Ed McBain's Give The Boys A Great Big Hand - Episode 11, Bonus: The Incredible Malcolm Hulke

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Bonus Episode!

And what a bonus episode it is! After discussing our copies of the 87th Precinct book, with Paul demonstrating his inability to grasp the relative costs of pre-decimal currency, we get down to some important business.

Imagine a world where Roger Moore appears as himself in a children's crime-fighting story-book written by Doctor Who writer Malcolm Hulke, all set in or around an African Embassy and the BBC in 1977... now, STOP IMAGINING and listen to our reactions as we discuss "The Siege" - the first entry in the Roger Moore and The Crimefighters series! A book that almost defies description!

Listen out in the background for mysterious Mic-stand-spring noises (sorry) and contemplate why George Lazenby never organised children into an impromptu militia.

See you in the New Year for probably more discussion back on the topic of Ed McBain and "The Heckler". Merry Christmas!

Unusual Editions Spotted In The Wild

There's certainly a few seemingly anomalous editions of McBain books knocking about - some strange combos of 87th Precinct novels from different eras in one volume, for instance. Today I stumbled upon the following hardback:

This is the rather bizarre combination of a 1987's "Puss In Boots" - not an 87th Precinct mystery, but the seventh of the Matthew Hope novels (Hope, McBain's Florida-based lawyer does come into contact with the 87th Precinct in his final outing, The Last Best Hope in '98.) - and 1958's "Lady Killer" which we reviewed on this podcast. 

The cover of this hardback, published in 1988 by Guild Publishing, is certainly of its time - nice stark, nearly neon, lettering and a cover that probably has some resemblance to the plot of the Matthew Hope novel, but not at all to the 87th Precinct story. 

If you're desperate to experience this dual-book curiosity yourself, then I spotted it the British Heart Foundation charity shop on Bold Street, Liverpool. Don't all rush at once.