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Fiddlers: A Novel of the 87th Precinct Audiobook
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(3.03) - 435 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Ed McBain's latest installment in the 87th Precinct series finds the detectives stumped by a serial killer who doesn't fit the profile. A blind violinist taking a smoke break, a cosmetics sales rep cooking an omelet in her own kitchen, a college professor trudging home from class, a priest contemplating retirement in the rectory garden, an old woman out walking her dog—these are the seemingly random targets shot twice in the face.
But most serial killers don't use guns. Most serial killers don't strike five times in two weeks. And most serial killers' prey share something more than being over fifty years of age. Now it falls to Detective Steve Carella and his colleagues in the 87th Precinct to find out what—or whom—the victims had in common before another body is found. With trademark wit and sizzling dialogue, McBain unravels a mystery and examines the dreams we chase in the darkening hours before the fiddlers have fled.
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"I finished this very last entry in McBain's 87th Precinct series with a strange sense of melancholy. For the past couple of years I've worked my way through most of the 55 titles in more or less chronological order, and the knowledge that after this there would be no further developments of his rich and motley cast was kind of sad. This one is a quintessential McBain yarn, starting from the multiple themes that derive from the title. The entire detective squad of the 87th becomes involved in a multiple homicide, the first of which is the killing of a blind violinist. There are all sorts of fiddlers and fiddling as the plot grows and deepens in complexity. There are familial, romantic and just plain hormonal relationships among the varied characters. McBain seems to have decided to show everybody in their best light-- even the obnoxious ones like Andy Parker and Fat Ollie Weeks seem softer-edged and on the verge of discovering redemptive traits, though Bert Kling remains a hard-luck lover right to the end. There's no sense of finality here. One could almost believe McBain hoped his characters would live on, continue to grow and have further adventures. (Personally I don't know how I'd feel about that. Salvatore Lombino, aka Evan Hunter, aka Ed McBain, was one of a kind). There is also a certain feeling of playing his characters and plot by the numbers. Maybe it was a good time for the boys of the 87th to go out at the top of their game."
— Tony (4 out of 5 stars)
Fiddlers Listener Reviews
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" I enjoyed the listen The Ed McBain character was just a tad on the slow side for me. "
— Dave, 1/23/2022 -
" With the death of McBain this summer, this marks the end of the stories of NYC's finest of the 87th precinct...all of the major characters are involved in this tale that weaves numerous plot lines that eventually merge as a serial killer stalks seniors in NYC...excellent as always...I'll miss the 87th!!! "
— Mark, 2/14/2014 -
" I will miss the 87th precinct. The detectives are like old friends. This book was published in 2005, the same year that Ed McBain died. There are other 87th precinct titles I have not read, but I will never see Carella's twins grow up. It's sad that to me--well, to all readers--they will be forever 13. Thank you, Ed McBain/Evan Hunter, for years of good reads. "
— Mary, 2/8/2014 -
" People over 50 are being killed and Steve Carella and his fellow detectives at the 87th precinct have to solve the case and cathch the killer before he kills again. The men of the 87th must also cope with the personal sides of their lives. "
— Fredrick, 1/24/2014 -
" I swear this book was ghost-written; it just didn't have the feel of McBain's usual stuff. Punlication date is 2005, the year of his death. "
— Sheldon, 1/21/2014 -
" You know what you're getting with Ed Mcbain. But oh dear this was his last. "
— Cathy, 1/18/2014 -
" Hard-boiled cop procedural by a master of the genre. "
— Mark, 1/18/2014 -
" The first book that I've read in this series and I'll definitely read more. I found it engaging, entertaining and fun. I'll look forward to getting to know these characters better. "
— Linda, 1/9/2014 -
" You can't beat McBain for a good read. Again there's a puzzle, and the team is still muddled. I love the sense that they are just the same people as they always were, after 35 books. I especially love the dialogue. Not forced, not too talky. "
— Palmreader, 1/8/2014 -
" Snappy detective dialogue. The end is no great shock but McBain does a decent job of building suspense while taking a few pages off here and there to delve into the lives of the men working the 87th Precinct. "
— Patrick, 12/23/2013 -
" I guess we'll never know what happened with Ollie and Patricia... Too bad. "
— Dad, 9/4/2013 -
" Love the way McBain can deliver an interesting story simply and efficiently. He doesn't have to rely on wacky conspiracies or unbelievable super-dudes - everyday human nature is compelling enough. "
— Don, 6/23/2013 -
" Predictable plot. Maybe a 2.5 More for following the "lives" of the characters at the 87th. "
— Irene, 5/11/2013 -
" Sometimes you get fed up reading junk. You can not find the right book. What to do? Go back to the old tried and true. Ed McBain 87th series has everything. Great writing, great story, great characters and great humor. Its like reuniting with an old friend. "
— Buck, 4/12/2013 -
" Back in the last century I really enjoyed reading Ed McBain...not so much anymore. Hmm, it all seems so predictable now and slightly sexist, racist, and I guess you can't go back to every book/author and read with the same eyes. 1 & 1/2 stars. "
— Julie, 9/15/2012 -
" Typical Ed McBain. It was good to catch up with the guys from the 87th. Was a little surprised that McBain called his victims geezers, they ranged in age from 50 to 70. Not exactly geezer material seeing he was in his late 70's when he wrote this. "
— Ginny, 3/28/2012 -
" A dream of a who dunnit, jacobean, if Pip or Uriah Heep had gone amock... "
— Michael, 10/29/2011 -
" McBain is the best at describing police procedural. "
— Hapzydeco, 8/5/2011 -
" I liked this book. It was published in 2005, the same year Ed died, so I'm afraid it's the last of the 87th. Too bad. I'm going to miss those guys. "
— Beth, 7/9/2011 -
" could barely finish it. awful. crass "
— SirPoochala, 6/19/2011 -
" Good job! Two murders to solve and a possible new love interest. Very entertaining. "
— Susan, 5/27/2011 -
" A dream of a who dunnit, jacobean, if Pip or Uriah Heep had gone amock... "
— Michael, 5/5/2011 -
" I swear this book was ghost-written; it just didn't have the feel of McBain's usual stuff. Punlication date is 2005, the year of his death. "
— Sheldon, 3/24/2011 -
" Good job! Two murders to solve and a possible new love interest. Very entertaining. "
— Susan, 1/4/2011 -
" Hard-boiled cop procedural by a master of the genre. "
— Mark, 8/2/2010 -
" McBain is the best at describing police procedural. "
— Hapzydeco, 4/21/2010 -
" Back in the last century I really enjoyed reading Ed McBain...not so much anymore. Hmm, it all seems so predictable now and slightly sexist, racist, and I guess you can't go back to every book/author and read with the same eyes. 1 & 1/2 stars. "
— Julie, 12/22/2009 -
" Love the way McBain can deliver an interesting story simply and efficiently. He doesn't have to rely on wacky conspiracies or unbelievable super-dudes - everyday human nature is compelling enough. "
— Don, 10/6/2009 -
" You know what you're getting with Ed Mcbain. But oh dear this was his last. "
— Cathy, 3/27/2009
About Ed McBain
Ed McBain is the most well known pseudonym of Evan Hunter (1926–2005), the author of over eighty novels and several famous screenplays. He is a recipient of the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award and the Diamond Dagger Award from the British Crime Writers Association. His books have sold more than one hundred million copies, ranging from the more than fifty titles in the 87th Precinct series to the bestselling novels written under his own name. McBain also wrote the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.