Sadie When She Died by Ed McBain #BookReview

Detective Steve Carella thought he had an open and shut case. He had a confessed killer, clear fingerprints, and a witness. But when the dead lady’s husband seemed less than mournful at her death, and when her little black book turned up a mile-long record of her love adventures, Carella knew it was time to call in the 87th precinct.

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Title: Sadie When She Died | Author: Ed McBain | Series: 87th Precinct #26 | Publisher: Pan | Pages: 160 | ISBN: 9780330240123| Publication date: 1972 | Source: Self-purchased

After the enjoyable smorgasbord approach of ‘Hail Hail the
Gang’s All Here’, the next book in the 87th Precinct series, ‘Sadie
When She Died’, is a far more focussed and sombre affair. I think that the very
best crime novels shed a light on the darkest corners of the human condition in
a way that is reflective and cathartic. McBain’s novel does that with aplomb,
and is a great mystery to boot.

This time around, McBain’s detectives (with Steve Carella
very much at the forefront) investigate a single case, the brutal stabbing of a
woman in her apartment. It appears to be a simple case of a burglary gone wrong
and a likely suspect is soon identified and arrested. However, as Carella
investigates further, and comes to know the dead woman’s husband, it becomes
clear that there is far more going on.

It’s hard to say too much more about the plot without giving
too much away, but as the case develops the book becomes an examination of
marriage and the devastating effect two people can have on each other’s lives
when matrimony goes sour. McBain digs into both the male and female psyche and
creates, in the couple, two characters who are completely convincing and
memorable. This feat is even more impressive given that the woman is dead
throughout and we only come to know her through the recollections of others.

It’s an extremely effective, disturbing and memorable read.
It still has the elements of humour we expect from McBain, but the overall
effect is different from many of his books. The resolution of the crime at the
end feels comes not with a feeling of victory of good over evil, but of bleak
inevitability. It’s a book that has stayed with me in the weeks since I read
it. For that reason, I’ve upped the rating I originally pencilled in for it
from 4 to 5 stars.

5/5