well planned schemes.
But even the best laid plans... Well you'll have to read he book.
It does have a few shortcomings; the ending seems abrupt and there is a lack of satisfaction in how several of the criminals are foiled-- at least for this fan. But nevertheless, it's still a solid episode in a consistently entertaining series. And I'm guessing we've not seen the last of the deaf man! At least, I hope not.
But even the best laid plans... Well you'll have to read he book.
It does have a few shortcomings; the ending seems abrupt and there is a lack of satisfaction in how several of the criminals are foiled-- at least for this fan. But nevertheless, it's still a solid episode in a consistently entertaining series. And I'm guessing we've not seen the last of the deaf man! At least, I hope not.
May 14, 2025
★★★½
"Fuzz" is a lively, if occasionally uneven, entry in the 87th Precinct series. It’s longer than many of the earlier books and absolutely packed with characters and storylines, making it one of the busier novels so far. While at times fast-paced, it did lull in places, with certain sections dragging under the weight of so many intersecting plots.
One thing I really appreciated was the chance to see more of the wider precinct cast involved in the action. In a long-running series like this, it’s always a pleasure when familiar faces from earlier books resurface. The return of the Deaf Man adds a nice touch of continuity, though I did find this particular storyline edging towards the cartoonish, lacking some of the sharper, grounded quality that worked better in other installments.
The cold, unforgiving backdrop is well handled and the book makes good use of the newly introduced Miranda Rights to show how police work is starting to shift. Those moments, rooted in their time, give the series overall extra weight and interest.
I did feel though that character moments were sacrificed a little in favour of plot. Carella finds himself in danger yet again, and once more we don't get to see how Teddy copes. The series has, in the past, offered some lovely, quiet glimpses into the detectives’ personal lives, and it’s a shame to see those opportunities passed up here.
Overall, Fuzz is an engaging read with plenty going on. It might have benefitted from a tighter focus, and some of the character work feels a bit thin in places, but it still offers enough to keep a fan of the series turning the pages.
"Fuzz" is a lively, if occasionally uneven, entry in the 87th Precinct series. It’s longer than many of the earlier books and absolutely packed with characters and storylines, making it one of the busier novels so far. While at times fast-paced, it did lull in places, with certain sections dragging under the weight of so many intersecting plots.
One thing I really appreciated was the chance to see more of the wider precinct cast involved in the action. In a long-running series like this, it’s always a pleasure when familiar faces from earlier books resurface. The return of the Deaf Man adds a nice touch of continuity, though I did find this particular storyline edging towards the cartoonish, lacking some of the sharper, grounded quality that worked better in other installments.
The cold, unforgiving backdrop is well handled and the book makes good use of the newly introduced Miranda Rights to show how police work is starting to shift. Those moments, rooted in their time, give the series overall extra weight and interest.
I did feel though that character moments were sacrificed a little in favour of plot. Carella finds himself in danger yet again, and once more we don't get to see how Teddy copes. The series has, in the past, offered some lovely, quiet glimpses into the detectives’ personal lives, and it’s a shame to see those opportunities passed up here.
Overall, Fuzz is an engaging read with plenty going on. It might have benefitted from a tighter focus, and some of the character work feels a bit thin in places, but it still offers enough to keep a fan of the series turning the pages.
February 22, 2017
Where is the glamour
I enjoyed this book and got to liking the characters, the men of the 87th. I wanted to read the book after seeing the movie that was based on it. Right off let me say they are two different animals. The movie is okay, but the book is way better. There are no big gun battles between the Cops and Robbers most of it is just following the leads to solve the crimes. In this story there are three crimes that happen: a case of murder and extortion, a case of somebody attacking the homeless, and a case of armed robbery. Three separate events that just happen to cross paths with each other. Just how I won't say so grab a copy and hit the streets with the 87th Precinct and get ready to outsmart the bad guys.
I enjoyed this book and got to liking the characters, the men of the 87th. I wanted to read the book after seeing the movie that was based on it. Right off let me say they are two different animals. The movie is okay, but the book is way better. There are no big gun battles between the Cops and Robbers most of it is just following the leads to solve the crimes. In this story there are three crimes that happen: a case of murder and extortion, a case of somebody attacking the homeless, and a case of armed robbery. Three separate events that just happen to cross paths with each other. Just how I won't say so grab a copy and hit the streets with the 87th Precinct and get ready to outsmart the bad guys.
March 4, 2019
Book #22 of the series and a bit of a departure from the norm compared with the previous books. First, at 270 pages it's much longer. Second, it features a returning villain, the mysterious 'deaf man'.
For the most part I enjoyed this one, but for me the ending left a lot to be desired. It wasn't bad, just seemed very unlikely. A few more books and I will reach the half way point of this series. Over the last couple of years I have collected most of them in 2nd hand books or on Kindle and have the next 22 ready to go :)
For the most part I enjoyed this one, but for me the ending left a lot to be desired. It wasn't bad, just seemed very unlikely. A few more books and I will reach the half way point of this series. Over the last couple of years I have collected most of them in 2nd hand books or on Kindle and have the next 22 ready to go :)
November 12, 2023
3.9/5 stars.
"You know why they call them Fuzz? Because they’re fuzzy and fussy and antiquated and incompetent. Their investigatory technique is established and routine, designed for effectiveness in an age that no longer exists. The police in this city are like wind-up toys with keys sticking out of their backs, capable of performing only in terms of their own limited design, tiny mechanical men clattering along the sidewalk stiff-legged, scurrying about in aimless circles."
This book is like some kind of weird lovechild between Law & Order, Quentin Tarantino and Batman.
It begins as a police procedural plot, yet feels more like a police-themed sitcom from the 70s that escalates into a Batman-esque scheme that is actually quite clever and compelling.
McBain delves a lot into the details of investigation and processes that the detectives use which makes it grounded and believable but all the while ties in certain elements of absurdity and quirkiness that gives the storytelling a unique flavor.
The book often has free-flowing and tangential dialogue,often about nothing relevant, to hilarious effect. And while the prose is simple and straightforward for the most part, there are numerous random reveries that border on being beautiful and poetic.
Overall, the writing is tinged with an irony and wit that made me laugh out loud numerous times and the climax was suitably ridiculous.
One of the detectives, Hawes, interviewing a potential witness:
"How do you know he's Italian?"
"Because his name ends with an O. All names that end with O are Eye-talian."
“You think so? How about Shapiro?” Hawes suggested.
“What are you, a wise guy?” the landlady said.
"You know why they call them Fuzz? Because they’re fuzzy and fussy and antiquated and incompetent. Their investigatory technique is established and routine, designed for effectiveness in an age that no longer exists. The police in this city are like wind-up toys with keys sticking out of their backs, capable of performing only in terms of their own limited design, tiny mechanical men clattering along the sidewalk stiff-legged, scurrying about in aimless circles."
This book is like some kind of weird lovechild between Law & Order, Quentin Tarantino and Batman.
It begins as a police procedural plot, yet feels more like a police-themed sitcom from the 70s that escalates into a Batman-esque scheme that is actually quite clever and compelling.
McBain delves a lot into the details of investigation and processes that the detectives use which makes it grounded and believable but all the while ties in certain elements of absurdity and quirkiness that gives the storytelling a unique flavor.
The book often has free-flowing and tangential dialogue,often about nothing relevant, to hilarious effect. And while the prose is simple and straightforward for the most part, there are numerous random reveries that border on being beautiful and poetic.
Overall, the writing is tinged with an irony and wit that made me laugh out loud numerous times and the climax was suitably ridiculous.
One of the detectives, Hawes, interviewing a potential witness:
"How do you know he's Italian?"
"Because his name ends with an O. All names that end with O are Eye-talian."
“You think so? How about Shapiro?” Hawes suggested.
“What are you, a wise guy?” the landlady said.
August 25, 2024
Since I have been retired for quite a few years I decided to read the 87th Precinct series in order and I just finished number 22. This isn't one of my favorites and i am giving it a weak 3 stars (about a 2.6). The plot wasn't as real and down to earth as usual with almost a comic book feel with a sort of super villain in the return of the deaf man. I also didn't like that the "luckiness" of things accidentally falling into place seemed to give credence to the deaf man's poor opinion of the police.
I checked back to "The Heckler" and in my review I also pointed my misgivings about the "deaf man". This is what I said then and I feel the same way about the return. "I'm not sure I like the direction this entry is taking. Up to now they have been good combination of police procedural and good action. The characters have been well developed and the plots interesting and realistic. This book seems to be moving in the direction of a master criminal concept and I'm not in favor of that move. The Deaf Man strains the credibility that these stories have always had." Unfortunately it appears that the "deaf man" is destined to reappear in a few more entries in this series.
So far my favorite series entries have been: "Cop Hater", "The Mugger", "The Pusher", "The Con Man", "Killer's Choice", "Lady Killer", "King's Ransom", "Lady, Lady, I Did It!", "Ax",
I checked back to "The Heckler" and in my review I also pointed my misgivings about the "deaf man". This is what I said then and I feel the same way about the return. "I'm not sure I like the direction this entry is taking. Up to now they have been good combination of police procedural and good action. The characters have been well developed and the plots interesting and realistic. This book seems to be moving in the direction of a master criminal concept and I'm not in favor of that move. The Deaf Man strains the credibility that these stories have always had." Unfortunately it appears that the "deaf man" is destined to reappear in a few more entries in this series.
So far my favorite series entries have been: "Cop Hater", "The Mugger", "The Pusher", "The Con Man", "Killer's Choice", "Lady Killer", "King's Ransom", "Lady, Lady, I Did It!", "Ax",
December 10, 2018
"Don't you realize why they're called fuzz?"
"No. Why?"
"Because they're fuzzy and fussy and antiquated and incompetent."
Well, they may look that way, but looks can be deceiving! The gang from the 87th Precinct is back - Meyer Meyer, Carella, Genero, and the boys, and this time they are up against the deaf man again! They are trying to stop him from assassinating city officials, they are trying to stop two fire bugs from lighting homeless men aflame, and they are trying to prevent a robbery of a local tailor shop. In addition to all of the other daily crimes that plague this city. And suffering as their police station gets painted - apple green. Needless to say, they've got their work cut out for them!
This is a good read, with super funny dialogue and intrigue! The word 'satisfied' popped to mind when I finished the story. The second to last chapter really impressed me, and made for a solid ending. For sure, this will not be my last 87th book!
"No. Why?"
"Because they're fuzzy and fussy and antiquated and incompetent."
Well, they may look that way, but looks can be deceiving! The gang from the 87th Precinct is back - Meyer Meyer, Carella, Genero, and the boys, and this time they are up against the deaf man again! They are trying to stop him from assassinating city officials, they are trying to stop two fire bugs from lighting homeless men aflame, and they are trying to prevent a robbery of a local tailor shop. In addition to all of the other daily crimes that plague this city. And suffering as their police station gets painted - apple green. Needless to say, they've got their work cut out for them!
This is a good read, with super funny dialogue and intrigue! The word 'satisfied' popped to mind when I finished the story. The second to last chapter really impressed me, and made for a solid ending. For sure, this will not be my last 87th book!
July 27, 2018
another deaf man caper. took me a month to read. imagine that. do da. do da. four stars. i really liked it.
April 15, 2023
O primeiro livro que leio que é recomendado pela personagem de outro livro. Neste caso, o inspector Rostnikov, série do Americano Stuart M. Kaminski, que adora hard boiled clássicos Americanos, numa altura em que começa a ser mais fácil obtê-los na sua Rússia natal, pós-soviética.
Noto também a influência deste autor na série Abe Lieberman do mesmo Kaminski.
Policial competente é certo, mas mais visto.
Noto também a influência deste autor na série Abe Lieberman do mesmo Kaminski.
Policial competente é certo, mas mais visto.
June 25, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable as always
December 12, 2023
If you like Donald Westlake, you'll love this funny police procedural. It's an unusual entry for the 87 Precinct, but it's a great unusual entry. Funny, twisted, with some nice plotting and pacing.
February 1, 2025
What an amusing story if a bit gruesome. The bodies keep piling up with the Deaf Man trying to get his vengeance on the 87th Precinct. Carella, Meyer Meyer are trying to stop the killing of high profile public figures.
A superb ending which brings together all three plots. The extortion murder, a robbery and the arsonist’s setting fire to homeless people.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Deaf Man over does is diabolical plan in trying to get back at the 87th Precinct. Unwittingly, picking randomly from a phonebook the same initials of the mayor their next target. They chose the name of a taylor that the police are on site to prevent a robbery. A shootout ensues where the Deaf Man is wounded and escapes bemused and for another story.
A superb ending which brings together all three plots. The extortion murder, a robbery and the arsonist’s setting fire to homeless people.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The Deaf Man over does is diabolical plan in trying to get back at the 87th Precinct. Unwittingly, picking randomly from a phonebook the same initials of the mayor their next target. They chose the name of a taylor that the police are on site to prevent a robbery. A shootout ensues where the Deaf Man is wounded and escapes bemused and for another story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
Another little cracker, this one featuring The Deaf Man, who is using the assumed name Mort Orrechio...
November 30, 2021
Drace, aşa săptămână mai rar!
Paisprezece jafuri, trei violuri, o încăierare de cuţitari pe Bulevardul Culver, treizeci şi şase de spargeri diverse, iar la sediul circumscripţiei tocmai se zugrăvea.
Nu că zugrăvitul ar fi fost o operaţie inutilă în acea incintă.
Detectivul Meyer Meyer ar fi recunoscut oricând că încăperea lor trebuia neapărat zugrăvită. În schimb, i se părea idioată hotărârea primăriei de a porni lucrarea acum, la început de martie, când afară era urât şi rece, trist şi mohorât, când trebuia să ţii ferestrele bine închise, pentru că în calorifere venea tot mai puţină căldură şi să suporţi în schimb putoarea terebentinei cât e ziua de lungă; pe deasupra, cei doi zugravi mişunau peste tot, când pe podea, când undeva la înălţime – şi se vedea limpede că nu s-ar fi descurcat vreodată în Capela Sixtină…
— Te rog să mă scuzi, începu unui dintre muncitori, n-ai vrea să muţi obiectul acela?
— Care obiect? se interesă Meyer.
— Ăla de acolo.
— Obiectul acela, spuse Meyer, aproape scos din fire, se întâmplă să fie afurisitul nostru de fişier. Obiectul acela conţine, din întâmplare, informaţii despre infractorii şi persoanele care tulbură liniştea publică din secţia noastră şi, dacă vrei să ştii, este de o valoare inestimabilă pentru agenţii care trag din greu în brigada noastră.
— Mare scofală, comentă zugravul.
— Nu vrea să-l mute? întrebă perechea lui.
— Voi îl mutaţi, spuse Meyer. Voi sunteţi zugravii, aşa că voi o să-l mutaţi.
— Nu e de datoria noastră să mutăm nimic, zise primul zugrav.
— Noi zugrăvim, doar atât, completă şi celălalt.
— Nici de datoria mea nu e să mut obiecte, eu sunt plătit să investighez.
— O.K., atunci nu-l muta din loc, spuse primul zugrav şi o să se umple tot de vopsea verde.
— Acoperă-l cu o husă, răspunse Meyer.
— Am pus husele acolo, pe birouri, spuse celălalt zugrav şi altele nu mai avem.
— De ce mi-o fi mie dat să intru mereu în scene burleşti? întrebă Meyer.
— Hi? exclamă primul zugrav.
— Face pe deşteptul, spuse colegul lui.
Paisprezece jafuri, trei violuri, o încăierare de cuţitari pe Bulevardul Culver, treizeci şi şase de spargeri diverse, iar la sediul circumscripţiei tocmai se zugrăvea.
Nu că zugrăvitul ar fi fost o operaţie inutilă în acea incintă.
Detectivul Meyer Meyer ar fi recunoscut oricând că încăperea lor trebuia neapărat zugrăvită. În schimb, i se părea idioată hotărârea primăriei de a porni lucrarea acum, la început de martie, când afară era urât şi rece, trist şi mohorât, când trebuia să ţii ferestrele bine închise, pentru că în calorifere venea tot mai puţină căldură şi să suporţi în schimb putoarea terebentinei cât e ziua de lungă; pe deasupra, cei doi zugravi mişunau peste tot, când pe podea, când undeva la înălţime – şi se vedea limpede că nu s-ar fi descurcat vreodată în Capela Sixtină…
— Te rog să mă scuzi, începu unui dintre muncitori, n-ai vrea să muţi obiectul acela?
— Care obiect? se interesă Meyer.
— Ăla de acolo.
— Obiectul acela, spuse Meyer, aproape scos din fire, se întâmplă să fie afurisitul nostru de fişier. Obiectul acela conţine, din întâmplare, informaţii despre infractorii şi persoanele care tulbură liniştea publică din secţia noastră şi, dacă vrei să ştii, este de o valoare inestimabilă pentru agenţii care trag din greu în brigada noastră.
— Mare scofală, comentă zugravul.
— Nu vrea să-l mute? întrebă perechea lui.
— Voi îl mutaţi, spuse Meyer. Voi sunteţi zugravii, aşa că voi o să-l mutaţi.
— Nu e de datoria noastră să mutăm nimic, zise primul zugrav.
— Noi zugrăvim, doar atât, completă şi celălalt.
— Nici de datoria mea nu e să mut obiecte, eu sunt plătit să investighez.
— O.K., atunci nu-l muta din loc, spuse primul zugrav şi o să se umple tot de vopsea verde.
— Acoperă-l cu o husă, răspunse Meyer.
— Am pus husele acolo, pe birouri, spuse celălalt zugrav şi altele nu mai avem.
— De ce mi-o fi mie dat să intru mereu în scene burleşti? întrebă Meyer.
— Hi? exclamă primul zugrav.
— Face pe deşteptul, spuse colegul lui.
February 18, 2017
This is the first "deaf man" novel in the series that I've enjoyed! And I'm not sure why I did. Perhaps because the usual mayhem continued in the 87th Precinct as the detectives tried to unravel the deaf man's threats, actions, and plans. Perhaps because I've had my nose in other books and hadn't read an 87th Precinct story for a while. The ending, which I will not share, is delightful!
November 8, 2013
I love Ed McBain. His books are serious, comic, irreverent and a joy to read. And its amazing the range he had with the 87th Precinct Books of which this is one — and the lawyer Matthew Hope to Blackboard Jungle, written as Evan Hunter.
This is the 12th in the percent books with all the usual characters -- working cops just trying to put away the bad guys. And they have come across an old nemesis they thought was dead. Steve Carella is dressed as a homeless man to catch teenagers who are setting homeless men on fire; he gets burned and he gets beat up. Meanwhile, the others on his team receive a threatening note that if someone is not paid $5,000, a commissioner will be killed -- and is. Then the note asks for more, to not kill the deputy mayor and in a spectacular bombing, he is killed. In the midst of all this the town of Isola is hit by one of the biggest storms in history, the police department is being painted by seemingly inept painters who spatter everything and finally, the cops come across an attempt to rob a tailor. And somehow, its at the tailor's where everything somehow comes to gather. Very much as you realize it probably happens for many crimes. The characters feel real and speak realistically, and you feel for them the whole time you're reading the book. Ed McBain/Evan Hunter was a genius. There are few authors I can say that for every time I open a book.
This is the 12th in the percent books with all the usual characters -- working cops just trying to put away the bad guys. And they have come across an old nemesis they thought was dead. Steve Carella is dressed as a homeless man to catch teenagers who are setting homeless men on fire; he gets burned and he gets beat up. Meanwhile, the others on his team receive a threatening note that if someone is not paid $5,000, a commissioner will be killed -- and is. Then the note asks for more, to not kill the deputy mayor and in a spectacular bombing, he is killed. In the midst of all this the town of Isola is hit by one of the biggest storms in history, the police department is being painted by seemingly inept painters who spatter everything and finally, the cops come across an attempt to rob a tailor. And somehow, its at the tailor's where everything somehow comes to gather. Very much as you realize it probably happens for many crimes. The characters feel real and speak realistically, and you feel for them the whole time you're reading the book. Ed McBain/Evan Hunter was a genius. There are few authors I can say that for every time I open a book.
May 28, 2015
Much of reading Fuzz reminded me of reading Killer's Wedge by the same author. There's the no-nonsense description of the action, the detectives, the perps (we can say that for bad guys, right?). The similar view on crime and criminals, the nearly-literal city as a character acting upon its residents. Hard boiled, gripping, engaging.
And not one of these similarities is a bad thing. They are all realized in different ways. (But I probably would not want to read three 87th Precinct novels in a row; variety being spicy and all that.)
The big difference I find in this book is the amount of humor. People look at you funny in Whataburger when you just break out in laughter sitting at a table by yourself. It is said that humor arises from the unexpected, and while that is true at least in part, it was unexpected to find humor in this story. It serves the story well, though. A movie was based upon this book and released in 1972. I'm positive the humor in the book is the reason it was chosen, because it would be relatable to the public.
I suppose you want a basic plot: A man issues demands for money or threatens to kill high-ranking public officials. Detectives pursue. Teens burn not just in passion but people. Literally.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Unless you hate kitties/puppies. You don't hate kitties or puppies, do you? Well, do you?
And not one of these similarities is a bad thing. They are all realized in different ways. (But I probably would not want to read three 87th Precinct novels in a row; variety being spicy and all that.)
The big difference I find in this book is the amount of humor. People look at you funny in Whataburger when you just break out in laughter sitting at a table by yourself. It is said that humor arises from the unexpected, and while that is true at least in part, it was unexpected to find humor in this story. It serves the story well, though. A movie was based upon this book and released in 1972. I'm positive the humor in the book is the reason it was chosen, because it would be relatable to the public.
I suppose you want a basic plot: A man issues demands for money or threatens to kill high-ranking public officials. Detectives pursue. Teens burn not just in passion but people. Literally.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Unless you hate kitties/puppies. You don't hate kitties or puppies, do you? Well, do you?
December 4, 2014
My first Ed McBain book. ( my household has started an EM marathon. I was told to start here.). Since the 87th Precinct series is (mostly) free on Kindle Unlimited, I will continue. He is a very funny writer, the story is preposterous but intentionally so. I did have trouble keeping the cop characters separate, they seem to be of a type, except for the bumbling one who shot himself in the foot and is afraid of criminals. Plodding, disgruntled cops solve crime through inordinate good luck. The deaf man is back ( clearly I missed something by starting here) with a sinister plot to extort money from the wealthy of Isola. It requires a few well placed assassinations to set it up, a fatal hatred of the 87th, but the story rolls along until the fortuitous ending. Why not a higher star ranking? Expectations perhaps? McBain is a very good writer, with descriptions and phrases that are stunning, but overall the story is weak and the characters shallow. Maybe an artifice of the genre, but I bet it gets better. So I have to leave room for a higher rating for the next one.
March 13, 2016
Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels turn up regularly on Kindle daily deals. They are well worth the effort it takes to press the “buy” button, unlike the disturbing number of adolescent-girl-in-dystopia (gets even with adults by supernatural power) and prepper-fantasy novels (gets even with liberals by refusing to share beans) which wash up there. Ideal reading for when you are unwell or as a palate-cleansing break between more serious books.
I've seen some criticism this book and the others in the series are dated. My reply: Time passes, and you might learn something from an unmannered look at how the normal folk lived not too long ago. I've also read that the writing is clichéd. My reply: It sounds like a cliché to you because you've wasted your life watching mediocre television produced by no-talent hacks who ripped off McBain's original voice, and you will never ever get that time back. (To be fair, you probably also watched some good television that ripped off McBain as well.)
I've seen some criticism this book and the others in the series are dated. My reply: Time passes, and you might learn something from an unmannered look at how the normal folk lived not too long ago. I've also read that the writing is clichéd. My reply: It sounds like a cliché to you because you've wasted your life watching mediocre television produced by no-talent hacks who ripped off McBain's original voice, and you will never ever get that time back. (To be fair, you probably also watched some good television that ripped off McBain as well.)
October 14, 2012
The elusive Deaf Man is back. He calls the 87th precinct and demands $5,000 or a city commissioner will be killed, who is then shot by a sniper leaving the Opera. He ups the ante by demanding $50,000 or a Deputy Mayor will be killed, who is then blown to bits by a bomb in his limousine. Further threats are sent to rich businessman to collect $5,000 per head. Meanwhile, Steve Carella is trying to stop someone from dousing the indigent with gasoline and lighting them on fire, when he becomes a victim when his gun gets caught in his homeless disguise. Two good stories, with a dizzying conclusion.
June 24, 2017
A great read. A real page-turner of a police procedural. Well written in a way that carefully balances the cynicism of a noir detective story, the gallows humor that real cops use to keep their heads screwed on straight, and some ugly, ugly crimes. This was the basis of a lame, uninteresting movie that apparently started the worldwide fad of setting homeless people on fire. If I were you I'd stick with the book; it's a gem.
October 17, 2008
The low rating might indicate that the book was poorly written, but that is not the case. I felt it was dated and simply didn't live up to the praise heaped upon it. The story wasn't all that interesting or challenging, the characters not all that compelling. Maybe they were back in the 60s.
December 30, 2017
McBain’s books with criminal mastermind the Deaf Man in are always fun, and this one is no exception. It ends up turning on a coincidence so wild that it should make your teeth ache, but which works brilliantly.
September 23, 2012
Meh. The slang is dated, and McBain was just getting his engine warmed up as a writer. Reading this was a better choice than reading some crank-em-out writer who creates the same damn story over and over, but McBain's later work is so much better than this.
April 10, 2023
Following a series is an interesting thing. I think you build a sense of loyalty to an author and a set of characters that softens the critical eye. That's particularly the case when a series has a lot of entries. The 87th Precinct books were published between 1956 and 2005 and there aren't many that can claim such a span of time. The run is almost as long as that of Coronation Street and they're able to change writing teams when necessary.
Fuzz was published in 1968 and at only 12 years into the process, it could be seen as a fairly early addition.
This one interested me as it answered a question that raised itself after reading Doll. Doll is definitely one of my favourites and I wondered if that was because the quality of the writing and storytelling was simply getting better as McBain polished his craft and further understood those occupying his creations. Having read Fuzz, I think the answer has to be no.
Here we have the return of the Deaf Man. Having read several of the Deaf Man books (because of my early random approach to the series) I was delighted to see him back on the scene. No doubt deep deeds, merriment and drama were to follow. Sadly, and perhaps because of the anticipation his presence spawned, I was slightly disappointed by this one.
Things start strongly. The Deaf Man promises to kill a member of the city council if $5000 isn't left in a lunch pail on a park bench in a freezing cold Isola. The money is left and, true to his word, the assassination is carried out.
A second request is made. This time, the council official is higher in the food chain and the demand is now ten times bigger than the first time round.
As things play out, a couple of decorators are painting the whole of the department a shade of apple green. As well as the walls, they're spraying phones, files and suits as they work and this is adding to the tension at the station. To make things worse, Byrnes is getting it in the neck and he's giving it back to anyone who fails in any aspect of the case they're following.
Steve Carella isn't working the extortion case. He's dressed as a homeless man and is hoping to catch the perpetrators of burnings of homeless fold in the district. Things don't go well.
While Carella sleeps in frozen doorways, the rest of the squad are following their only lead to the assassinations. They focus a lot on this and it's entertaining enough. The issue for me is that this line of investigation is clearly so removed from the Deaf Man that its momentum soon begins to fizzle. It's also a line that is crucial to the denouement of the story and becomes tangled up with the ending in such a way as to make it unsatisfactory. It's all too complicated and indirect.
Not that Fuzz fails to entertain. There are plenty of excellent set-pieces, Meyer's visit to a sleazy pool hall for one. Some fun then, but for me it dragged its feet (the Miranda references tiring, aspects of the investigation heavy, a need to suspend some belief and perhaps too many of the squad being involved at once). Distinctly below par, a fractured plot, necessary reading for maintaining the streak and still worth checking out.
Fuzz was published in 1968 and at only 12 years into the process, it could be seen as a fairly early addition.
This one interested me as it answered a question that raised itself after reading Doll. Doll is definitely one of my favourites and I wondered if that was because the quality of the writing and storytelling was simply getting better as McBain polished his craft and further understood those occupying his creations. Having read Fuzz, I think the answer has to be no.
Here we have the return of the Deaf Man. Having read several of the Deaf Man books (because of my early random approach to the series) I was delighted to see him back on the scene. No doubt deep deeds, merriment and drama were to follow. Sadly, and perhaps because of the anticipation his presence spawned, I was slightly disappointed by this one.
Things start strongly. The Deaf Man promises to kill a member of the city council if $5000 isn't left in a lunch pail on a park bench in a freezing cold Isola. The money is left and, true to his word, the assassination is carried out.
A second request is made. This time, the council official is higher in the food chain and the demand is now ten times bigger than the first time round.
As things play out, a couple of decorators are painting the whole of the department a shade of apple green. As well as the walls, they're spraying phones, files and suits as they work and this is adding to the tension at the station. To make things worse, Byrnes is getting it in the neck and he's giving it back to anyone who fails in any aspect of the case they're following.
Steve Carella isn't working the extortion case. He's dressed as a homeless man and is hoping to catch the perpetrators of burnings of homeless fold in the district. Things don't go well.
While Carella sleeps in frozen doorways, the rest of the squad are following their only lead to the assassinations. They focus a lot on this and it's entertaining enough. The issue for me is that this line of investigation is clearly so removed from the Deaf Man that its momentum soon begins to fizzle. It's also a line that is crucial to the denouement of the story and becomes tangled up with the ending in such a way as to make it unsatisfactory. It's all too complicated and indirect.
Not that Fuzz fails to entertain. There are plenty of excellent set-pieces, Meyer's visit to a sleazy pool hall for one. Some fun then, but for me it dragged its feet (the Miranda references tiring, aspects of the investigation heavy, a need to suspend some belief and perhaps too many of the squad being involved at once). Distinctly below par, a fractured plot, necessary reading for maintaining the streak and still worth checking out.
August 6, 2024
Confirms my sense that there's something echt Manhattan about McBain. Here we get a couple of painters dripping green all over the precinct offices they're repainting and exchanging Rosencrantz-and-Guildenstern bits along the way:
"Won't he move it?" the other painter asked.
"You move it," Meyer said. "You're the painters, you move it."
"We're not supposed to move nothing," the first painter said.
"We're only supposed to paint," the second painter said.
"I'm not supposed to move things, either," Meyer said. "I'm supposed to detect."
"Okay, so don't move it," the first painter said, "it'll get all full of green paint."
Or this:
"I am Concetta La Bresca, who wants to know?" she said.
"Detectives Willis and Brown of the 87th Squad," Willis said. "Where's your son?"
"He's asleep," Concetta said, and because she was born in Naples and raised in Paradiso, immediately assumed it was necessary to provide him with an alibi.
There are some really good writerly bits: "The boy who came into the muster room that Wednesday afternoon was about twelve years old....He was wearing high-topped sneakers with the authority of all slum kids who wear sneakers winter and summer, all year round, despite the warnings of podiatrists." Or this joke on the legacies of entitlement on a call from this city's version of the Times--"the city's austere morning daily"--"At first, Meyer thought the call was a put-on, nobody had a name like Carlyle Butterford. Then he remembered that everybody on this particular morning newspaper had names like Preston Fingerlaver, or Clyde Masterfield, or Aylmer Coopermere." So as a whole, from the wised-up attitude to the city-Italian culture to the Yiddish-influenced jokes, shtick and sensibility, this is classic NYC lit.
Plot-wise, satisfying--three disparate strands end up connecting in semi-random fashion at the end, an outcome inadvertently predicted by the police's attempt to justify their lack of progress earlier in the case by noting the power of serendipity. That random-threads uniting feels like the origin point for a ton of 90s post-Tarantino crime films, and in fact this inspired an apparently not-great Burt Reynolds film of its own. I probably could spend a week or ten days happily reading the whole series in order, though that doesn't seem like the best use of my time. Still, at least a bit tempting. Waiting to see if SFPL can scare up a copy of Shotgun, his other 1968-70 novel.
"Won't he move it?" the other painter asked.
"You move it," Meyer said. "You're the painters, you move it."
"We're not supposed to move nothing," the first painter said.
"We're only supposed to paint," the second painter said.
"I'm not supposed to move things, either," Meyer said. "I'm supposed to detect."
"Okay, so don't move it," the first painter said, "it'll get all full of green paint."
Or this:
"I am Concetta La Bresca, who wants to know?" she said.
"Detectives Willis and Brown of the 87th Squad," Willis said. "Where's your son?"
"He's asleep," Concetta said, and because she was born in Naples and raised in Paradiso, immediately assumed it was necessary to provide him with an alibi.
There are some really good writerly bits: "The boy who came into the muster room that Wednesday afternoon was about twelve years old....He was wearing high-topped sneakers with the authority of all slum kids who wear sneakers winter and summer, all year round, despite the warnings of podiatrists." Or this joke on the legacies of entitlement on a call from this city's version of the Times--"the city's austere morning daily"--"At first, Meyer thought the call was a put-on, nobody had a name like Carlyle Butterford. Then he remembered that everybody on this particular morning newspaper had names like Preston Fingerlaver, or Clyde Masterfield, or Aylmer Coopermere." So as a whole, from the wised-up attitude to the city-Italian culture to the Yiddish-influenced jokes, shtick and sensibility, this is classic NYC lit.
Plot-wise, satisfying--three disparate strands end up connecting in semi-random fashion at the end, an outcome inadvertently predicted by the police's attempt to justify their lack of progress earlier in the case by noting the power of serendipity. That random-threads uniting feels like the origin point for a ton of 90s post-Tarantino crime films, and in fact this inspired an apparently not-great Burt Reynolds film of its own. I probably could spend a week or ten days happily reading the whole series in order, though that doesn't seem like the best use of my time. Still, at least a bit tempting. Waiting to see if SFPL can scare up a copy of Shotgun, his other 1968-70 novel.
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