Ed McBain's Ax - Episode 18: Drunken Bumdom

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast!

Careful with that ax(e), Eugene! Let's take a trip in the time-travelling toolshed back to 1964 and the 18th novel in the 87th Precinct police-procedural series by Ed McBain. The clear winner of the shortest-title-in-the-series competition - "Ax" - is a gruesome whodunnit, leading the cops of the Eight-Seven down blind-alleys and into dark-basements as they attempt to find out why poor old George Lasser ended up eating a faceful of chopper.

We open this episode with a little recap over what the essence of this book series is, as a recap and an initiation for new readers and listeners, before tackling our usual round of "What happened in this year?" in advance of our discussion, in an almost spoiler-free fashion, of the book. There's plenty of giggling at craps as well.

This week we feature a promo for our friends at Loaded Literature Podcast- check them out, and remember to use #lithappens on social media to find more literature and books podcasts.

A rating or review on iTunes is super-appreciated and super-useful for helping us reach new listeners or if you wish to contribute another way, we're rattling our digital donations cup over at ko-fi.com.

Join us soon for our bonus episode and then we're onto book 19 which is (wait for it...) "He Who Hesitates". Fare Thee Well!

Side-Pod - The Birds: Oh My Giddy Aunt *THWACK*

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Sidepod!

Join Paul and his special guest, Herbert West of the Doctor Who Podcast “Trial Of A Timelord”, as they discuss Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film “The Birds”.

In the late fifties and early sixties, Hitchcock and Evan Hunter crossed paths a few times in the course of the making of the TV series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents…” and this led to Hitch inviting Hunter to adapt the 1952 short story by Daphne Du Maurier into the screenplay for his next horror/thriller movie. The journey was not necessarily an easy one and we take a deep dive (from up in the sky – beak sharpened and pointed at your eyes) into what made this film a success, a failure or simply a cinematic curiosity, depending on your point of view (if you’ve got any eyes left after the dive-bombing).

Along the way we hear an interesting theory about how horror and police procedurals work, learn about the magical German device known as the Trautonium and find out what magpies get up to on the winter holidays.

If you want to know more about Hitch and Hunter’s relationship, Evan’s book “Me and Hitch” is a fascinating read, but we’ll put more on the blog about it for you to follow up!

Find “Trial Of A Timelord” on Twitter and Podbean – and why not start with the Paradise Towers episode, eh?

Fare thee well!