FFB: Nocturne by Ed McBain

This week's installment for Patti Abbott's Friday's "Forgotten" Books is part of a tribute to Ed McBain (1926-2005), the pen name of Salvatore Albert Lombino who later legally changed his name to Evan Hunter in 1952. The prolific output of McBain/Hunter included over 110 novels, which have sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide, as well as numerous short stories and collections and a few plays and screenplays. He was the first American author to receive the Diamond Dagger, the highest award given by the British Crime Writers Association. He was also a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and an Edgar Award recipient for his 2002 novel Money, Money, Money.  
 
His greatest success came with his 87th Precinct series, which began in 1956 with Cop Hater, made into a film in 1958. The series also served as the basis for a television show in the early 1960s, starring Robert Lansing, Gena Rowlands, Norman Fell, Ron Harper and Gregory Walcott. The 87th Precinct books are set in New York City (going under the alias of Isola in the books) and pioneered many of the elements of police procedurals today such as using multiple plot lines and viewpoints and an ensemble cast.

The synopsis for Nocturne, from 1997: In Isola, the hours between midnight and dawn are usually a quiet time. But for 87th Precinct detectives Carella and Hawes, the murder of an old woman makes the wee hours anything but peaceful — especially when they learn she was one of the greatest concert pianists of the century long vanished. Meanwhile 88th Precinct cop Fat Ollie Weeks has his own early morning nightmare: he's on the trail of three prep school boys and a crack dealer who spent the evening carving up a hooker.

This is a McBain procedural romp on one hand, with the usual cast of characters, as well as members of the 88th precinct chasing down the killers. There are the touches of whimsy, such as the recurring in-joke involving references to The Birds, "that movie that Alfred Hitchcock wrote," prompting corrections from Detective Steve Carella that "I don't think Hitchcock actually WROTE that..." (Ed McBain, as Evan Hunter, actually did write the screenplay for The Birds.) But there is also more explicit violence and graphic sexual language than is usual even in these gritty novels. Still, it's a good introduction to the 87th and McBain's procedural prowess.

Comments

[George Kelley]

I always like NOCTURNE. McBain was writing longer versions of the 87th Precinct novels and the stories became more complex.

[BV Lawson]

Indeed, George! Very glad Patti chose McGain for today's "themed" issue of FFB.

[Matt Paust]

I'd put off reading McB for decades after a false start so long ago I can't recall which 87th I read (or tried to read--it wasn't my cup of tea at the time). Thanks to Patti I'm back in the precinct. And thanks for this tip on Nocturne, BV.

[BV Lawson]

Hope you can find a McBain book that appeals to you, Matt. With luck, one of the books on Patti's FFB list today might fill the bill ...