The Heckler

Ed McBain's long-running series of mystery novels spanned fifty years and over fifty books. Based in the fictional city of Isola (with its eerie similarities to New York), McBain's conscientious cops spent thousands of pages chasing down every sort of villainous behaviour. From 1956 to 2005, readers were introduced to serial killers, money laundering, granny dumping and more. The volume, The Heckler (originally published in 1960), introduces the Deaf Man, who would rapidly become the criminal nemesis of the 87th Precinct. The Deaf Man is their total antithesis - he's callous (almost inhuman) and a methodical planner, while the detectives rely on emotion, legwork, and (invariably) luck. McBain tries not to make the Deaf Man a sympathetic character (at least, at first). The criminal mastermind is, however, irresistably cool. He wins at poker, makes women want him through the force of his superior mind alone, is a crack shot, and gives rousing speeches on the laws of probability. He's also a monster, with no regard for human life. In later appearances, he becomes more and more overtly sadistic - perhaps changing with the times. Still, the Deaf Man is the star of this book. In The Heckler, the 87th is entirely clueless, and the eventual resolution (such as it is) of the case is entirely reliant on luck. The book is entertaining enough (and the Deaf Man new enough) to make it a captivating read, but as a mystery, it lacks the punch of the better books in the series. It also marks one of the many occasions where Something Awful happens to Steve Carella, one of the nicest detectives in fiction.

The publishing date of this volume of "The Heckler " is a RE-Publish of the novel of the same name done years ago. To suggest that this is a new or current 87th Precinct novel is misleading

Every hero needs a worthy adversary: Sherlock Holmes matched wits with Professor Moriarity; James Bond battled Goldfinger; and in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct, Steve Carella and the boys take on the wily Deaf Man. In the twelfth number, Meyer Meyer investigates a series of complaints about a caller threatening businessmen. Carella grapples with a homicide, a naked man wearing US Navy shoes. Eventually, via the newspapers, a caller identifies the corpse as John Smith. Meanwhile, the Deaf Man is hard at work on a caper that will net him two and half million dollars. He's creating diversions based on the Sherlock Holmes story, "The Red-headed League." The businesses being threatened are near banks and jewelry stores, and the men of the 87th are spread awfully thin trying to cover every eventuality. McBain is a clever stylist who works on the reader subliminally. Carella's nemesis is deaf; his other senses are heightened because of it. Carella's wife, Teddy is also deaf. I'd be interested to know if there is some deafness in Evan Hunter's background. Also, when the situation fits, McBain takes a dig at the politically correct. If you don't believe me, get a load of Ollie Weeks (He's not in this one). McBain (Hunter) is also not afraid to combine humor and dramatic action. There's a fantastic twist toward the ending that made me laugh out loud, and I was alone. He's also not afraid to break convention; Carella and the 87th fail as often as they succeed, especially when they're up against the Deaf Man. Also, it's a convention in most mysteries that the hero be involved in the capture of the villain. Carella is in a coma when the Deaf Man is foiled (by a beat cop). I started reading the 87th Precinct novels way down the line with LULLABY. As a result, I stumbled across the Deaf Man when I happened to pick up LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE DEAF MAN. I've been trying to find the rest ever since. There are five of them: THE HECKLER, FUZZ, LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE DEAF MAN, EIGHT BLACK HORSES, AND MISCHIEF. I can't remember if they finally got him in MISCHIEF, but if not, isn't it about time for another, Ed?

McBain has written another good one in "The Heckler". I have read the first twelve and think I gave them all a five. Someone is calling shop owners and telling them to move by a certain date or die. Who could be doing this? Their only clue is the caller states he is a little deaf. Myer Myer is in charge of this investigation. Meanwhile, Steve Carella is in charge of another one involving a dead man. Are the two connected? Myer and Carella sit in the same squad room but they think each are working on two different things???????? What is the deaf man planing to do? Caerlla and gang of the the 87th are trying to find out. But, will they do it in time? These books will hold your attention. They go a little deeper into police procedure than many mystery books do. I really enjoy them and I hope you will too. If you read very many you will come to think you know the whole bunch. You will also worry about their wives and children. McBain does a good job.

"The Heckler" is the 87th Precinct Mystery which features the first appearance of the elusive and recurrent McBain villian known only as the Deaf Man. In this installment, you learn why this mastermind of evil has a particular affinity for the "boys of the 87th," particularly Detective Steeve Carella, who excells at thwarting his nefarious schemes (but never quite catching him). This is one of the best examples of early 87th Precinct writing from McBain. For those who love police procedurals, there are none better.