GRIEF STREET (Neil Hockaday Mystery) [Bargain Price] [Hardcover]

Thomas Adcock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1997

Self-exiled from NYPD camaraderie after lodging a brutality complaint against a fellow officer, Detective Neil Hockaday anticipates the birth of his first child and finds his family targeted by a determined killer."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Detective Neil Hockaday and his pregnant actress wife, Ruby, continue to live in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen despite its uncertain reputation and sometimes violence. When a mysterious "shadow" viciously murders a rabbi friend there, Hockaday begs to work the case; however, the related gunning down of several men in a religious procession leads the mayor to ask Neil to take charge. The text provides historical background on Hell's Kitchen, sinister otherworldly villains, and typical police department in-fighting and corruption. Solid work; of special interest to series fans (e.g., Drown All the Dogs, LJ 1/94).
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

With his drinking days behind him, his marriage to actress Ruby Flagg flourishing, and the excitement of a baby on the way, NYPD homicide detective Neil Hockaday is feeling better about the world and his place in it. That changes quickly when a young rabbi is brutally butchered in front of 14 horrified witnesses, none of whom can identify the assailant. Then Hock notices an eerie similarity between aspects of the murder and the plot of a play Ruby is reading by an anonymous author. Taking his clues from the play, Hock descends into an all-encompassing evil that stirs deep-seated fears in his Irish Catholic heart. Hock knows there are no bogeymen in the real world, but he also knows how the human mind can feed on pain and twist it into unspeakable cruelty. This sixth Hockaday novel follows the extraordinary journey of a man who is forced to test his faith in God, his partner, himself, and above all, the redemptive power of the human experience. Wes Lukowsky --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Pocket, NY (September 1, 1997)
• ISBN-10: 0671519867
• ASIN: B000H2MGHG
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,536,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable and believable, July 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: GRIEF STREET (Neil Hockaday Mystery) (Hardcover)

It is suddenly unsafe to be a religious figure in new York City.
A magnetic rabbi is murdered in front of fourteen witnesses. His skin
was literally ripped off him and the members of his congregation who
saw him die could only recall a rancid odor and a shadowy figure.
Detective Neil Hockaday, whose wife is expecting a child, is assigned
to investigate the brutal killing.

Before he can dig deep into the case, a group of Catholics are
shot, and a nun is raped and left for dead. As blood begins to spill,
Hock's spouse Ruby receives the script of a play, GRIEF STREET in which
Hell's Kitchen will be turned into a hell on earth. It is up to Hock
to uncover this anti-religion murderer before he turns the streets of
New York into the Red Sea.

One thing that can be certain about the Neil Hockaday novels is
that the books are always well written mysteries and the latest tale
amplifies Thomas Adcock's well deserved reputation. The switches
between the investigation and the short short discussions by evil
beings is a well done device that adds to the story line. Hock and
Ruby remain great personas and the support cast are clearly New York's
finest. GRIEF STREET is super writing by a super star writer.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another good work by Adcock., February 5, 2005

By 

Peter LaPrade (worcester ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GRIEF STREET (Neil Hockaday Mystery) (Hardcover)

The last book of the Hock series, "Grief Street", is a well-written thriller that ties up a few loose ends, and ends with hope restored to an area of Hell Kitchen. In this book, Hock tries to find a blaphamous killer, while dealing with some rogue "rapid" cops that hate Hock for telling on "King Kong" Kowalski. Kowalski himself finds that he finally has to come face to face with his demons. Finally, Hock finds the demented killer, and has a faceoff in a house with a bloody history, as an unexpected ally comes to his aid. Good finish.

5.0 out of 5 stars I credit this book for introducing me to the entire series., November 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: GRIEF STREET (Neil Hockaday Mystery) (Hardcover)

Grief Street and the entire Neil Hokaday series, is original, compelling and completely enjoyable. I can hardly wait for the next novel. Thomas Adcock manages to tackle tough subject matter with courage, humar and heart. After reading Grief Street, I could not rest until I had read the entire series. I am now a FAN of this writer.