Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The 87th Precinct

Looking for something to read the other day, I went to the bookshelf and pulled out a copy of "Cop Hater" by Ed McBain. This book was written in 1956 by novelist Evan Hunter using the McBain nom de plume. This book would be the first in a series of over 50 87th Precinct novels that McBain wrote until his death in 2005. McBain and his 87th Precinct has been given credit as the genesis of what we now call the "police proceedural" genre of mystery fiction, and while Steven Bocchco will never admit it, the TV series "Hill Street Blues" owes an enormous debt to the characters, tone, and plotting of the 87th Precinct stories.

I believe that I have read all of these books over the years. They are terrific reading, and can be enjoyed in re-readings, as I proved this past weekend, again and again. Pick up a copy of any 87th Precinct novel. You will quickly get to know the Detectives Steve Carella, Bert Kling, Meyer Meyer and the others, and you will be hooked. Guaranteed!

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