Fat Ollie's Book

fantastic police procedural

Known for his dissing every race and religion, Detective Fat Ollie Weeks is proud of his first police procedural, ¿Report to the Commissioner. However, the 88th Precinct cop finds official business interfering with the more important matters of authorship as he is assigned to investigate the assassination of City Councilman Lester Henderson, the leading candidate for mayor. Ironically at least in Ollie¿s feeble brain, the murder occurs while the victim was preparing for a major political rally inside the Martin Luther King Memorial Hall. Ollie has a second more important case to solve when someone steals his manuscript from his car as he wasted time looking at the Henderson crime scene. Transvestite prostitute ¿Emmy¿ believes he has found an authentic report by Officer Olivia Wesley Watts. Emmy plans to locate the diamonds mentioned in the report while Ollie aided by Officer Patricia Gomez seeks to recover his novel. FAT OLLIE'S BOOK is a fantastic police procedural that focuses on two investigations and contains hilarious excerpts from the ¿bad¿ book. The story line satirizes the police procedural sub-genre leaves no one standing and especially skinned is Ed McBain. The 87th precinct cops play key roles and the introduction of Officer Gomez actually takes Ollie a few steps away from his normal range of bigotry, but not totally. In the fifty-second 87th precinct novel (think alphabet two times), Mr. McBain shows his wit with one of the series best novels ever and surely will be recognized as one of the year¿s finest sub-genre entries. Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ollie has always been an interesting character.

Ed McBain has always been one of my favorites. I been disappointed by any of his books.

Love the 87th Precinct group!! Great book!!

I've been an avid 87th Precinct fan for the past 35 years and have read them all, to date. Fat Ollie's Book is terrific and follows the great Ed McBain style. Keep them coming!

Funniest Detective Tape You'll Ever Hear

This is simply one of the funniest books you will ever hear on tape. First, the story, while convoluted, is believable. Second, the reader has the right tone and delivery. Third, the parody of detective writing is worth listening to the the tape for no other reason. The portrait of a politically incorrect cop with a big heart who is also very good at his job is in itself interesting. The only negative I can think of is that sometimes I was laughing so hard, I wondered if I should have pulled over to the side of the road, which is hard on the Merritt Parkway.

Another great one from Ed McBain

I always enjoy Ed McBain. From the 87th Precinct to the Burgler, he's one of my favorite reads. Fat Ollie has never been one of my favorite characters but Report to the Commissioner had me laughing out loud. McBain never gets stale.

May be Best of 87th Precinct Titles

There are two special things about this book--beyond the expected terrific read McBain's name guarantees. First Ollie's book really is a hoot---you can almost hear the author giggling and slapping his thigh as he was writing "Report to the Commissioner" (title of Ollie's book). In addition it's kinda nice to see Ollie's character and possibilities improve. This is a one funny book by the master of the police procedural!

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