Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode! In fact, it's the last ever bonus episode. And everything went fine, yessir, no technical hitches or anything (*nervously runs finger around collar, eyes darting about the room*). We explore as always the original UK and US covers of the books and those of our own editions and some international ve…

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 fa…

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…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode! This is the bonus for our show all about the 54th (of 55!) novel in the series, Hark! As usual we take a look at the cover designs for the book then settle back into the usual nonsense from the year of publication - in this case it's 2004. Prepare yourself for the Dave Mathews Band, Look and Read a…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. It's 2004 and we're finally examining the book that we named the podcast after... HARK! Our old frenemy, The Deaf Man, is back and this time his scheme is more baffling than ever. We dig into this, the penultimate entry in the canon. Nearly there, folks! We outline some of the events in 2004 and you can, of cour…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct bonus mini-episode. In 2003 the BBC ran a writing competition and amongst the eight 'famous' authors taking part was Mr McBain himself. After generating a short-story for the competition entrants to complete, the authors also wrote their own end to the tale and so we get an extra little slice of the 87th Precinct to enjo…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast Bonus episode! This is the bonus episode accompanying our look at The Frumious Bandersnatch. You know the drill by now... we look at the book cover designs from the States, the UK and around the world then dig into the music, film and TV of the period of the book's writing/publication. We've not got many more of …

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 Musica…

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 boo…

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 t…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. Having slogged through the grim world of 2001's terrorism, money laundering and drugs in the 51st book of the series, we retire to our safe space of the bonus episode to take a look at the book cover designs and then our usual run down of the charts, movies and television of the period. What were y…

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 m…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode. The year is 2000. The millenium has ticked over and we're still not flying in personal rockets to the moon. However, we have finished reading the 50th novel in McBain's series, The Last Dance. As usual we look at the book covers of the UK and US editions, as well as some other international version…

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 …

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast Bonus Episode. We've looked into the 49th novel of the series, The Big Bad City, in our main episode so now it's time for our usual examination of the book covers of the original editions in the US and UK, as well as some other overseas versions. Then it's time to trawl through the music, movies and television of…

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 a…

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. Se…

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 g…

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…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode. This is the bonus attached to our review of Book 47 - the theatrical whirlwind that is 'Romance'. As usual this episode takes in the original book cover designs in the UK and US with some international editions thrown in for good measure, before we did into the Movies, TV and Music of 1995 and offe…

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 tryi…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode. This is the bonus episode to accompany our look at 1993's Mischief. We take a look at the covers of the US and UK releases and also investigate an Italian and Japanese edition. Please smell along at home. Then it's into our round up of 1993 in music, film and television and our personal picks from …

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 …

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. Of course, we begin as usual with our look at the original US and UK book covers - and an international edition! Then we get stuck into a pretty self-indulgent look at 1992. We reach a watershed moment in the podcast, which Paul almost misses and then we talk about 'Gamesmaster' for too long. Join …

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/Pseudonymou…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. Following on from our look at 1991's Widows, we explore 1991 in general. Eyes on music, cinema and TV as usual. We also spoil the ending of 'The Brittas Empire', so you've been warned. Of course we have our usual look at the original designs of the book covers and check out the editions we're readi…

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 schiz…

Ho Ho Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Christmas party episode! Whilst we're counting it as an official entry in the 87th Precinct books canon (book number 46), the Christmas miniature story And All Through The House is offered here out of sequence as our Christmas treat to you. We take a moment away from stuffing our faces with Turkey, Pigs in Blankets…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode. Following on from our main episode's examination of the satantic tale, Vespers, we explore the covers of the editions as they were originally issued in the US and UK - worthy of note now editions on both sides of the pond are coming from new publishers. Then, of course, we dig into 1990. A new deca…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. We enter a new decade and McBain begins it in dark, despairing mode, with the story of a murdered priest, drugs, hitmen and recollections of confessions. We learn all about the folk to whom the book is dedicated, explore what was going on in McBain/Hunter's life in 1990 and look at some contemporary reviews of t…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. This is the accompanying thingy for our main episode all about 1989's Lullaby - murder, guns and therapy. Such larks. We begin by looking at the original releases of the book in the US and the UK, which is of interest as we see new publishers arrive and old publishers producing their last editions,…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. 1988 was untroubled by any McBain 87th Precinct books, so we're now in 1989 with the 41st entry into the series with Lullaby. Domestic murders, burglaries, city-wide drugs and gang warfare and therapists. It's all here. As usual, we mention a few key 1989 landmark moments and there's plenty going on in the life …

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. Seen as we looked at 1986 in the last episode, we're catching back up to 1987 this time with a look at the TV, Music and Films that were around - including our personal picks from the year. Paul also reveals a family story about Dudley Moore! We open with our usual look at the book covers from the …

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. It's the second of the books in the series to come out in 1987 and this time McBain has firmly targeted the Halloween market with the 40th entry in the series. We try and unpack this bumper book of Halloween horrors - which is a new read for two of us. Also, listen out for a cameo appearance from Stevo's cats. P…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast Bonus Episode. So, here's to Golden Days and Purple Nights! In this bonus we explore the origins of this phrase (let us know if you know anything about it) before we get into our usual book cover exploration, book-huffing and general tomfoolery. Although Poison came out in early 1987, we're still focusing on 1986…

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 …

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, m…

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, poli…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Bonus Episode. Following on from our discussion of the dark and difficult book 'Lightning' we take our usual gander at the original book cover designs and then get stuck straight into as much 1984 ephemera as you can shake a stick at. We've reached a point in the series publication year where we actually remember a lot o…

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…

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, "…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode. Join us as we dip nose-deep into our varying copies of McBain's 1983 epic, ICE as well as exploring the original book cover designs for the UK and US releases. Then we drift into our usual look at music, movies and TV and proffer some personal picks from the year. Apologies for minimal McBain conte…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast. So McBain took a year off in 1982, but in 1983 he returned to the precinct with Ice - a longer novel and one that is usually considered in the top tier of the series. Will we agree? It's a tale of murder, murder, murder, drugs and fraud (and murder). We catch up with the newly divorced Bert Kling and meet an old…

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 …

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast! And we begin with an apology - no backup recording means Paul's mic is terribly distorted. Sorry, but you're going to have to suffer the Dalek delivery in this episode. We're back in 1981 and what we posit is the start of a new 'season' of 87th Precinct adventures. It's hot. There's a corpse. There's betrayal. T…

Hark! It's a remote-recorded 87th Precinct Bonus Episode. Are you ready for the world's first ever round of remote-recorded book-huffing? Will Morgan's schnozz rise to the challenge? Will Paul manage to get through his intro without saying the word 'Ghoosts'? Will Stevo ever remember the name of that Roxy Music album? All these questions - and more…

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…

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Podcast bonus episode! Firstly - sorry, this goes on a bit and it also gets quite silly and pretty self-indulgent. What, a podcast self indulgent? Who'd have thought it, eh? However, we do explore the covers of the UK/US original editions of the 1979 novel CALYPSO and Stevo achieves a new world-huffing-speed record. Ther…

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…

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 f…