Detective [Paperback]

Parnell Hall (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Martin Albrect stumbles into his detective agency, babbling that he's about to be murdered, Stanley Hastings is incredulousuntil he reads the next day that Albrect has been brutally shot. Albrect has left behind a series of clues, and Hastings feels honor-bound to take the case. He soon deduces that Albrect was a drug runner who double-crossed some members of a cocaine-trafficking ring. Hastings's investigations lead him to New York's Lower East Side, Miami and East Hampton. It's almost an academic exercise for Hastings, until he discovers the killers are on his track. Hastings is a novel addition to the detective genrea down-on-his-luck writer, short-tempered and opinionated, who moonlights as a detective (as does the author) and who has more brains than brawn. There are some obvious flaws to this bookHastings sometimes indulges in diatribes that have disturbing racial overtonesbut on the whole, Hall's good ear for gritty dialogue and his ability to evoke New York's neighborhoods and people make an entertaining mystery.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Olmstead Press (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587541106
• ISBN-13: 978-1587541100
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,486,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Parnell Hall's music video, KING OF KINDLE, is on his Amazon author page! Cameos by Lawrence Block, Mary Higgins Clark, and dozens of other mystery writers. See how many you can spot. (Scroll down for video)

Parnell is the author of the Puzzle Lady crossword puzzle mysteries, set in the fictitious town of Bakerhaven, Connecticut. Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady, has a nationally syndicated crossword puzzle column, but couldn't construct a puzzle if her life depended on it. Her niece Sherry Carter writes the column for her. The much married Miss Felton is much happier solving crime. She made her debut in 1999 in A CLUE FOR THE PUZZLE LADY, and has since romped through LAST PUZZLE & TESTAMENT, PUZZLED TO DEATH, and A PUZZLE IN A PEAR TREE, WITH THIS PUZZLE, I THEE KILL, AND A PUZZLE TO DIE ON, and STALKING THE PUZZLE LADY. Cora is herself a suspect in YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN PUZZLED.

Though poor at words, Cora proves most adept at numbers in THE SUDOKU PUZZLE MURDERS. New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz constructed the sudoku puzzles that help solve the mystery. Sudoku puzzles also play a part in DEAD MAN'S PUZZLE, and THE PUZZLE LADY VS. THE SUDOKU LADY. Cora tackles a new number puzzle in THE KENKEN KILLINGS.

As research for the Puzzle Lady books, Parnell competed in the National Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut, where out of a field of 254 contestants he finished 250th, just ahead of the four people who failed to turn in a paper. Parnell composed the puzzles for his earlier books. He now has them created by New York Times constructor Manny Nosowsky, and edited by National Tournament winner Ellen Ripstein.

Parnell also writes the Stanley Hastings mystery novels, and the Steve Winslow courtroom dramas. His first novel, DETECTIVE, was nominated for an Edgar award by the Mystery Writers of America, and a Shamus award by the Private Eye Writers of America. His tenth Stanley Hastings novel, MOVIE, was nominated for a Shamus award for Best Private Eye Novel of 1995, and for a Lefty for the funniest mystery novel of 1995. Recently, Stanley and his wife Alice vacationed at a New England bed-and-breakfast in COZY, a takeoff on that subset of the genre; the book is full of recipes and the cat solves the crime. Stanley returned to the mean streets of Manhattan in MANSLAUGHTER, HITMAN, and CAPER. He has his first paranormal encounter in the short story DEATH OF A VAMPIRE, in the Charlaine Harris anthology, CRMIES BY MOONLIGHT.

Parnell worked for two years as a private detective in New York City. His experiences form the basis for his Stanley Hastings series. He has no courtroom experience, however, and owes his Steve Winslow series to a childhood spent reading Erle Stanley Gardner.

Parnell is an actor, who has done summer stock and regional theater, and appeared in a number of movies, including Arnold Schwarzenegger's first movie, Hercules in New York (in which he appeared clad in a leopard skin) and A New Leaf with Elaine May and Walter Matthau.

Parnell is a member of the Writers Guild of America East with several screenplays to his credit, including the underground horror movie C.H.U.D., which has been satirized on Saturday Night Live, the Simpsons, Pushing Daisies, The Dailey Show, and The Colbert Report.

Parnell's career as a professional songwriter began at the age of sixteen, when Pete Seeger sang The Literacy Test Song on the Folkways album, Gazette, Volume 2. Parnell has performed his songs at several mystery conventions, including the Edgar Awards, Magna Cum Murder, Malice Domestic, and the Bouchercon. This year he is performing The Ballad of Alferd Packard,
a song celebrating Denver's most famous cannibal, at the Left Coast Crime banquet.

Parnell Hall is a former President of the Private Eye Writers of America, and a member of Sisters in Crime. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good beginning, but... (3.5 stars, really), February 17, 2004

By 

Timothy P. Young (Rawlins, WY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Detective (Paperback)

I'll be quick. My first exposure to Parnell Hall was "Juror," an early novel in the Stanley Hastings series. I loved it and read as much as I could.

So eventually I found myself venturing back to the beginning, with Detective. I was disappointed, but not for the reasons you might think.

First off, it's good. Damn good. Stanley bursts out nearly full drawn, working for the ambulance-chasing attorney's office, dealing with family, and so on. He bumbles when he should, and comes through when he should. Good stuff, here.

No, my disappointment was a fan's disappointment: where are the familiar characters (only his boss and wife make first appearances here)? Why isn't he more worried? Where are the colorful descriptions of his clients, who invariably call him away from important moments?

Not here, that's where they are.

Truthfully, I felt the same way when I first read Fer De Lance, by Rex Stout (his intro to Nero Wolfe).

So here's the deal: if you want to start here, DO IT! It's good, with solid prose and compelling page-turners that will keep you with it until the last page. If you came in in the middle...you might be disappointed.

Still, it's great to know that such a great series started somewhere. I recently read that Hall is on his 15th Hastings mystery. Let's hope he makes it to 78, like Rex.

Happy chasing!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing Book, July 19, 2005

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Detective (Paperback)

When Martin Albrect stumbles into Stanley Hasting's PI office, he's looking for a bodyguard. Even after listening to Martin's story, Stanley turns him down. Stanley patiently explains that the sign on his door is a joke and he doesn't take cases like that. But when Stanley sees an article in the next day's paper about Martin's murder, he can't help but take the case, even if there is no client and it interferes with his regular job as an ambulance chaser.

Martin was involved in a drug ring, and Stanley must work his way inside to get the proof he needs. Of course, sneaking around on his wife and the villains is a recipe for disaster. And the more he pokes around, the more danger he creates for himself.

This book came highly recommended to me, so I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The middle half of the book was dead, with very little happening. In fact, we started hearing past stories about Stanley's job chasing ambulances to fill the time. On the other hand, the last 70 pages were tight and I couldn't put them down. My other problem shouldn't have come as a surprise to me. With descriptions like "seedy" and "gritty" on the cover, the language shouldn't have taken me back like it did. I realize this is a personal issue, but it did effect my enjoyment of the book as well.

I ventured outside my normal reading habits with this book, and was reminded of why I usually don't stray. While many people like it, this series is not for me.

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detective, by Parnell Hall, December 4, 2000

By 

Artur (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Detective (Paperback)

Movie Proposal

Date: 3 December 2000

To: Steven Spielberg

From: Artur Avetyan, Detective reader

Subject: A movie proposal for the Detective, by Parnell Hall

Proposal:

Detective by Parnell Hall is one of the best mystery books I have ever read. Detective is all about life. Its about a detective name Jack Stanley who works really hard to become a good detective. The events that take place in this book are often seen in our lives; like drugs and murders. Also by reading this book you will find out how hard and dangerous the lives of detective's are. This book should be made into a feature film because it is important for people to know what happens in their lives. People need to know what it takes to be a real detective. This movie will inspire people to try their best at their job to become the best. This movie will show what drug dealers go through to sell drugs, and it will also show what police and detectives go through to catch this drug dealers, who are trying to ruin our lives, and our kids.

I think this will be a great movie because it shows what happens to people when they become involved in drugs and gangs. Drugs and gangs are a major problem in our lives these days and I think when people watch this movie they will be more careful. Parents will also pay more attention to their kids. This movie if made into a movie wouldn't cost too much to make. The Police and the special detectives team would help out with the making of the film. It would also be a successful movie because people like action and real life movies, but most of all this will be a great inspiring movie. It will prove that if you want something or if you want to become someone, you have to work hard for it.