Roger Grimm’s business is burned to the ground. Then his house. Carella and Hawes are on it. And Fat Ollie shows up on page 70! (I love Fat Ollie - his policework, not his racism)
So arson, heroin, murder, and a big ol' case to figure out. For me, this book was just okay - a bit too confusing for me in the details of it all. But the overall story was entertaining, and I'm excited to move on to #30 in the series! ( )

A warehouse fire consuming insured imported goods gets this novel off to a fast start, but Parker goes on vacation, leaving Carella, Hawes and others to deal with his open case. As the investigation progresses, key people start getting killed or badly beaten. McBain introduces "Fat Ollie" Weeks from the 83rd Precinct, who has many of Parker's flaws, but is a much better cop, and helps break the case. ( )

This one is so well-plotted, with interweaving threads that are not at all obvious until you're well into it. And for someone (like me) old enough to remember when terms like "male chauvinist pig" (or as the child in the story hears it, "male show business pig") had real bite, this is a nice time-capsule for the mid-seventies sensibilities. The Fat Ollie character is worth the price of admission. ( )

Quite a convoluted plot for the fellas of the 87th precinct to deal with. Not because the criminals are smarter than usual, but just because there are a lot of moving parts. if I'm not mistaken, this is the first appearance of Fat Ollie and he's deliciously awful. He adds a nice element of questionable morality in a squad that is sometimes a little unnaturally right on. A solid entry. ( )