Downtown

A Florida orange grower goes to NYC, where he is scammed out of all his money and credit cards within minutes. He gets some money back in a craps game, then finds himself under suspicion of murder. Along with a Chinese woman, he careens around New York City trying to clear his name. This sort of prem......more

Not my typical sort of book because it's violent and situated in the middle of New York City. However I like this book because it is well-written, it features a relatable protagonist, and the protagonist's main goals are to avoid violence and solve a mystery. There are some overarching messages in t......more

An Ed McBain book is always a delight to read and this one gets not only the action but the humor and fun going right away. Florida orange grower Michael Barnes is in New York on Christmas Eve. Its a simple matter of a divorced business man coming in to see his advertising agency before flying down t......more

I would have really given it 2.5 stars, but I prefer to rate upwards, rather than downwards. There was a time in the late-1980s when I was on a real Ed McBain kick, especially of his 87th Precinct mysteries, but even then, I found them to be formulaic, especially the ending police interview with the......more

A good, solid crime/mystery by author Ed McBain. At times it reads like a serious mystery, while at others it borders on farcical. Somehow McBain makes the whole thing work quite well! Florida orange grower Michael Barnes is on business in New York City, it’s Christmas Eve and he’s having a drink in......more