Ax (87th Precinct Mystery) (Paperback)

~ Ed McBain (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Steve Carella, Cotton Hawes, and the boys of the 87th Precinct know where, when, and how George Lasser died, but they don't have a clue as to who had "given him the ax." And when the mad marauder strikes again, it's time to take the ax to the grindstone. Reissue.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Signet (September 6, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451164075
• ISBN-13: 978-0451164070
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #805,563 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The 87th Precinct 87 Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Minor Entry in the Series, July 13, 1999

By	Marc Szeftel (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This is one of the shortest --- and one of the weaker --- books in the 87th Precinct series, which McBain has been writing since 1956 and is approaching 50 volumes. Generally McBain succeeds in creating a complex and intriguing mystery with minimal elements; but here he seems a little short of ideas. However, fans of the series will enjoy it; it's fast paced and engrossing, and by now most of us are so enamored of Hawes and Carella that we're not too particular about the details. Those who haven't tried McBain before should probably pick up "The Hecker", "The Con Man", or "Killer's Payoff" for a taste of the early 87th Precinct.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MCBAIN HAS DONE BETTER!!!!!, July 25, 2002

By	Mac Blair "Mac Blair" (Huntingdon, TN USA) - See all my reviews

I am trying to read these in order so this is the 18th one I have read. I think I gave all the others a five. A body is found with an axe sticking out of the mans head. Who would kill an 86 year old man? Steve Carella and Cotton Hawes are the main ones working on this case. They do the usual of asking questions but turn up nothing. Could it have been the man's son, who has not been out of their house in years, the man's wife, who is crazy as a loon? How about Allie the Shark Spedino, who is brought in for questioning? Then a cop is killed, that makes a big difference in the case. Cotton and Carella cannot turn up anything to solve the mystery, then, and this is why I gave it a four, the murderer is handed to them on a platter. I like the 87th Precinct series very much and will continue to read them, however, wish this could have been solved by them and not handed to them. A quick read, will hold your attention, and if you are into McBain you will like it enough to read it.

3.0 out of 5 stars Slightly disappointing, February 22, 2001

By	Larry Eischen (Joliet, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Fans read McBain for the thrill of the procedural and the interaction of the boys from the 87th. Here, we get the procedural details and the killer's identity is worthy of Christie, but no fun with Meyer, Byrnes, Brown et al. Even homicide bureau staples Monaghan and Monroe are on vacation. Instead of the usual mix of crimes, we get a straight murder mystery involving only Steve Carella and Cotton Hawes with only one line given to Meyer in the whole book. The rest of the boys are forgotten. The killer is found when Carella is called to the scene and when he sees an axe involved in the new assault realizes "Hey! This is the killer!" A bit of a letdown from McBain.