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Fat Ollie's Book: A Novel of the 87th Precinct    by Ed McBain Amazon.com order for
Fat Ollie's Book
by Ed McBain
Order:  USA  Can
Pocket, 2003 (2003)
Hardcover, Paperback, Audio, CD

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* * *   Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth

I found a treasure the other day, an Eighty-seventh Precinct story by prolific writer Ed McBain that I had not read. McBain reminds his readers that the people and the places of Fat Ollie's Book are fictitious – only the police routine is based on fact. We never are to know in what city the Eighty-seventh is based. But it really doesn't matter. Any City, USA works for me.

It seems Fat Ollie – who, according to description is marvelously fat and rather disgusting to watch while he stuffs his mouth with food using both hands – has written a book about police work. It is stolen from his police car - a tragedy to Ollie but a boon for the publishing world. The thief takes the plot of the book as gospel and looks to make a fortune from the diamonds that Fat Ollie has woven into his very short and surely not publishable novel.

I can't decide whether Fat Ollie disgusts me or fascinates me – he's rather like a snake you can't stop watching; a very fat snake. A politician is gunned down prior to announcing his candidacy for mayor. Three bumbling would-be gangsters plot to raid a drug buy. Steve Carella attempts to get a job for his deaf-mute wife, whom he loves dearly.

The reader can always count on McBain for a fast-paced action-packed mystery that's long on humor and even longer on suspense - a rip-snorting combination.

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