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 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 Heat - Book 35, Bonus: No Context Midriff

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

1981. An alcoholic cop steps out of his car. He's reached the island. The place he could make a difference. He pulls his brown leather jacket close about him. Jim Bergerac has arrived.

In this episode we revel in our usual book cover review and huffing, the music, films and TV of 1981 and offer up our own personal choices of records and movies from the year for you. Stevo is called away on an urgent errand and a listener question inspires a interesting thought - can you create a jukebox to accompany the books, year by year?

We'll be back soon for book 36, ICE. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Ghosts - Book 34: AWOL In The Bush

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

This is the podcast all about 1980's spooktacular story, Ghosts. Has McBain gone mad or is he just showing off to Stephen King? Find out as we follow along as Carella hooks up with a Medium whilst investigating two deaths at an apartment block. Poor old Steve is about to have one of the weirdest Christmases ever.

This is our first podcast recording done 'remotely' and we hope it sounds okay. Learned a few lessons whilst doing it, but at least we know we can keep bringing you this stuff in this tricky time. We really hope you're all well and don't forget you can always get in touch with us via FB, Twitter, Instagram or Email.

See you soon for the bonus episode and then the next book in the series, HEAT.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Calypso - Book 33: Approved By Horse

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast.

Book 33 in the sage takes up to the end of the 1970s. It's 1979 and Calypso singer King George Chadderton has been shot. So has his manager. And a wannabe singer. And a Locksmith. And things aren't looking too good for that dog either. Gulp. Carella and Meyer try to unravel this mystery across many precincts.

In this episode we have a look around the world of 1979, explore mythological influences on the story and Paul becomes crippled by incredulity at the concept of a Calypso album by someone you wouldn't expect. Join us in the bonus episode soon for book covers and more.

We'll be back soon with book number 34 - Ghosts. See you then and Fare Thee Well.

Mini-Pod: A Selection of Pseudonyms for Sal Lombino

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast Mini-pod.

To fill a gap in our main schedule, Paul presents this quick run-through of the various pseudonyms/name changes used by Evan Hunter throughout his life. This is based in part on some of the research currently being done for the proposed 87th Precinct book that's being worked on at the moment. Hope you find this little stop-gap interesting - let us know your thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or email us at Hark87Podcast@gmail.com.

Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Long Time No See - Book 32, Bonus: Dickens With Ferrets

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

This is our bonus episode for book 32 in the series, a tale of war-trauma, multiple slayings and a possibly rabid dog. As usual we begin with our look at the book covers of the original UK and US releases and our own editions, before getting stuck into some more charts and trivia from 1977.

We're also looking at a new way to carry on our 'Fantasy Casting' for an 87th Precinct TV series, so keep watching FB/Instagram/Twitter for news on that. Thanks everyone for contributing. Join us again soon for book 33 in the series, Calypso.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Long Time No See - Book 32: Tubes Up To The Moon

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

Welcome to 2020 everyone. Now that that's out of the way, let's go back to 1977 and the grim slayings of Blind people on the streets of Isola and beyond. It's a busy time for Carella as he looks after a seeing-eye dog, has to fend off flirtatious approaches and get to grips with Freudian interpretation of dreams as they relate to the Vietnam war. All in a days work, etc.

We look at some contemporary reviews, explore a little of the world in 1977 and speculate on why McBain seems obsessed with British references in this book. See you soon for the bonus episode and we'll back in 1979 with book 33 - Calypso. Visit us on Twitter, Instagram or Ko-Fi. Please review and share wherever you can. Fare thee well.

Side-pod: Find The Feathered Serpent - Reduckulous

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct side-pod!

Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for joining us again in 2020. To kick things off, whilst the regular team are still off on holiday, here's a special episode 'completing the set' of the early Evan Hunter juvenile fiction novels for the Winston Science Fiction range. It's the first of those stories, 1952's Find The Feathered Serpent - a tale of time machines, vikings and the hunt for a Mayan god.

Returning to discuss this book is author Garry Abbott (find his books here), Paul's brother. As you can probably hear on this episode, it was taped over Christmas. A long drive and a spot of Cava is the excuse for Paul's poorly-working-brain. Still, we dig into the implausibilities of this already implausible tale, identify a McBain-style of writing in gestation and also take a look at some British and US television and music from the time the book was published.

We'll be back soon with our main episodes and possibly some more bonus material to keep you ticking over. Thanks for staying on the McBain path with us. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Blood Relatives - Book 30, Bonus: Mad As A Hairbrush

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

As per usual, we follow up our main episode discussion (all about Blood Relatives) with our examination of the covers of the various original editions and the obligatory book-huffing test for our copies, before delving into the media of 1975 to provide context for the time in which the book was written. This time, we get quite silly. Marvel at Morgan's Alice Cooper enthusiasms, Gasp at Paul's impression of Oliver Reed and be wowed by Stevo's development of an entire new form of cinema!

We also look at the fantasy casting of Forensic specialist, Lt. Sam Grossman and for the next episode you need to start thinking about who you'll cast as Detective Bert Kling. Until then, Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Bread - Book 29, Bonus: Mid-70s Derek Nimmo

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

We follow up our main episode's discussion of the 29th Book in the series, Bread, with our usual examination of the various editions of the original publication (and Paul does some Show & Tell for this!) and then delve deeper into the music, television and films of 1974, including some serious discussion on how the policy of OPEC might have affected the career of Perry Como.

Lastly, we sift through examples of those folk who've portrayed Detective Meyer Meyer on screen and who we could get to play him in our Fantasy Casting 87th Precinct series. Thank you for all your suggestions! Next time, we'll cast everyone's favourite lab guy, Lieutenant Sam Grossman.

See you soon for Book 30 - BLOOD RELATIVES. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Hail To The Chief - Episode 28: Grotbags?

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast!

Here we are, still in 1973, but sat next to Ed McBain, examining his typewriter which surely took some beating as he punched out the text of his Nixon-hating Gang-Warfare Allegory, HAIL TO THE CHIEF. Join us as we spot the parallels (based on our rather limited knowledge of the politics of the US in the early 70s...) and discuss this most violent and unusual 87th Precinct novel.

Also: we're over half-way through the series! If you'd like to get us a present as a reward, then head to https://ko-fi.com/hark87podcast and buy us a digital coffee for $3. It'll help us with the costs of keeping going. Otherwise, please rate and review on your podcast app. We'd very much appreciate it. 

See you soon for the bonus episode and then for the podcast about book 29, BREAD. Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Let's Hear It For The Deaf Man - Episode 27: Weeping For Dusty-Bin

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast!

It's 1973 and The Deaf Man is back to taunt the cops of the 87th Precinct and to confirm his status as Steve Carella's nemesis. Join us for our discussion of this novel which takes in all three of the story threads, the relationship of the book to the film Fuzz, its place in Evan Hunter's work for the year and how it influences the lives of some of the characters to come. We explore some contemporary reviews of the book as well, with a mature and grown-up approach...

Remember to rate and review the podcast wherever you can and if you want to drop us a small donation, you can do so via www.ko-fi.com/hark87podcast - it doesn't cost us much to run the show, but every little helps. 

We'll see you soon for the bonus episode (book covers, quiz and who to cast as The Deaf Man) and then onwards for the second 87th Precinct book of 1973, Hail To The Chief. Fare Thee Well.

Hark! Solo-pod: Short Stories - Roger Lasagna?

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus stopgap, er, thing...

Just so you don't go mad waiting to hear Paul's dulcet tones again, here's a short episode that takes a quick trek around his bookshelves looking at collections of short-stories he loves and then an examination of Ed McBain/Evan Hunter's story collections in a little more detail. We appreciate it's taken a little longer than usual to get round to the next 87th Precinct book, so this is offered by way of a little stopgap.

Featured in this episode particularly are the books THE RETURN OF MR CAMPION, written by Margery Allingham and published by Agora Books - a fine collection and THE DIMENSION SCALES by Garry Abbott.

We'll see you soon for Let's Hear It For The Deaf Man.

Side-Pod - Rocket To Luna - Your Eyebrows Ran Away

IGNITION! It's an 87th Precinct Side-Pod.

Strap on your heavy metal space boots, take a sip from your feeding tube and hail that space taxi - we're launching into orbit and beyond in this special edition all about the Richard Marsten science-fiction book Rocket To Luna.

Another story in the Winston Science Fiction range (as with Danger: Dinosaurs), Rocket To Luna sees Marsten/Hunter speculate on what could happen on the first trip to the moon in the far off year of 1983, imagine what it would be like to be seventeen and in space and provide a stark warning about the hazards of poor riveting.

To discuss whether the story is riveting or not is returning guest, Garry Abbott, who earns his return visit by virtue of his own works as a writer of speculative fiction and sci-fi. Find Garry's author page here. Join us to hear all about this book, all about a particular film and discover why Paul wasn't allowed to go into space in the eighties himself. Until next time, Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here! - Episode 25, Bonus: Orange Orange Orange

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

Well, here we are with our usual look at the book covers of the original US and UK editions of this 1971 story, followed by the now-displaced exploration of the year (music, movies, politics, infrastructure) for the benefit of all of you who can't wait to hear people trying to guess which "Carry On..." movie came out, again. Find the photos of the covers and other stuff at our Instagram feed: www.instagram.com/hark87podcast

We then move into exploring options for who we might cast as Detective Arthur Brown in our fantasy 87th Precinct TV series - thanks for your suggestions everyone! Next time, you need to be having a think about who you'd cast as the unluckiest cop in the precinct, Detective Bob O'Brien (first appearance: Lady Killer - 1958, Last appearance: Hark! - 2004). Drop us your thoughts at www.twitter.com/hark87podcast or www.facebook.com/hark87podcast or email us! See you soon for Sadie When She Died.

Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Jigsaw - Episode 24: Lascivious Scares

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast.

Well, we've done it everyone - we've made it to the Seventies and the first book of that decade is JIGSAW - Detective Arthur Brown is on a quest to locate all the pieces of a sliced-up photograph and ends up with a pile of dead bodies along the way, as well as the loss of his trousers.

A tricky tale to read with modern eyes in parts, thrill to the amazing sound of three polite, liberal men stumbling around issues of race, sexuality and sex as expressed by McBain through the author's voice and the voice of the characters. There are big social issues at play and it's interesting to see how effective the book is/isn't at handling them from today's perspective.

Along the way we explore the stuff going on in 1970, the adaptations of the story (Hello Lt. Columbo!) and find out about some fantastic real-world 'easter eggs' McBain slipped into the book. Hope you enjoy this - bonus episode soon! Please RATE and REVIEW and SHARE wherever and whenever you can. 

See you soon for "Hail, Hail The Gang's All Here". Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Eighty Million Eyes - Episode 21: Full Hovercraft Details

Hark! It's the 87th Precinct Podcast.

Well, it's January 2019, but we want to drag you over the time-platters back to 1966 and the twenty-first entry into the 87th Precinct series, Eighty Million Eyes. The novel itself is made up of two intertwined 'novelettes' and we look at the publishing history of the stories in their original form and then explore some of the features that make up the published work. The on-screen death of a TV star sends Meyer and Carella into a Witness chasing frenzy and Kling is assigned guard duty.

Before we get going, we explore the media, music, sport and politics of '66, including a discussion of the Miranda/Escobedo cases which will definitely come to be relevant as the series continues. We share some listener thoughts on the story, explore contemporary reviews and generally get dreamy over air-cushion based transport systems.

We're now hosted by PODBEAN, but hopefully you shouldn't experience any interruption of service. We'll be back soon with the accompanying bonus episode for this story and then the next story in the sequence is 1968's FUZZ. Happy New Year and Fare Thee Well!

Hark! Bonus Interview - James Naughtie

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Extra Special Bonus Podcast!

We're delighted to be able to bring you this short extra episode, which features a discussion with radio presenter, James Naughtie, who is a well-known voice to millions in the UK, as presenter of the fantastic show, Bookclub, on BBC Radio 4 (also available as a podcast), the former presenter of the flagship morning news programme, Today, amongst other duties as a correspondent and contributor. He's also a writer himself, having written history and music books, as well as thriller stories. 

During the recent Liverpool Literary Festival, James was presenting an episode of Bookclub and hosting other talks, and having heard about his love for McBain in an article for the Radio Times, we contacted him and he kindly and enthusiastically agreed to meet up and have a chat. Paul went along with his trusty portable recorder and spoke to this broadcasting legend about his love for McBain, Wodehouse, Simenon and much more - this is a conversation about love for reading, love for the worlds authors can create and James also tells us about his own encounter with Evan Hunter. 

We hope you enjoy this. Please share, rate and review us - it all helps us to reach a wider audience and if you feel inclined to donate the price of a digital coffee towards the running of the show, you can do so at www.ko-fi-com/hark87podcast. Thanks for listening - see you soon for our next episode about Ed McBain's "DOLL". Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's He Who Hesitates - Episode 19, Bonus: A Bridge Glued To The Side Of His Head

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

We're back with our usual round of exploring the physical book - looking at the editions and covers of the versions we've got of Ed McBain's "He Who Hesitates", as well as the original releases. Stevo gives his usual olfactory assessment of the books and seems to become slightly obsessed with the notion of 'fonts'.

We answer a couple of listener questions here, in particular about other lesser-known authors we enjoy and, what with it being late October, give our Haunted House Halloween Recommendations! All these are listed on the blog as well. Thanks to everyone who got in touch - we love being able to respond, so please contact us through social media or via hark87podcast@gmail.com

We'll be back soon to enjoy the next 87th Precinct novel, Doll, with you, but we should have some super-special bonus stuff coming up soon as well. Fare thee well!