The Frumious Bandersnatch: A Novel of the 87th Precinct (87th Precinct Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "SHE CAME CRUISING downriver like the city personified, all bright lights and big bad music, banners and flags flying from bowsprits and railings, a hundred..." (more)
Key Phrases: vorpal blade, big bad city, vorpal sword, Tamar Valparaiso, Barney Loomis, Channel Four (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Amazingly, MWA Grand Master McBain remains as fresh and sharp-edged as ever in his 53rd 87th Precinct novel (after 2003's Fat Ollie's Book), which takes on the culture of celebrity. Bison Records' self-styled impresario Barney Loomis runs into a snag in his effort to catapult his newest performer, Tamar Valparaiso, to stardom. As Tamar is lip-synching the provocative video of her first album aboard a rented yacht, two men in Saddam Hussein and Yasir Arafat masks snatch her before a stunned audience. With his usual expert pacing, McBain alternates the action among a number of characters, including the kidnappers and Tamar; series stalwart Steve Carella, who must endure political maneuvering within a Joint Task Force of police bigwigs and FBI agents; and misogynist Ollie Weeks and his new amour, Det. Patricia Gomez. McBain injects enough humor to leaven the underlying tragedy-the fate of a vulnerable, talented young woman. Although it's soon obvious who's behind Tamar's kidnapping, we don't read McBain for surprising denouements but for his true-to-life dialogue, skill at defining characters and effortless transitions. The Lewis Carroll theme provides an extra level of enjoyment.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Tamar Valparaiso, would-be hip-hop diva, is poised on the precipice of stardom. Her new video is set for release, and her recording company has rented a yacht for a chic launch party. Tamar is performing a live version of her rape-fantasy video when two armed intruders snatch her and escape on a small speedboat. Steve Carella and Cotton Hawes of the 87th Precinct catch the call. There are dozens of eyewitnesses, but the kidnappers leave no trace. Even though kidnappings are usually the FBI's purview, Tamar's promoter coerces the feds into keeping Carella and Hawes on the case. Meanwhile, the kidnapping is replayed thousands of times on cable, and the talking heads debate the propriety of Tamar's video, in which a potential rape victim repels her attacker in a fantasy sequence. In 48 hours, Tamar has morphed from wanna-be to megastar in the wake of a potential tragedy. As Carella and Hawes track down the kidnappers, McBain--the godfather of the police procedural--skewers cable news, the music industry, FBI bureaucrats, the current presidential administration, and the Patriot Act. It's difficult to praise a single 87th Precinct novel as demonstrably better than the preceding 52, so let's just say the current case is always the best, but only until the next one. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; 1st THUS edition (September 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743476514
• ISBN-13: 978-0743476515
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #695,458 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #45 in

  Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( M ) > McBain, Ed

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frabjous, January 23, 2004

By	MR R D SMITH (Gloucestershire, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Frumious Bandersnatch: A Novel of the 87th Precinct (Hardcover)

The major plot elements have been discussed elsewhere, as have the wonderful characters. The seamless continuity with earlier (and expected) 87th-series novels has been mentioned too, although that doesn't matter so much, as this novel is very capable of standing on its own two feet. I shan't re-hash these points here. Everything is in place, as expected, as usual. This review, then, could legitimately be just an additional 931 adjectives, (there's a maximum 1,000 words in a review, darn it), describing how good this book is.
It's that good.
It's so beyond 'up to snuff' it's 'Class-A drug' level. So pure you could sit down and snort it. Beyond all the usual asides, funny references, 'in-jokes' and flat-out vicious ironies - the McBain-isms - it reflects the Lewis Carroll theme in ways which can't fail to make you hoot, including at one point some wonderful playful new 'Carrolls' all of its own.
It's rare.
Patricia Cornwell would chew off one of her own arms if it meant writing this well. Ever. No disrespect to her - who wouldn't?
Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars still the best, December 31, 2003

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Frumious Bandersnatch: A Novel of the 87th Precinct (Hardcover)

Bison Records' Barney Loomis sets up a special event on a yacht to launch his latest find Tamar Valparaiso to stardom. Tamar lip-synchs her debut CD Bandersnatch aboard the rented River Princess with the media along. All seems well as the vessel sails along the river until Hussein and Arafat abduct the star. The media and the police wonder if perhaps Barney set up the ploy as a publicity stunt, but he insists that he did not and displays much anger.

87th Precinct Detective Steve Carella begins investigating, but almost immediately has to deal with an FBI led joint task force consisting of every bigwig wanting publicity in the nearby universe. The kidnappers demand a ransom to return the future superstar while the Feds try to keep Steve off their Squad. However, Barney demands Steve and the locals remain active as he believes they have a better chance of rescuing his diva because unlike the Squad they are not concerned about looking good in the media.

It has been five decades with over fifty novels, yet the 87th Precinct books are always among the best police procedurals on the market. The latest tale is superb with a delightful and cleverly conceived investigation at its center. However, that is lightened by Fat Ollie's dating and homage to Lewis Carroll. Alice and her Looking Glass company provide a wonderful foundation to the relationships within the task force and within the three kidnappers (one more in a Bush mask) and their victim as well as between the two groups. Even the Queen of Hearts knows that Ed McBain is the best and he proves that once more with the fabulous FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars, really, March 9, 2005

By	RMurray847 "afilmcritic.com" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm a HUGE fan of Ed McBain. I've been reading the 87th precinct books since around 1978, and they were already venerable then. Now, over 25 years later, he's still at it...and the amazing thing is that the books are as enjoyable as ever.

Settling into an 87th precinct novel is such a treat for a fan like me. Familiar characters who are always adding new dimensions to their characters. Nothing too overwhelming, just little nuggets. Plots that are extremely swiftly paced and detective work that very convincingly shows how the case is "solved." A nice mixture of the grinding footwork of a TV show like Law & Order, the forensics work of CSI and just a dash of good old-fashioned brain power, a la Sherlock Holmes.

But to me, the best part has always been the talking. You can burn through a McBain because the dialogue is swift, crisp, believable and it FLOWS. Whether a tense interview between cop and suspect, silly banter between cops or charged smalltalk between lovers (or prospective lovers), McBain does it all with an ease that, frankly, no other writer I've encountered comes close to. (Gregory MacDonald of FLETCH fame is the closest in my book, but all his dialogue, while furiously paced, is heavily tinged with irony or downright sarcasm.) McBain handles all tones.

We expect (and get) all these elements with ALL 87th precinct novels. Thus, a review of FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH in and of itself is almost pointless. The plot specifics of most of his books don't stick with us forever. This one might just a little longer, because it does have an ending that stings a bit. 30 years ago, McBain opened a book (don't remember which) with a long chapter of dialogue between a cop and a man he's trying to talk off a ledge. When the scene ends with the person abruptly leaping to their death, it's almost a slap. A slap of "yeah, that's reality, bucko, not a neat, tidy novel." McBain delivers similarly here.

I only reserve a half star because I'm a little hesitant to get on the Ollie Weeks bandwagon. As a minor character, he's always been great. I even didn't begrudge him a book more-or-less of his own (Fat Ollie's Book). But he's featured heavily again in this book...not sure I need so much Ollie. Two books in a row is too much. Carella and Hawes are heavily featured, too...but we hardly see any Kling or Meyer. That's the way McBain's books are, different characters take center stage from book to book. BUT I'm not totally thrilled to see Ollie with so much time in the spotlight.