87th Precinct Series by Ed McBain, Dick Hill, Michael Arkin, Otto Penzler

When Detective Reardon is found dead, motive is a big question mark. But when his partner becomes victim number two, it looks like open-and-shut grudge killings. That is, until a third detective buys it.ED MCBAIN'S FIRST 87th PRECINCT NOVEL

This mugger is special. He preys on women, waiting in the darkness…then comes from behind, attacks them, and snatches their purses. He tells them not to scream and as they're on the ground, reeling with pain and fear, he bows and nonchalantly says, “Clifford thanks you, madam.” But when he puts one victim in the hospital and the next in the morgue, the detectives of the 87th Precinct are not amused and will stop at nothing to bring him to justice... moreThis mugger is special. He preys on women, waiting in the darkness…then comes from behind, attacks them, and snatches their purses. He tells them not to scream and as they're on the ground, reeling with pain and fear, he bows and nonchalantly says, “Clifford thanks you, madam.” But when he puts one victim in the hospital and the next in the morgue, the detectives of the 87th Precinct are not amused and will stop at nothing to bring him to justice.Dashing young patrolman Bert Kling is always there to help a friend. And when a friend's sister-in-law is the mugger's murder victim, Bert's personal reasons to find the maniacal killer soon become a burning obsession…and it could easily get him killed. The second book in the 87th Precinct series, The Mugger is an Ed McBain classic, a nuanced portrayal of justice and vengeance hailed by the Daily Mirror as “a masterpiece of crime writing…and there's nobody who does it better.” less

Most suicides don't realise the headaches they cause... An 87th Precinct novel

A con man is plying his trade on the streets of Isola: conning a domestic for pocket change, businessmen for thousands, and even ladies in exchange for a little bit of love. You can see the world, meet a lot of nice people, imbibe some unique drinks, and make a ton money…all by conning them for their cash. The question is: How far is he willing to go?When a young woman's body washes up in the Harb River, the answer to that question becomes tragically clear... moreA con man is plying his trade on the streets of Isola: conning a domestic for pocket change, businessmen for thousands, and even ladies in exchange for a little bit of love. You can see the world, meet a lot of nice people, imbibe some unique drinks, and make a ton money…all by conning them for their cash. The question is: How far is he willing to go?When a young woman's body washes up in the Harb River, the answer to that question becomes tragically clear. Now Detective Steve Carella races against time to find him before another con turns deadly. The only clue he has to go on is the mysterious tattoo on the young woman’s hand—but it’s enough. Carella takes to the streets, searching its darkest corners for a man who cons his victims out of their money…and their lives. less

Someone killed Annie Boone, but was she an innocent victim or the target of a hit? As Detectives Carella and Kling of the 87th precinct pick up the pieces of her interupted life, they move relentlessly closer to some answers yet farther from others. Struggling to find the weak link, the detectives find themselves facing a cold, hard truth they'd prefer not to know.

He appeared to be a decent, upright, honest citizen....And yet appearances can be more than deceiving in the world of blackmail and extortion... moreHe appeared to be a decent, upright, honest citizen....And yet appearances can be more than deceiving in the world of blackmail and extortion. The shocking gangland-style murder of known blackmailer Sy Kramer begs the question: which of Kramer's marks had given him his very last payoff? A politician's beautiful wife with a deadly secret? An overly interested ex-con? A wealthy soft-drinks executive? Or the mystery person who had fattened Kramer's wallet by the thousands? The detectives of the 87th Precinct must break the chain that links the dead man's associates and single out a killer -- before someone else cashes it in. less

Her game was death - and her name was Virginia Dodge. She was out to put a bullet through Steve Carella's brain, and she didn't care if she has to kill all the boys in the 87th Precinct to do it.So Virginia, armed with gun and bottle of nitroglycerin, spent a quiet afternoon in the precinct house, terrorizing Lieutenant Byrnes and his detectives with her clever little homemade bomb. They all sat there waiting for Steve Carella... moreHer game was death - and her name was Virginia Dodge. She was out to put a bullet through Steve Carella's brain, and she didn't care if she has to kill all the boys in the 87th Precinct to do it.So Virginia, armed with gun and bottle of nitroglycerin, spent a quiet afternoon in the precinct house, terrorizing Lieutenant Byrnes and his detectives with her clever little homemade bomb. They all sat there waiting for Steve Carella. Could all the men of the 87th, prisoners of one crazy broad, be powerless to save Carella from his rendezvous with death...? less

"I will kill the lady tonight at 8. What can you do about it?" — That's what the letter read. — Was she that new hooker in town, the one who let them rape her like a lady? Or Lady Jay Astor, the sensual, bawdy songstress, who belted out the porno in extreme good taste? Or Mrs. Bannister, a socialite mother who kept the purse strings too tight?Twelve hours to find a crank or stop a killer. And there would be no second chance for "the Lady" if the boys of the 87th didn't guess right.

1st Penguin 2164 1964 edition paperback vg book In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

The mystery man wore black, and he was a real cut-up king. Why else was he leaving blood-red severed hands all over the city? Was he an everyday maniac with a meat cleaver, or did he have a special grudge against the 87th Precinct? Steve Carella and Cotton Hawes went along with the grudge theory, because the black-cloaked killer didn't leave any clues to go on - the grisly hands even had the fingertips sliced off... moreThe mystery man wore black, and he was a real cut-up king. Why else was he leaving blood-red severed hands all over the city? Was he an everyday maniac with a meat cleaver, or did he have a special grudge against the 87th Precinct? Steve Carella and Cotton Hawes went along with the grudge theory, because the black-cloaked killer didn't leave any clues to go on - the grisly hands even had the fingertips sliced off. And how do you nail a murderer when you can't identity or unearth most of his victims? That's what the boys of the 87th Precinct have to do: find a killer before he carves up any more corpseless hands! less

A comedian dies on national television in front of forty million viewers, and the detectives of the 87th Precinct must solve the puzzle of how he made someone mad enough to murder.“Imagine your favorite Law & Order cast solving fresh mysteries into infinity, with no re-runs, and you have some sense of McBain’s grand, ongoing accomplishment.” —Entertainment Weekly“McBain has the ability to make every character believable—which few writers these days can do.” —Associated Press

The 87th Precinct is up against the Deaf Man, master criminal, and Detective Carella's own Moriarty. With the murders of two prominent citizens to his credit, the Deaf Man is about to reveal his pice de resistance of extortion and homicide. Fuzz was the basis of a major motion picture starring Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch and Yul Brynner.

Murders, muggings, and assaults…just a routine night and day in the 87th Precinct until one of their own is shot, sending every available detective on the hunt to bring down the gunman.“McBain forces us to think twice about every character we meet…even those we thought we already knew.” —New York Times Book Review“Imagine your favorite Law & Order cast solving fresh mysteries into infinity, with no re-runs, and you have some sense of McBain’s grand, ongoing accomplishment... moreMurders, muggings, and assaults…just a routine night and day in the 87th Precinct until one of their own is shot, sending every available detective on the hunt to bring down the gunman.“McBain forces us to think twice about every character we meet…even those we thought we already knew.” —New York Times Book Review“Imagine your favorite Law & Order cast solving fresh mysteries into infinity, with no re-runs, and you have some sense of McBain’s grand, ongoing accomplishment.” —Entertainment Weekly less

Detective Steve Carella thought he had an open and shut case. He had a confessed killer, clear fingerprints, and a witness. But when the dead lady's husband seemed less than mournful at her death, and when her little black book turned up a mile-long record of her love adventures, Carella knew it was time to call in the 87th precinct.

The criminals who invade the 87th Precinct aren't particularly known for their intelligence. Their crimes are usually brutal, stupid, and rash. But every once in a while, the 87th gets a good bad guy to hunt down."WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE, I'M GOING TO STEAL $500,000 ON THE LAST DAY OF APRIL." So wrote the Deaf Man, the 87th Precinct's own private nemesis. Carella, Kling, Hawes, and Brown know the Deaf Man is trying to make them look stupid... moreThe criminals who invade the 87th Precinct aren't particularly known for their intelligence. Their crimes are usually brutal, stupid, and rash. But every once in a while, the 87th gets a good bad guy to hunt down."WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE, I'M GOING TO STEAL $500,000 ON THE LAST DAY OF APRIL." So wrote the Deaf Man, the 87th Precinct's own private nemesis. Carella, Kling, Hawes, and Brown know the Deaf Man is trying to make them look stupid. Unfortunately, they have to deal with crimes already committed -- including one that introduces Kling to the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. But the last of April is fast approaching, and the men of the Eight-Seven can't deny that they're dying to find out what the Deaf Man has cooked up this time... less

A young woman stops at the grocery store after work, but she never makes it home—at least not all the way. She is stabbed to death in front of her building, her groceries strewn across the cold pavement. Upstairs her neighbor and popular ghost story author Gregory Craig lay dead as well, stabbed in his apartment. When Craig’s publisher is found murdered just days later, Detective Steve Carella has a deadly mystery on his hands, one unlike any he’s ever had before... moreA young woman stops at the grocery store after work, but she never makes it home—at least not all the way. She is stabbed to death in front of her building, her groceries strewn across the cold pavement. Upstairs her neighbor and popular ghost story author Gregory Craig lay dead as well, stabbed in his apartment. When Craig’s publisher is found murdered just days later, Detective Steve Carella has a deadly mystery on his hands, one unlike any he’s ever had before.Searching for clues, Carella instead finds Craig’s girlfriend, a medium whose spooky predictions keep him guessing. When some leads take him to a “haunted” house on the New England shores, strange events turn even stranger…until, back in the city, he turns up the crucial evidence he needs to track down the killer.A rare twist in Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series, Ghosts weaves the haunting uneasiness of the supernatural thriller with a classic, tightly plotted police procedural. Stephen King hails Ghosts as “excellent. It’s a fine—and creepy—mystery, and a fine novel.” less

Ice coats the streets where the rapist prowls. Ice spills from the pockets of a dead diamond dealer. Ice runs through the heart of a cold-blooded killer and that of the players in a multimillion dollar show-biz scam. And the deep chill of winter, it is the 87th Precinct who must brave the winds of death to save a city frozen with fear. National ads/media.

Lightning strikes with repeated terror as a diabolical hangman murderer leaves one pretty coed after another dangling from the city's lampposts.Lightning rends the night sky with searing acts of violence as a serial rapist returns or the same victims again and again.Lightning blazes through the 87th precinct as the dedicated men and women who wear the gold badge push themselves to the limits of danger.. moreLightning strikes with repeated terror as a diabolical hangman murderer leaves one pretty coed after another dangling from the city's lampposts.Lightning rends the night sky with searing acts of violence as a serial rapist returns or the same victims again and again.Lightning blazes through the 87th precinct as the dedicated men and women who wear the gold badge push themselves to the limits of danger...because they know that behind each strike of lightning lies the darkness of a criminal's twisted mind. less

Jerome Edward McKennon was found sprawled on the carpet, the phone clenched in his fist. It was a gruesome poisoning, and the clues lead to gorgeous Marilyn Hollis. When Detective Hal Willis finds himself falling in love with Marilyn, he knows the only hope for their love is to prove her innocence, before passion turns to Poison. HC: Arbor House.

One night. One shift. No rest. Featuring the 87th Precinct’s entire cast of characters, this Halloween takes them into the darkest corners of depravity the city has to offer. And sometimes, surviving is the greatest treat of them all.From a liquor store hold-up ending with a dead owner and four costumed “kids” making off with the money to the pieces of a man showing up around the city, the Day of the Dead is turning the streets into a carnival of violence and murder... moreOne night. One shift. No rest. Featuring the 87th Precinct’s entire cast of characters, this Halloween takes them into the darkest corners of depravity the city has to offer. And sometimes, surviving is the greatest treat of them all.From a liquor store hold-up ending with a dead owner and four costumed “kids” making off with the money to the pieces of a man showing up around the city, the Day of the Dead is turning the streets into a carnival of violence and murder. Meanwhile, a magician disappears in a stunning final act, and Detective First Class Eileen Burke poses as a hooker to lure in a serial killer. The question is, will the detectives all live to see the dawn of November?Newsweek declares bestselling author Ed McBain “has virtually reinvented the police procedural.” Interweaving rich characters, taut plotting, and sharp dialogue, Tricks is a multi-character masterpiece.Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477827897 less

The squadroom at 5:15 on New Year's morning looked much as it did on any other day... But an exceptionally heinous crime was already sending a wave of outrage through even the veteran cops of the 87th Precinct: a wealthy couple, returning home from New Year's festivities, discovered their baby -- and the infant's teenage sitter -- murdered. Parents themselves, detectives Carella and Meyer resolve to bring in the perpetrator at any cost... moreThe squadroom at 5:15 on New Year's morning looked much as it did on any other day... But an exceptionally heinous crime was already sending a wave of outrage through even the veteran cops of the 87th Precinct: a wealthy couple, returning home from New Year's festivities, discovered their baby -- and the infant's teenage sitter -- murdered. Parents themselves, detectives Carella and Meyer resolve to bring in the perpetrator at any cost. Meanwhile, gang warfare is overtaking the city's streets, threatening its very foundation. A sinister song of death and destruction echoes through the 87th, and it isn't "Auld Lang Syne." less

A Catholic priest is brutally murdered. A church practicing Satanism is not four blocks away, and the cult sign of Baphomet is found scrawled on the the garden gate. The trail leads to a shadowy Easter Sunday, and the conclusion is breathtaking and ironic.

Ed McBain is the only American winner of the coveted Diamond Dagger Award, and he is also a past recipient of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award. So, when a reader picks up the latest installment of McBain's 87th Precinct series, the bar is set pretty high. But with The Big Bad City, McBain meets expectations... moreEd McBain is the only American winner of the coveted Diamond Dagger Award, and he is also a past recipient of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award. So, when a reader picks up the latest installment of McBain's 87th Precinct series, the bar is set pretty high. But with The Big Bad City, McBain meets expectations. In the opening pages, Steve Carella and Artie Brown return to the department with 9 basketball players (the 10th player was murdered) only to discover a knife fight erupting in a holding cell. It's a steamy August night, and Carella and Detective Parker end up having to shoot one of the fighters to cool things down. Then Meyer and Kling enter the scene; they're hot in pursuit of the Cookie Boy, a thief who leaves chocolate-chip cookies at every crime sight. Before the interminable day is done, Carella and Brown are called out to Grover Park to investigate a homicide. A nun has been strangled to death, but she's no ordinary Sister. She's got signs of a breast augmentation operation that hint at a sordid past. Finally, readers are privy to a conversation between Juju and Sonny. Sonny killed a cop's dad, and Juju is convinced that the police will bend the rules to see that Sonny winds up dead. Juju insists that the only way out of the death trap is to kill the cop first. The officer's name is Steve Carella. And all of this happens in the first 15 pages. McBain is one of the artists of the police procedural. Though his city is fictional, it breathes with the darkness and gritty reality of many American cities. He enters the minds and hearts of his characters to uncover the daily insecurities that accompany the work of policemen. Readers new to the 87th Precinct will want to venture back to such tales as 1956's Cop Hater, 1964's Ax, and 1965's Doll, among the 47 installments in this series. Those who've been along for the ride will be happy they did not give up their seat. --Patrick O'Kelley less

It is Christmas in the city, but it isn't the giving season. A retired Gulf War pilot, a careless second-story man, a pair of angry Mexicans, and an equally shady pair of Secret Service agents are in town after a large stash of money, and no one is interested in sharing. The detectives at the 87th are already busy for the holidays. Steve Carella and Fat Ollie Weeks catch the squeal when the lions in the city zoo get an unauthorized feeding of a young woman's body... moreIt is Christmas in the city, but it isn't the giving season. A retired Gulf War pilot, a careless second-story man, a pair of angry Mexicans, and an equally shady pair of Secret Service agents are in town after a large stash of money, and no one is interested in sharing. The detectives at the 87th are already busy for the holidays. Steve Carella and Fat Ollie Weeks catch the squeal when the lions in the city zoo get an unauthorized feeding of a young woman's body. And then there's a trash can stuffed with a book salesman carrying a P-38 Walther and a wad of big bills. The bad bills and the dead book salesman lead to the offices of a respected publisher, Wadsworth and Dodds. This is good news for Fat Ollie, because he's working on a police novel -- one written by a real cop -- and he's sure it's going to be a bestseller. less

Another 87th precinct novel from 'the undisputed master - and there's nobody who does it better' DAILY MIRROR

I'm a Fathead, Men! I Am the Deaf Man! Unscrambling the cryptic messages -- anagrams, Detective Carella called them -- delivered to the 87th Precinct confirmed that the master criminal who has eluded them time and again is not only alive and well, but may or may not be behind a deadly revenge shooting. For that matter, the Deaf Man may or may not be deaf... moreI'm a Fathead, Men! I Am the Deaf Man! Unscrambling the cryptic messages -- anagrams, Detective Carella called them -- delivered to the 87th Precinct confirmed that the master criminal who has eluded them time and again is not only alive and well, but may or may not be behind a deadly revenge shooting. For that matter, the Deaf Man may or may not be deaf. But he's getting through loud and clear with clues drawn from Shakespeare's works -- taunting hints and maddening riddles pointing to his next plan of attack. It doesn't take a literary scholar to know there's no room for misinterpretation. For when the Deaf Man talks, everybody listens...or somebody gets hurt. less

This installment in the 87th Precinct series finds the detectives stumped by a serial killer who doesn't fit the profile. A blind violinist taking a smoke break, a cosmetics sales rep cooking an omelet in her own kitchen, a college professor trudging home from class, a priest contemplating retirement in the rectory garden, an old woman out walking her dog—these are the seemingly random targets shot twice in the face. But most serial killers don't use guns... moreThis installment in the 87th Precinct series finds the detectives stumped by a serial killer who doesn't fit the profile. A blind violinist taking a smoke break, a cosmetics sales rep cooking an omelet in her own kitchen, a college professor trudging home from class, a priest contemplating retirement in the rectory garden, an old woman out walking her dog—these are the seemingly random targets shot twice in the face. But most serial killers don't use guns. Most serial killers don't strike five times in two weeks. And most serial killers' prey share something more than being over fifty years of age. Now it falls to Detective Steve Carella and his colleagues in the 87th Precinct to find out what-or whom-the victims had in common before another body is found. With trademark wit and sizzling dialogue, McBain unravels a mystery and examines the dreams we chase in the darkening hours before the fiddlers have fled. less