Junk in '57

The Pusher by Ed McBain

A Novel of the 87^th Precinct

 

       This was the third of the 87^th Precinct books, and it’s maybe the most out of date. It follows the investigation of the death of a junkie. It’s slight, it’s on the short side and it’s maybe the best example of the world that was. The topic of Narcotics, drugs, Pushing, what people do to get their junk and the effects of the Big H, is so 1950s, really one of the reasons that I am planning to read all of the books in order is that I was to see how the changing world of crime is covered in the form of the novel. I look forward to seeing the covering of Drugs in the ‘60s book and the 80s books.  This was also the last of the initial three books that were to be published as the trial run for the series, and it stands up well as one of the early setting the scene books in the series. Up next in the series…. The Con Man. 

The Mugger by Ed McBain

An 87^th Precinct Novel

The Mugger is the second of the novels about the detectives of the 87^th Precinct, and one of the original three that were written in 1956. The plot of the book is pretty simple, as the title suggests our officer and cops are seeking a mugger who have been targeting women in the precinct. It’s a short novel; it serves not only to act as an insight to the world of the 87^th Precinct, but also to continue the set up of our squad room, giving patrolman Bert Kling his back-story, and really his first case. The book also serves to introduce the Meyer Meyer as one of the jokers of the squad. Over all it’s really a fast read, and it’s not really all that much of a stand out… with the exception of the Hepcat talk of a Beatnik informant, which is a reminder of how cool that patter could be…and how complex it could be as well. I also really liked the look into the idea of teen clubs, which I have only really read about, and I know the importance they held for the development of a lot of the 60’s garage rock that started to emerge around 10 years down the road from the year that this book was written.

 

 If you are looking to read and follow the whole 87^th Precinct series this book is a required read, however if you really just want the highlights, I’d start with one of the more acclaimed entries from the 70s and 80s… however my plan and goal over the next couple of years is to read all of them in order, and so for me this was an essential part of the story.