Cop Hater

87th Precinct Series, Book 1

By: Ed McBain

Narrated by: Dick Hill

When a sniper begins gunning down cops from the 87th Precinct in cold blood, it’s up to Detective Steve Carella to solve the case. With three cops already dead, Carella delves into the city’s underworld to search for the killer.

©1990 Ed McBain (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“McBain has the ability to make every character believable - which few writers these days can do.” ( Associated Press)

“McBain forces us to think twice about every character we meet…even those we thought we already knew.” ( New York Times Book Review)

First in the series - a bit rough in spots

But kinda what you should expect from a first. Like the characters and glad Carella survived - he will be important continuity element as the series progresses

Will done police procedural

McBain or as I discovered Evan Hunter was very prolific yet is never read his work before until seeing an offhand reference to him in Stephen King's last book. King has good taste in writers so I decided to give McBain a try. This is there first McBain book and it starts with a preface by the author describing his creation processes.
There book itself introduces a police precinct in a fictional City. The story is there work there detectives do to find a man who is meeting police. The solution is unexpected. The characters will drawn. I found myself disliking the newspaper reporter because of his dishonesty in dealing with police. Also the story clearly predates Miranda. Few clues to three solution that I recognized even after I finished.

solid first of a series

Firstly the foreword was an interesting listen. From what I read, this series started in 1955. It reflected the norms of that time. Yet the series itself was something new. The series revolves around the 87 precinct, not one particular person. Each novel will cover different characters from that particular precinct.

If the rest of the series is as good as this book then I highly recommend it

Dick Hill, the consummate professional, did an excellent job narrating. He gave each character their own distinct voice.

terrific story, kept my interest to the end

This was the worst narrator I recall ever hearing on audible. I'll never get another book he narriates.

Loved it

Very good narration the guy sounds like Stan Lee I love the ending highly recommend

dick hill makes every book narrated great

I enjoyed and love the fact it was not modernized as is done alot these days.

It's a great 50's cop noir story

Again, a great 50's noir cop story, and totally worth your time if you're into that sort of thing.
The story is highly entertaining.
This is Dick Hill's first narration in the series and it could use a little work. That said, by The Mugger and The Pusher, he has it down pat and is a joy to listen to. A lot of the books in this series are pretty cheap or part of Kindle Unlimited, so you can have great fun with these and not break the bank.
I highly recommend.

Narrator almost ruins the book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Dick Hill’s performances?

I do not like this performance. Please find someone else to read these books!

Any additional comments?

I have loved Ed McBain books since the first time I read one decades ago. I have read every book he has ever printed and have never been disappointed in the story. I do not like this narrator. I wish he would retire or find some other form of work. His performance makes the story difficult to listen to and if I hadn't already been a McBain fan I would not have ever read another book of his based on this performance. I will eventually purchase all of the McBain books to listed to because I love the author's work but I will have to have long breaks between listening to them with this narrator.

The narration is rough.

This is a solid, if unremarkable police procedural, but the narration drags the “Overall” score down. And I mean, very specifically, the narration, because Dick Hill’s character work in the book is quite strong, but the voice he chose for the third person narrator grates on my nerves.

Amazing

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absoutely.

Any additional comments?

Written during a time before CSI and Law and Order, Cop Hater takes the reader back to a time when police work was pounding the pavement. No technology, no women in the workplace, "foreigners" looked at as if they were exotic animals, smoking indoors and everyone dressed in their Sunday best, are just a few things that make Cop Hater so enjoyable. The reader has to figure out the who-dun-it without the cell phone records or DNA evidence. It makes you wonder, how did anything ever get done before David Caruso and his Aviator sunglasses?