Customer Reviews

Of Good And Evil

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Aviator/mariner Gann comes groundside for this account of a day with an unnamed police force, obviously San Francisco's, and is obviously out of his element. (Both of them.) This is a work of admiration rather than understanding, and one imagines that the cops who read it had a chuckle or two. A shame Gann did not spend some time talking with Ed McBain of the 87th Precinct series or, better yet, Joseph Wambaugh. He simply doesn't get the cop culture.
Today's reader should keep in mind that this book is coming up on 45 years old, so much of the police procedure it does include is long out-of-date. To my mind, the ending (nutcase restores a veteran cop's shattered courage) doesn't work. But if it isn't good cop lit., it is still good Gann, exquisite writing. Fans aloft and afloat should have a copy.