Customer Reviews

Ten Plus One (87th Precinct Mystery)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ten Plus One by Ed McBain is a competently written police procedural, slightly above average in quality when compared to other books within the same genre. Detectives Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer of the 87th precinct are called upon to find a serial sniper who has been terrorizing the city. McBain has populated this book with an exceptionally large number of diverse characters. Some are believable while others are unidimensional stereotypes lacking authenticity. The plotting is workmanlike with an ample number of false leads designed to misdirect the reader before the identity of the killer is revealed in the final chapter. Above average but falls short of the threshold for a 4 star rating.

This 1963 book is set in an imaginary city that resembles Manhattan. One afternoon a man stepped into the sidewalk then was shot and killed by a sniper. Detective Steve Carella is assigned the job of investigating this crime. The next day there is another sniper killing. A few days later there are more victims, same methods. The search continues, more victims are shot. Then the daughter of one of the victims brings in some old documents that connect the victims to the college they attended over 20 years ago. Finally the sniper is caught. [I guessed at Chapter 16.]

This is a fast-paced interesting story. It points out the effect of a shot from a higher point: the exit wound would be lower than the entrance wound. An important fact for 1963 and afterwards. The story about a college party circa 1940 would be relevant for those times and today. This motivation seems weak, as if created for this story. [Did the author study dramatics in college?] One interesting point was the ease of transporting a rifle around New York city in a taxi. This book provides examples of police procedures in handling suspects.

For all the usual reasons I love to read the 87th Precinct stories, this one had more of the same. A case that really isn't solved until the end, without giving away too much of anything. Some surprises that turn out to be key parts to the story. In the case of this story, it is not discovering that the list of victims were the performers of a long-forgotten college play. Plus, the usual banter between the Precinct's detectives like Carrell and Meyer Meyer is excellent. What more can I say? Excellent story as usual.

McBain does a competent job of writing crime thrillers, so this is a safe book to buy to kill a few hours with some decent reading.

I think he really shines at injecting bits of humor into the story line, moreso than any other writer that I've read in the genre (eg compared to Grisham). (At least I get 3 or 4 really good laughs out of each book, so I think the humor is funny; you might not...)

It is amazing that after more than 40 years of writing, Ed McBain can still be fresh in the series. This book is no exception. I can only hope I can expand my collection. Carella and the boys rock.

I have just discovered Ed Mc Bain and I think he is a great American writer. This book is a masterpiece and one of the best murder novels I ever read (as good as Ellroy's novels). Now I am going to read the whole The 87th Precinct Series by Ed Mc Bain!!!!!!!

The first "Eighty-Seventh Precinct" novel was written in 1956, "Ten Plus One" is the seventeenth and was written in 1963. I would say that it is probably the best up to this time. The novel is well paced and the idea behind the murders is slowly reveals liked the pealing of an artichoke. McBain slowly leads us to the killer, who based on earlier information should have been one of the group but turns out to be some one else.

We know after the fourth murder that these victims had to have had something in common at sometime in their lives, and McBain brings in that clue in an unusual way. The killer and the reasoning behind the killings is well disguise until the last thirty pages of the book. All in all it is a great job.

Another good one by Ed McBain. A sniper is killing people wtih a high powered rifle. First three men, then a woman, then four more men. What do they have in common, or are they connected? Steve Carella and Myer Myer are determined to find out. They are finally connected to a play they were all in while in college, many years ago. What about a play would make someone want to kill so many people? As usual Carella and Myer plod along, asking questiond and pushing people untill it all come together. Excellent police work. It is a pleasure to read. It will hold your attention. Is a short book and makes for a quick read.