Legends of Winter Hill: Cops, Con Men, and Joe McCain, the Last Real Detective (Hardcover)

by Jay Atkinson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Bestselling author Atkinson (Ice Time) has produced an unhappy blend of hagiography and true-crime reporting as he presents the story of Joe McCain, a classic old school Boston detective, as well as Atkinson's own experiences tagging along as a private eye with the firm McCain founded. Clichés and labored writing frequently distract from the narrative and impart a false urgency to a fairly run-of-the-mill story ("It's 4:00 A.M. and as black as a dirty cop's soul..."; "Our sandwiches arrive, the blunt, aromatic bread sliced into triangles..."). McCain certainly comes across as a dedicated cop, open to bending rules and risking his life and professional reputation in the cause of truth and justice, but the subtitle's hyperbole will probably be viewed as insulting by the many dedicated professionals still serving the public throughout the country's police departments. The pedestrian cases Atkinson describes will add little to most readers' knowledge; those interested in thoughtful ruminations about what being a private investigator involves would be better served by tracking down a copy of Josiah Thompson's Gumshoe. Gratuitous literary references fit awkwardly with gritty descriptions of street brawls and mob hits, and leave the impression that the author—whose knowledge of McCain is all secondhand—found himself with less material, and less material of significance, than he had anticipated.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Atkinson immerses readers in the world of Boston-area mobsters via the career of the late detective Joe McCain, one of Beantown's most decorated police officers. From 1959 to 1988, when a drug dealer shot and severely injured him, McCain was on the force of the Metropolitan District Commission, a since-dissolved entity whose multijurisdictional purview allows McCain's story to travel the breadth of the metropolis. Its geographical base, however, is the suburb of Somerville, the hometown of McCain and his son, Joe Jr., also a police officer. McCain's forte was handling informants, and the adventures of one named "Black Jimmy" furnish many hair-raising war stories. McCain also crossed the so-called blue line to testify against bad cops, earning him enmity that, according to Atkinson, might underlie the bad blood Joe Jr. has encountered in his career. In a Plimpton-like move, Atkinson also worked as private eye for the investigation firm McCain founded, and the author integrates gritty visual description of his gumshoe experience into his burly biography of a notable Boston cop. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Crown; First Edition/First Printing edition (March 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400050758
• ISBN-13: 978-1400050758
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #208,432 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Flavorful, fast-paced and entertaining, May 16, 2005

By	Book reader (Lawrence, MA) - See all my reviews

Okay, the title is a bit much. But I enjoyed this book tremendously. Some of the criticisms point to the elements I liked best. The routine cases, how they were approached, and the results were a revelation to someone who has no real idea of police work except what I've seen on "Cops" (constant action and crisis!). There was a new story on every page, and I wound up reading until 1 a.m. on a work day because I just couldn't help reading "one more page". The descriptions of the surroundings, the characters, the sounds and smells of the settings, conjured up a real sense of being there. I was fascinated by the character faults and virtues of the people in the book, as Atkinson tried to remain true to McCain's philosophy that most people aren't entirely good or bad. As a resident of the area, I finally understand the gang wars that were taking place when I was growing up (I remember the old Boston Record American newpaper with the crime scene photos splashed across the front). I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who lives in the Northeast, and to others who'd like a glimpse into how Boston politics are practiced in every profession!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Breath of Fresh Air, January 7, 2007

By	J.R. Smith "J.R. Smith" (Peabody, MA USA) - See all my reviews

I could not disagree more with the review by Publisher's Weekly! I thought that Atkinson did an outstanding job in depicting the Boston area and some of its most important members of the law enforcement community. Atkinson's vivid depictions of setting and his uncanny ear for authentic dialogue help to create a mesmerizing and hypnotic narrative about cop life and private investigation. In today's society, in which we find organized crime figures to be charming and endearing, and our heroes are limited to vapid low life reality television stars, Atkinsons tale of Joe McCain, a police officer to be truly admired, is a breath of fresh air.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legends of Winter Hill *****, January 15, 2007

By	Todd P. Demartinis "Moonjumpr" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jay Atkinson is to New England what William Faulkner is to the South (or, specifically, Yoknapatawpha County). Here, in similar fashion to his crowning achievement (to date), "Ice Time," Atkinson demonstrates an impeccable ability to chronicle the talking, walking, living, and dying of New Englanders in such vivid description where every page crackles with rich imagery and sounds.

Just as Ice Time isn't REALLY about hockey, Legends isn't REALLY about cops and con men. Both are about relationships and traditions. And, even where Atkinson puts himself in the stories being told, he always retains the position of discreet voyeur; demonstrating beneath his masculine persona a remarkable talent to convey the innermost joys and melancholy of his characters. That is where Atkinson lives, and he invites us all to come along. Any fan of great writing will accept the invitation.