The Investigators [Hardcover]

W. E. B. Griffin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

An exciting g new adventure in W.E.B. Griffin's bestselling saga of the Philadelphia police force. Circumstances force Special Operations detective Matt Payne and his colleagues into the middle of two major cases simultaneously. With the commission of a brutal crime, an ongoing investigation into a squad of dirty cops suddenly turns ugly, and Payne must track down a key piece of evidence before things become even worse. He soon comes to realize that it may take all of his skills not only to prevail--but to survive.

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

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Book 7 of Griffin's "Badge of Honor" series continues the saga of the Philadelphia Police Department, focusing once again on the Special Operations unit. Detective Matt Payne is sent to Harrisburg to gather evidence against a narcotics unit that is suspected of stealing from the very people whom they have arrested. Payne is also working with the FBI in its attempt to locate several terrorists who, in 1968, blew up a scientific laboratory, killing 11 people. While walking in the footsteps of law-enforcement officers, Griffin gives a clear picture of what it is like to be a police officer, how police officers think, how politicians bring pressure to bear on their actions, and how the justice system works. Everything Griffin writes immediately goes on the best sellers lists, mainly because he tells such richly detailed stories using a huge, engaging cast of characters who by this time will have become old friends to many readers?and this book is no exception.?Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

The latest installment--and first hardcover--in the prodigious Griffin's Badge of Honor series on detectives in the Philadelphia police force. As in his several successful series on soldiers (including The Last Heroes, Vol. I of Men in War, 1997, and Line of Fire, Book V of The Corps, 1992), Griffin is particularly deft at catching the hierarchies of all-male societies, and the ways in which men school themselves for action. His protagonist here, Special Operations detective Matt Payne, shares with Griffin's other heroes an appetite for testing himself, a knack for getting into very dangerous situations, and a willingness to meet violence with violence. In this case, Payne is up against both a group of corrupt and lethal cops and a cabal of urban terrorists. Don't expect George V. Higgins, or even Christopher Newman here--while Griffin endows his Philadelphia setting with a terse authenticity, and his characters are distinct, if not remarkable, you won't find realistic chat, deep plumbings of character, or a detailed portrait of police politics. What you will find is a shrewdly paced plot, sharp, vivid action, and a rather mordant view of human nature. Not deep, but lively. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: G K Hall & Co (September 1998)
• ISBN-10: 9998331331
• ISBN-13: 978-9998331334
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,433,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

W.E.B. Griffin is the author of more than thirty epic novels in five series, all of which have been listed on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and other best-seller lists. More than forty million of his books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian. Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counter-intelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary. In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White. On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Mr. Griffin is a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, and the Armor Association. He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City. He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation's first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association; the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association; the Marine Raiders Association; and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. He is the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D'Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. Mr. Griffin's novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their "fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes." "Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books," Mr. Griffin says. Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars all of the men in blue, March 13, 2000

By 

J.F.Baker (Dayton,Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Investigators (Badge of Honor No. 7) (Mass Market Paperback)

as a retired deputy sheriff I found the "books" well written and i look forwared for more of the same in my opinion WEBs books are great

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars decent story, but not as good as some of the others, December 22, 1999

By 

J. K. Kelley "literary mercenary" (Eastern WA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Investigators (Badge of Honor No. 7) (Mass Market Paperback)

Griffin's books always have a good deal of excitement, and so does _The Investigators_. However, this one begins to strain credibility in some ways. Just when we think Matt Payne (supposedly a very, very intelligent man) can't possibly do anything dumber, he does just that. Is the Philadelphia Police Department really so paternalistic that such an officer would remain on the force despite seven bookfuls of bungling? I sure hope not.

The strength of the book, and the series, is some of the characters. The toady Czernich (or however Griffin has elected to spell his name this book; he never spells it the same way twice), the protective Lowenstein, the genteel Savarese, and the fiery Carlucci are always entertaining. Peter Wohl strains credibility a little but is an interesting fellow.

Recommended but could have been better.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fast-paced police procedural, July 31, 1999

By 

David Hart Nelson ([e-mail]) (charlottesville, virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Investigators: A Badge of Honor Novel (Paperback)

It is difficult for lovers of police procedurals to go wrong with The Investigators or indeed with any of the titles in W.E.B. Griffin's fast-paced Badge of Honor series. A college professor friend of the reviewer had not only recommended the series but had given him copies of nearly all of them. They sat unread on his shelf for a few years. One day on a whim he picked one up, started to read, and could not put it down. Once finished, he immediately went on to the next. Within a short time, he had finished the Investigators, the lastest in the series. Now he cannot wait for the next in the lineup to appear in his bookstore! The books are set in the Philadelphia of the 1970s and build on each other. Indeed, the typical book in the series will pick up only weeks or months after its predecessor left off. One weakness in this approach is that a not insignificant portion of each book recounts events in earlier works. This recap is necessary to bring first-time readers of a particular book up to speed; however, it does get repetitive as the same events reappear in book after book. The best approach is to read the series in order. Griffin's characterizations, while not deep, are deft. He seems to favor policemen who do not look like policeman, like Detective Matt Payne and Inspector Peter Wohl. Indeed, the concept of an upper-class WASP (or WASP-like) male working as a policeman is irresistable to Griffin. Griffin's plots are well-constructed; he usually has a number of story lines interwoven in a single book, and many continue on into the next book in the series (another reason for reading them in order). One problem is that Griffin tends to let his plots run on til the end of the book, and then to resolve them abruptly in the last page or two. It's as if he can't decide how to wrap things up and then washes his hands of the matter with an excess of brevity. The series concept is excellent; we enjoy seeing our old friends return in a new book. One problem is that Griffin sometimes has trouble keeping his facts straight. Matt Payne, for example, is sometimes described as a cum laude graduate of Penn; sometimes, he graduated summa cum laude. Chief Inspecter Dennis V. Coughlin, as another example, is usually described as a life-long bachelor who suffers from unrequited love for Matt Payne's mother. In one of the books, however, he announces that "I'll have to check that out with the wife!" These examples, although not overly common, could be multiplied. Griffin, who seems to be a bit of a recluse or at least an intensely private person, could use a fact-checker! These caveats aside, Griffin has put together a fine series which one hopes the 70-year old author will be able to supplement substantially over the years. The reviewer has read all of them twice; they are that compelling. For readers interested in police procedurals, adventure stories, urban grit, and simple narrative excellence, The Investigators (along with the entire Badge of Honor series), is a must read.