Ed McBain's Fiddlers - Book 55: A Very Long Pope

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. In fact, it's the last (except our bonus episode) of the main series of this podcast as we arrive at the final book in the saga of the boys of Grover Avenue. It's Fiddlers. The corpses are piling up and the squad have to figure out what links the killings, whilst navigating their own matters of love, loss and family.

Does McBain leave us on a high? Find out within as we investigate not only the book itself, but the other things released by McBain/Hunter during the final year of his life and after that. 

 

Thank you so much for sticking with us and keeping us motivated to do this project. We truly appreciate it. So, until the bonus episode arrives, we'll merely say...

 

Fare Thee Well!

Ed McBain's Merely Hate - Book 54a: FIFTY-SIX?

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct bonus extra minipod!

Before we approach the final book in the official series of the 87th Precinct, we need to divert down a side-track to look at the book TRANSGRESSIONS - ten novellas selected and edited by Ed McBain. The book includes a novella from the author, set in the 87th Precinct, called Merely Hate, so we can't ignore it.

 

In this brief episode Paul will outline the other authors in the book and a little about this short(-ish) story, whilst you wait for us to bring you our last official episodes! 

 

Until then, 

 

Fare Thee Well.

 

Ed McBain's The Frumious Bandersnatch - Book 53: Heist-Lights

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

This is our show all about 2004's book, The Frumious Bandersnatch. McBain once again takes on the creative industries and the squad's first kidnapping since King's Ransom. Is the author eating his cake and having it too, with how he discusses the difficult topics in the book?

Featuring our first ever live Musical Illustration, we try and get across our feelings over this entry to the canon. We'll back soon for book number 54 - our namesake: Hark!

Fare thee well. 

Ed McBain's Fat Ollie's Book - Book 52, Bonus: Residual Swamp Musk

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode!

Merry christmas and happy holidays to you all. This is the bonus episode to accompany our look at McBain's comic tour-de-force Fat Ollie's Book. We go through some contemporary reviews (forgot to do them in the main episode - sorry!), then take the opportunity to explore the year 2002, even the book was published in '03, and in particular the Christmas music charts. It's our Christmas Office Party!

 

Thanks for keeping along on the journey with us this year. Only three more books to go!

 

Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Fat Ollie's Book - Book 52: NINETY MINUTES?

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast.

 
It's 2002/03 and Ed McBain has written probably the most overtly comic novel in the entire series of the 87th Precinct. Follow us as we tag along with Fat Ollie Weeks to see if he can find (a) a murderer, (b) his book and (c) love and redemption?

Oh, we forgot to look at the contemporary reviews of the book in this episode, so watch out for them in our Christmassy Bonus Episode coming soon. Then it's onto book 53, The Frumious Bandersnatch.
Fare Thee Well.

 

Ed McBain's Money Money Money - Book 51: Harmless Corruption

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

It's 2001 and, shortly before everything changed, McBain publishes his 51st novel in the series, which takes in drugs, money and international terrorism. It's strange to read back this story which feels so relevant to the period. A dense tome, populated by assassins, burglars, the secret service and much, much more - we try our best to tackle everything that goes on in this story.

Paul also offers up some info on another attempt to make the 87th Precinct into a TV series and we look at some contemporary reviews. Pop along for the bonus episode soon, then we'll be back with 2002's FAT OLLIE'S BOOK.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's The Last Dance - Book 50: Rotor Quota

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast

It's the 21st century and Ed McBain has just released the 50th book in the 87th Precinct series. It's The Last Dance and we're back to the theatre again for a tangled tale of drugs, murders, intellectual property rights and homonyms.

Is it a worthy celebration for the 50th tale or a mess of bits and pieces? Find out what we think here. As usual our bonus episode looking at the year in more context will be along soon.

Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain'sThe Big Bad City - Book 49: Tired Snakes Painted Yellow

 Hark! It's the 87th Precinct Podcast!

We're back, after a slightly longer than usual break, with a look at the 49th book of the series - the last of the Twentieth Century - The Big Bad City. Otherwise known as Nuns and Cookies? We speculate on the relevance of the title, McBain's approach to writing about popular music as well as looking what the author was up to and what was going on in the world in 1999.

Join us soon for the bonus episode, then it's onto the year 2000 and book number 50 - THE LAST DANCE! Thanks for listening.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Nocturne - Book 48, Bonus: Much Scenery Was Chewed

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode.

This is the bonus material for our examination of 1997's 'Nocturne'. We look at an increasingly poor selection of book cover designs and then dig into what was in the cinema, on television and in the charts in the year it was released. As usual we then offer up our picks from the period as well.

See you soon for book 49 - The Big Bad City.

Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Nocturne - Book 48: The Essence Of A Big Hat

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

McBain returns, after a break from the series in 1996 for reasons we outline, to bring us this tale of terrible things happening at nighttime. This is a dense book with stories that are in turns tragic, comic, graphic and upsetting.

This is our first podcast 'together' since the pandemic hit and we're a little giddy with excitement, especially when Stevo gets hold of the 1997 TV Guide containing the story 'Reruns' (see our last extra episode!) and then Paul gives us a round-up of everything going on in McBain/Hunter's life during this period.

We'll return soon with our bonus episode, then it's onto book 49 - The Big Bad City.

Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Reruns - Minipod: Something Fall Guy

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast mini-episode.

This is a little bonus for you all whilst we're still getting sorted ready to tackle Nocturne, the next 'main' book in the series. It gives me an opportunity to tell you all about the TV Guide exclusive 87th Precinct story Reruns. Meyer and Carella are dealing with a burglary at an actor's apartment. Who are all these people taking his stuff to the pawn-shops?

I also answer a listener question all about Ed McBain's working habits - where and when did he write? If you'd like to ask us something please use 'Hark87Podcast' on most social things or email us.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Romance - Book 47: A Pudding That Can Change Colour

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast. We've reached 1995. McBain has reached the 47th book in his long running series and he's decided that it's theatre-land's turn for a mystery. There's a lot more autobiographical and bibliographical referencing in this book than you might know and we lay out the author's own history with the stage as well as trying to get to grips with this play-within-a-book murder mystery. Join us soon for our bonus episode and then onwards, to 1997, and book 48, Nocturne. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Mischief - Book 45: Worse Than Dutch Ghosts?

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast!

The year is 1993 and after last year's pretty straightforward offering (Kiss), Mr McBain brings us the exact opposite! Lots of story threads! Loads of cops! Hardly any Steve Carella! And.... THE DEAF MAN IS BACK.

Join us as we try and untangle this dense mix of torment, abandoment, murder, riots and music. Keep listening to hear extracts from contemporary reviews of the book and McBain's answers to a questionnaire from the period.

We'll be back soon with the bonus episode then we skip the christmas book (see our December episode!) and jump straight to book 47 - Romance.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Kiss - Book 44: No Disrespect To Walter Matthau

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

We've reached book 44 and the year 1992 and McBain's offering for the year is KISS. Courtroom drama, a triangle of distrust and betrayal and a few digs at the real world. Is McBain back to his best with Kiss? Find out what we think in this episode!

We also look at a whole bunch of other Hunter/McBain/Pseudonymous projects that emerge in 1992 and make fun of Dan Quayle along the way.

Join us soon for our bonus episode and then after that we'll be back with MISCHIEF. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Widows - Book 43: What An Awful Day

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

Happy new year everyone. Join us on our January adventure through the 43rd book in McBain's series - the multi-crimed Widows. Bodies are piling up all over the city and Carella's family life is changed forever.

We take our usual look through some significant events of 1991 and then pick apart this somewhat schizophrenic novel. Spoilers ahoy, as always.

Thanks for listening and we'll see you again for the bonus episode and 'Kiss' soon.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Poison - Book 38: Richie Benaud Blazer

 Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

We've arrived into 1987 - a year in which two 87th Precinct books appear - so we spend some of this episode explore McBain/Hunter's activities in 1986 to get us up to date. Then it's time to get stuck into Poison - a remarkable and quite harrowing character study - but is it genuine 87th Precinct material?

Paul also fills everyone in on the hidden true story in Evan Hunter's 1966 novel The Paper Dragon as well.

See you soon for the bonus episode and then the next book - Tricks. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Eight Black Horses - Book 38, Bonus: Very Fretless Bass

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode.

Following our run-down of the Deaf Man's schemes in our main episode, we turn our attention to the designs of the original UK/US releases and Paul introduces a new fifth design into the scheme! Then prepare yourself for some epic book-huffing before settling into the 1985 nostalgia fest of music, movies, television and our personal picks from the year.

Thanks for joining us for these lockdown episodes. Hopefully we'll be face-to-face again before too long. Next book: Poison.

Fare Thee Well!

Ed McBain's Eight Black Horses - Book 38: Professor Hair

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast. We're in 1985 and who better to come along to mark the halfway point of the decade but the 87th Precinct's nemesis, The Deaf Man? Making his fourth appearance in the series, he returns full of schemes and anger. How will the boys from Grover Avenue cope this time?

Along the way we discuss some key cultural, political and technological points from 1985. Paul offers his 'McCartney' theory for the book and we look at some contemporary reviews of the novel as well. As always, we appreciate any ratings, reviews or shares of the episode you can give us.

Next up is book 39 - Poison. Until then, fare thee well.

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

This episode is all about the 37th book in the series - a brutal and dark tale of serial criminals. We discuss if this is McBain at his most difficult - violence against women, issues of race and much more. Along the way, we also discuss where Evan Hunter was in his career, including some of his notable failures (published and otherwise) and look again at his disgust at the success of Hill Street Blues.

We'll be back soon with our look at the original publication designs, our editions and more 1984 context in our bonus episode.

Fare thee well.

Hark! Bonus Interview with Erin MacDonald

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast special edition.

Joining Paul for this interview is author and professor of English, Erin MacDonald. Erin wrote the essential guide to Evan Hunter's many works, "Ed McBain/Evan Hunter - A Literary Companion", which was published in 2012, and has just completed her new companion piece to the works of Ian Rankin, "Ian Rankin - A Companion to the Mystery Fiction", both available from McFarland.

We've been trying to get hold of Erin for a while, so we're thrilled to have had a chance to chat to her about her books and her research process and some of the things that Rankin and McBain have in common. Hope you enjoy this. Find Erin's books in physical and digital format where you'd normally go (but support indie booksellers where possible!) and you can find Erin's own website here.

Fare thee well.