What do you think?
Rate this book
87th Precinct #38
Eight Black Horses: An 87th Precinct Novel
It all got terribly confusing when the Deaf Man put in an appearance....
...and the criminal mastermind is making his presence known by the dead bodies that are turning up around Isola. Then there are the notes -- with cryptic patterns including eight black horses dancing across a page -- that look like they mean nothing. But Detectives Kling, Carella, and Meyer know that with the Deaf Man, the seemingly meaningless always means something. Something bad. And as late fall hurtles toward Christmas, the Deaf Man is counting down the days, luring the cops of the 87th Precinct with a series of taunting clues -- all leading toward a horrifying act of revenge orchestrated by a psychopathic killer.
250 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
128 people are currently reading
459 people want to read
About the author
Ed McBain
715 books672 followers"Ed McBain" is one of the pen names of American author and screenwriter Salvatore Albert Lombino (1926-2005), who legally adopted the name
Evan Hunter
in 1952.
While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
He also used the pen names John Abbott, Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Dean Hudson, Evan Hunter, and Richard Marsten.
While successful and well known as Evan Hunter, he was even better known as Ed McBain, a name he used for most of his crime fiction, beginning in 1956.
He also used the pen names John Abbott, Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Dean Hudson, Evan Hunter, and Richard Marsten.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 25, 2015
When a beautiful young woman is found naked and shot to death in the park across the street from the 87th Precinct station house, the Detectives of the 87th assume that this is just another tragic homicide and begin their investigation by attempting to identify the victim. Shortly thereafter, though, the detectives receive a communication from their old adversary, the Deaf Man, and the murder takes on a whole new significance.
Twice before, the Deaf Man has orchestrated elaborate criminal plots within the boundaries of the 87th, each with a huge payday at the end for the Deaf Man. And twice his plans have been foiled, in each case more by accident than by the conscious efforts of the detectives who always seem to be one step behind him.
Now the Deaf Man has contrived another convoluted plot--this during the festive holiday season--that will both make him a fortune and at the same time will take deadly revenge on Steve Carella and his other adversaries in the 87th.
As the story progresses, the Deaf Man continues to send envelopes to the detectives with mysterious clues that probably point to his ultimate objective, but the detectives are unable to decipher the clues. In the meantime, the Deaf Man draws into his orbit a number of other actors, some innocent and others not so innocent, as he puts his scheme into motion.
At times the story tantalizes, but at others it seems as if McBain is just playing an elaborate game for his own amusement, both at the expense of his characters and of the reader. There's very little police work done in this police procedural; mostly we watch the detectives sit around speculating about what the Deaf Man is attempting to do. For me, this is a middle-of-the-road entry in this series; I prefer the books in which the detectives actually do a little detecting.
Twice before, the Deaf Man has orchestrated elaborate criminal plots within the boundaries of the 87th, each with a huge payday at the end for the Deaf Man. And twice his plans have been foiled, in each case more by accident than by the conscious efforts of the detectives who always seem to be one step behind him.
Now the Deaf Man has contrived another convoluted plot--this during the festive holiday season--that will both make him a fortune and at the same time will take deadly revenge on Steve Carella and his other adversaries in the 87th.
As the story progresses, the Deaf Man continues to send envelopes to the detectives with mysterious clues that probably point to his ultimate objective, but the detectives are unable to decipher the clues. In the meantime, the Deaf Man draws into his orbit a number of other actors, some innocent and others not so innocent, as he puts his scheme into motion.
At times the story tantalizes, but at others it seems as if McBain is just playing an elaborate game for his own amusement, both at the expense of his characters and of the reader. There's very little police work done in this police procedural; mostly we watch the detectives sit around speculating about what the Deaf Man is attempting to do. For me, this is a middle-of-the-road entry in this series; I prefer the books in which the detectives actually do a little detecting.
March 4, 2020
Heavens! I’m starting to like Ed McBain’s writing. Which is ironic because I’ve loved it since I read Cop Hater, my first by him. The reason he’s growing on me is that while he always writes good, suspenseful police procedurals well, he became with 8 Black Horses (87th Precinct, 1895) a writer who didn’t get on my nerves for saying something objectional from time to time.
McBain is not chauvinistic, racist, or bigoted in 8BH. One might even say he’s liberal in this one. He still writes a few horrendous words in some character’s dialog, yet I’ve come to believe it’s all for affect. I don’t feel he’s living through his characters. However, if you see a bit of him in them, you must admit he’s done a credible job writing diverse personalities.
Speaking of characters, there are some beautifully written bad guys in this one. McBain has spent a lot of effort over time to understand the ruthless criminal mind. He’s developed them well giving weight and background to their modus operandi. They perpetrate some shenanigans that will blow your mind.
There are also some very good guys to like especially detective Steve Carella. He’s so astute and balanced in situations when you feel he should snap. Still, this reader finds him plausible because most people I know go about their work and play and don’t let the world get them down. Carella feels like that.
McBain is essentially a story writer. This is not literature per se. Who cares? The tales he tells are tall. He's serious when he needs to report the criminal aspects of the story. He goes on the tangents that readers come to expect in realistic fiction. His humor keeps the ugly dread of violent crime from overwhelming the reader.
Something I like a lot is the graphics in McBain’s books. He’s one of the few fiction writers who do it. They’re not fancy illustrations. Really, just props such as documents that a police detective would use when trying to solve a case. Post-mortem reports. Fingerprint reports. Things like that add credibility and realness to a mystery. He must have butted heads with publishers, editors, and printers who surely resisted the extra work graphics require.
Notes
There’s a wonderful riddle written in this one.
8BH takes place late in the year and the festivities are prime for a mystery.
McBain is not chauvinistic, racist, or bigoted in 8BH. One might even say he’s liberal in this one. He still writes a few horrendous words in some character’s dialog, yet I’ve come to believe it’s all for affect. I don’t feel he’s living through his characters. However, if you see a bit of him in them, you must admit he’s done a credible job writing diverse personalities.
Speaking of characters, there are some beautifully written bad guys in this one. McBain has spent a lot of effort over time to understand the ruthless criminal mind. He’s developed them well giving weight and background to their modus operandi. They perpetrate some shenanigans that will blow your mind.
There are also some very good guys to like especially detective Steve Carella. He’s so astute and balanced in situations when you feel he should snap. Still, this reader finds him plausible because most people I know go about their work and play and don’t let the world get them down. Carella feels like that.
McBain is essentially a story writer. This is not literature per se. Who cares? The tales he tells are tall. He's serious when he needs to report the criminal aspects of the story. He goes on the tangents that readers come to expect in realistic fiction. His humor keeps the ugly dread of violent crime from overwhelming the reader.
Something I like a lot is the graphics in McBain’s books. He’s one of the few fiction writers who do it. They’re not fancy illustrations. Really, just props such as documents that a police detective would use when trying to solve a case. Post-mortem reports. Fingerprint reports. Things like that add credibility and realness to a mystery. He must have butted heads with publishers, editors, and printers who surely resisted the extra work graphics require.
Notes
There’s a wonderful riddle written in this one.
8BH takes place late in the year and the festivities are prime for a mystery.
October 23, 2025
★★★½
A strong but uneven entry in the 87th Precinct series, Eight Black Horses brings back the Deaf Man for another round of riddles and taunts. I’ve never been a big fan of him as a recurring villain. His schemes often feel more like puzzles than actual crimes, though McBain keeps things tense and fast-moving enough to stay interesting. The twists come thick and fast, and the overall structure holds up.
What really stood out to me this time is how much darker the series has become. The violence feels harsher, the language and sexual references more direct, and there’s a general sense that the city itself has grown meaner. It’s not always pleasant, but it does make the world feel more real and lived-in.
The characters continue to grow in subtle ways. McBain lets us see more of their small flaws and private thoughts. They’re still good at what they do, but no longer shown as untouchable heroes. There’s more weariness, more human moments, even in small things that don’t really matter. That adds a nice sense of balance.
The pace is solid and the dialogue is as sharp as ever, though the Deaf Man sometimes takes up too much space. I tend to prefer the books where the focus stays more on the squad and the city. Still, Eight Black Horses works well overall. It’s tense, sometimes funny, and gives a sense of a series that’s aging with its characters in all the right and wrong ways.
A strong but uneven entry in the 87th Precinct series, Eight Black Horses brings back the Deaf Man for another round of riddles and taunts. I’ve never been a big fan of him as a recurring villain. His schemes often feel more like puzzles than actual crimes, though McBain keeps things tense and fast-moving enough to stay interesting. The twists come thick and fast, and the overall structure holds up.
What really stood out to me this time is how much darker the series has become. The violence feels harsher, the language and sexual references more direct, and there’s a general sense that the city itself has grown meaner. It’s not always pleasant, but it does make the world feel more real and lived-in.
The characters continue to grow in subtle ways. McBain lets us see more of their small flaws and private thoughts. They’re still good at what they do, but no longer shown as untouchable heroes. There’s more weariness, more human moments, even in small things that don’t really matter. That adds a nice sense of balance.
The pace is solid and the dialogue is as sharp as ever, though the Deaf Man sometimes takes up too much space. I tend to prefer the books where the focus stays more on the squad and the city. Still, Eight Black Horses works well overall. It’s tense, sometimes funny, and gives a sense of a series that’s aging with its characters in all the right and wrong ways.
February 29, 2012
I’ve read a lot of Ed McBain and since the special Kindle sale a while back that offered some 40 of his titles for .99 each, I know have a lot more to read. Not in any order.
I have often wondered about McBain’s (nee Evan Hunter) sexual experience. If you’ve read Candyland, for example, his familiarity with massage parlors struck me as coming from personal experience. Then again, his portrayal of police procedures seem quite real, also. Nevertheless, the Deaf Man’s libidic (probably not a word, but I like it) prowess in this book with a woman he has designs upon, made me a little uncomfortable. It shouldn’t have, and I hope I’ve not getting Victorian in my dotage.
Never has Isola’s characteristics been so prominently displayed. And it so resembles New York. “The center of the city, Isola, was an island; hence its name: isola means “island” in Italian. In actual practice the entire city was referred to as Isola, even though the other four sections were separately and more imaginatively named. Riverhead came from the Dutch, though not directly. The land up there had once been owned by a patroon named Ryerhurt, and it had been called Ryerhurt’s Farms, which eventually became abbreviated and bastardized to Riverhead. No one knew why...”
I really like McBain, but the ones which feature the Deaf Man are my least favorite. His personal animus toward Carella and brilliance seem phantasmagorical. The personal animus displayed by a criminal toward a policeman always seems very artificial, although to McBain’s credit, the Deaf Man manipulates the police department into becoming part of his schemes. “At first Carella had supposed this to be evidence of a monumental ego, but he had come to learn that the Deaf Man used the police as a sort of second pickup gang, larger than the nucleus group, but equally essential to the successful commission of the crime. That he had been thwarted on three previous occasions was entirely due to chance. He was smarter than the police, and he used the police, and he let the police know they were being used.”
I have often wondered about McBain’s (nee Evan Hunter) sexual experience. If you’ve read Candyland, for example, his familiarity with massage parlors struck me as coming from personal experience. Then again, his portrayal of police procedures seem quite real, also. Nevertheless, the Deaf Man’s libidic (probably not a word, but I like it) prowess in this book with a woman he has designs upon, made me a little uncomfortable. It shouldn’t have, and I hope I’ve not getting Victorian in my dotage.
Never has Isola’s characteristics been so prominently displayed. And it so resembles New York. “The center of the city, Isola, was an island; hence its name: isola means “island” in Italian. In actual practice the entire city was referred to as Isola, even though the other four sections were separately and more imaginatively named. Riverhead came from the Dutch, though not directly. The land up there had once been owned by a patroon named Ryerhurt, and it had been called Ryerhurt’s Farms, which eventually became abbreviated and bastardized to Riverhead. No one knew why...”
I really like McBain, but the ones which feature the Deaf Man are my least favorite. His personal animus toward Carella and brilliance seem phantasmagorical. The personal animus displayed by a criminal toward a policeman always seems very artificial, although to McBain’s credit, the Deaf Man manipulates the police department into becoming part of his schemes. “At first Carella had supposed this to be evidence of a monumental ego, but he had come to learn that the Deaf Man used the police as a sort of second pickup gang, larger than the nucleus group, but equally essential to the successful commission of the crime. That he had been thwarted on three previous occasions was entirely due to chance. He was smarter than the police, and he used the police, and he let the police know they were being used.”
September 26, 2023
The Deaf Man is back with a new scheme. He's sending cryptic pictures to the 87 Precinct, and they can't figure out what they mean.
Not as funny as some of the better books in the series, but Carella isn't as annoying as usual, either, so it all evens out.
Not as funny as some of the better books in the series, but Carella isn't as annoying as usual, either, so it all evens out.
September 10, 2013
The Deaf Man is back, and is sending messages to the 87th Street Precinct, starting with a dead, nude blonde in the park across the street from the station house. As always he is plotting a sensational theft and revenge on the detectives who always seem to foil his plans. Once again, through some luck and some clumsiness, major calamity is avoided.
September 25, 2017
I was not really looking forward to another story involving the Deaf Man, the bank-robbing nemesis of the 87th, but in the end it was a good yarn, linking all the various components of his two plots
November 28, 2021
The Deaf Man is back and this time he plans on pulling off a big Christmas heist. As before he sends the detectives of the 87th some puzzling clues in the mail, but in addition to the robbery he has an elaborate plan to get revenge on the 87th for foiling his plans on the last couple of occasions.
Trying to figure out the meanings of the clues sent to the detectives kept my attention all the way through. All of the detectives get some page time in this one so it was good to see them all together rather than the story center on only one or two. Even thought this was one of the longer books I flew through it in a couple of days.
Trying to figure out the meanings of the clues sent to the detectives kept my attention all the way through. All of the detectives get some page time in this one so it was good to see them all together rather than the story center on only one or two. Even thought this was one of the longer books I flew through it in a couple of days.
December 23, 2009
This is another cop title from the late Ed McBain's long-running fine 87th Precinct series. I'd a few hiccups with EBH. One female character acts like a nympho willing to do any ditzy thing for a sex fix. Uh-huh. At one point the arch-nemesis Deaf Man leaves a crime scene, and the cops don't think to "dust for prints". That's CSI 101, guys. But an enjoyable read nonetheless. The twists are nicely laid in, and the dialogue is razor sharp. Deaf Man taunting the cops is wickedly done. If you're in search of a fast-paced cop novel read, this might be the one.
October 1, 2021
Another 4.5 McBain burner.
This is a crime novel, not a police procedural. The difference is, we spend a lot of time with the criminals involved and have some idea of where the story is going, so there’s no specific crime or mystery to solve. (There IS a mystery, but you’re not completely blind to what’s going to happen) It’s a ride from both the 87th Precinct detective’s perspective and the criminals’.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to mention that the Deaf Man appears in this novel. This is a recurring villain (for lack of a better word) who’s appeared in at least three prior 87th Precinct novels.
As usual, there’s plenty of black humor and a good amount of violence, but neither is over the top. McBain always seems to know exactly where the line should be drawn to avoid alienating some readers, while being downright brutal when it’s called for.
The title refers to a xeroxed image of eight black horses which was delivered to the precinct. It’s a clue and a foreshadowing of events that take place later. Several other taunts are sent to the 87th as well, and the images are included within the novel. It’s a nice little touch.
There’s a little less of the soap-opera elements we sometimes see with this series. The 87th series is not a soap opera of course, but there has always been a light dusting of that material within the pages and this book is no exception.
This is one of those series where you can’t go wrong with having a nice stack of them on hand to read whenever you want a book that reliably delivers the goods.
This is a crime novel, not a police procedural. The difference is, we spend a lot of time with the criminals involved and have some idea of where the story is going, so there’s no specific crime or mystery to solve. (There IS a mystery, but you’re not completely blind to what’s going to happen) It’s a ride from both the 87th Precinct detective’s perspective and the criminals’.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to mention that the Deaf Man appears in this novel. This is a recurring villain (for lack of a better word) who’s appeared in at least three prior 87th Precinct novels.
As usual, there’s plenty of black humor and a good amount of violence, but neither is over the top. McBain always seems to know exactly where the line should be drawn to avoid alienating some readers, while being downright brutal when it’s called for.
The title refers to a xeroxed image of eight black horses which was delivered to the precinct. It’s a clue and a foreshadowing of events that take place later. Several other taunts are sent to the 87th as well, and the images are included within the novel. It’s a nice little touch.
There’s a little less of the soap-opera elements we sometimes see with this series. The 87th series is not a soap opera of course, but there has always been a light dusting of that material within the pages and this book is no exception.
This is one of those series where you can’t go wrong with having a nice stack of them on hand to read whenever you want a book that reliably delivers the goods.
January 13, 2019
“The Deaf Man arrived, and suddenly the circus was back in town.” And I’m back for the Deaf Man vs. the 87th Precinct - Part 4! And I'm also back for the writing, like the first sentence in the book, "The lady was extraordinarily naked." and this line, "Mean, though, still as mean as a hooker's snatch." … Right? Raw, descriptive, and enjoyably unique!
This was a fun read, good crisp writing, and quickly devoured by me! Set against the 12 days of Christmas, the Deaf Man sends cryptic clues to the 87th in advance of his latest criminal escapade. And they attempt to defeat him. And so it goes...
4 good reads in a row with this lineup, and I'm looking forward to the last two!
This was a fun read, good crisp writing, and quickly devoured by me! Set against the 12 days of Christmas, the Deaf Man sends cryptic clues to the 87th in advance of his latest criminal escapade. And they attempt to defeat him. And so it goes...
4 good reads in a row with this lineup, and I'm looking forward to the last two!
April 15, 2020
I'm starting to think that the Deaf Man isn't all that. I mean he talks a good game and he's suitably creepy and everything, but he never seems to actually pull off any of his heists and he just ends up killing a bunch of people with no real benefit. This is really his story as the squad fail to prevent a single crime or arrest a single suspect who didn't first trip up in front of a cop and spill the loot out of his backpack. Still, I'm not complaining.
September 4, 2020
That good old stalwart, the 87th Precinct. Carella and Brown are called to the discovery of a naked female body in the park opposite to the Precinct squad room. Various letters arrive with picture relating to the 12 days of Christmas. Steve knows that the Deaf Man is taunting them once again. Will the be more deaths? A Bank Raid? Will he be caught this time around. The usual great stuff from the team.
4 stars.
4 stars.
May 26, 2017
Solid as a rock.
As per usual with McBain everyone gets a fair crack of the whip. His take on female characters leaves something to be desired though.
As per usual with McBain everyone gets a fair crack of the whip. His take on female characters leaves something to be desired though.
April 23, 2025
Once again the Deaf Man runs rings around the detectives of the 87th Precinct. A naked woman is found murdered in a park as winter approaches in the city. Steve Carella receives cryptic picture messages from the Deaf Man who wants revenge for thwarting his past plans.
Christmas draws nearer and the detectives get more nervous with the weird messages. The Deaf Man also plans a robbery which goes smoothly until bad luck once again intervenes.
Christmas draws nearer and the detectives get more nervous with the weird messages. The Deaf Man also plans a robbery which goes smoothly until bad luck once again intervenes.
March 28, 2019
Another excellent work by the master of the police procedural.
February 7, 2021
not as good as others of his
June 6, 2024
It's far and away the most unbelievable plot of the series so far but somehow it works and I was completely entertained.
January 5, 2017
"Sixteen horses were still alive when the two patrolmen got there. They were not actually screaming. Just white-eyed with terror and - one of the patrolmen described it as 'keening,' but he was Irish."
Eight Black Horses is the seventh installment in my selective re-read of Ed McBain's magnum opus, and the 38th entry in the "87th Precinct" series. This is one of McBain’s "Deaf Man novels" that feature an arch-villain and a criminal mastermind who in addition to committing crimes for financial gain wants to humiliate and hurt the police, in particular the 87th Precinct detectives, and especially Steve Carella. I find the clichéd, tired arch-villain motif a strong turn-off and despite some memorable fragments I am unable to recommend this novel.
The plot begins with the cliché passage depicting Monoghan and Monroe in their black overcoats at the murder scene: the body of a naked woman has been found, with a bullet hole at the base of her skull. Carella and Brown head the investigation but the 87th Precinct detectives are preoccupied with other events as well: they keep receiving mysterious letters apparently sent by the Deaf Man: the letters, in seemingly random order, mention eight black horses, three pairs of handcuffs, six police shields, etc. The narration keeps switching between the detectives’ activities and the Deaf Man’s exploits and all threads eventually lead to the climactic finale. At least 40 pages of the last third of the book contain the author’s lame attempts to extend the tension and delay the resolution for as long as possible: pages and pages are filled with irrelevant fluff that heavily taxes the readers' patience.
The memorable scene around the one-fourth point of the novel involves psychologically brutal seduction, intimidation and domination: hard stuff that combines raw sex and savage power. While difficult to read the scene exudes psychological realism. As if to balance this at about midpoint of the novel we have an interrogation scene that seems to be written by an aspiring author: awkward, artificial, and totally implausible. And how about the Deaf Man, this supposedly brilliant criminal mastermind, who uses inept helpers in carrying out his plans? In real life he wouldn't last long with associates that stupid.
The caricature of Richard Genero, now a detective but still a total jackass, is so cliché that it is not in the least funny. On the other hand the author displays some great if twisted sense of humor in two scenes that juxtapose sexual activities and death. But even these good bits can't save this wreck of a novel.
The book was published in 1985, approximately one complete generation after Cop Hater , the first novel in the series that appeared in 1956. Yet except for superficial differences, mostly involving technology, not much changed in the City or in the police procedure. This helps in maintaining credibility of the author's trick who keeps the series protagonists' personal time run much slower than the time elapsed between consecutive novels.
One and a half stars.
Eight Black Horses is the seventh installment in my selective re-read of Ed McBain's magnum opus, and the 38th entry in the "87th Precinct" series. This is one of McBain’s "Deaf Man novels" that feature an arch-villain and a criminal mastermind who in addition to committing crimes for financial gain wants to humiliate and hurt the police, in particular the 87th Precinct detectives, and especially Steve Carella. I find the clichéd, tired arch-villain motif a strong turn-off and despite some memorable fragments I am unable to recommend this novel.
The plot begins with the cliché passage depicting Monoghan and Monroe in their black overcoats at the murder scene: the body of a naked woman has been found, with a bullet hole at the base of her skull. Carella and Brown head the investigation but the 87th Precinct detectives are preoccupied with other events as well: they keep receiving mysterious letters apparently sent by the Deaf Man: the letters, in seemingly random order, mention eight black horses, three pairs of handcuffs, six police shields, etc. The narration keeps switching between the detectives’ activities and the Deaf Man’s exploits and all threads eventually lead to the climactic finale. At least 40 pages of the last third of the book contain the author’s lame attempts to extend the tension and delay the resolution for as long as possible: pages and pages are filled with irrelevant fluff that heavily taxes the readers' patience.
The memorable scene around the one-fourth point of the novel involves psychologically brutal seduction, intimidation and domination: hard stuff that combines raw sex and savage power. While difficult to read the scene exudes psychological realism. As if to balance this at about midpoint of the novel we have an interrogation scene that seems to be written by an aspiring author: awkward, artificial, and totally implausible. And how about the Deaf Man, this supposedly brilliant criminal mastermind, who uses inept helpers in carrying out his plans? In real life he wouldn't last long with associates that stupid.
The caricature of Richard Genero, now a detective but still a total jackass, is so cliché that it is not in the least funny. On the other hand the author displays some great if twisted sense of humor in two scenes that juxtapose sexual activities and death. But even these good bits can't save this wreck of a novel.
The book was published in 1985, approximately one complete generation after Cop Hater , the first novel in the series that appeared in 1956. Yet except for superficial differences, mostly involving technology, not much changed in the City or in the police procedure. This helps in maintaining credibility of the author's trick who keeps the series protagonists' personal time run much slower than the time elapsed between consecutive novels.
One and a half stars.
June 16, 2018
While I love writing these reviews, summarizing the books is a real challenge for me. I want to give enough to make my followers pick up the book without giving so much that it detracts from their reading experience. So I sometimes quote the small summaries from the catalog of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. I'll do that here, but be sure to read on:
"The criminal mastermind, the Deaf Man, returns to create mayhem and murder for the policemen of the 87th precinct. This time he sends the precinct cryptic warnings to coincide with the twelve days of Christmas."
There is no way any summary can even remotely do this book justice. While it's unlikely that the events recounted in the story would ever happen, they are believable enough that I was willing to go along for the ride. And what a ride!
This entry in the 87th Precinct series shows author Ed McBain at his creative best. It lacks the strong character development of some of the earlier 87th novels, but that's not the point here. If you are tired of the same old mysteries where you figure out the ending long before you read the final page, then give this one a try; I defy you to beat McBain to the punch.
"The criminal mastermind, the Deaf Man, returns to create mayhem and murder for the policemen of the 87th precinct. This time he sends the precinct cryptic warnings to coincide with the twelve days of Christmas."
There is no way any summary can even remotely do this book justice. While it's unlikely that the events recounted in the story would ever happen, they are believable enough that I was willing to go along for the ride. And what a ride!
This entry in the 87th Precinct series shows author Ed McBain at his creative best. It lacks the strong character development of some of the earlier 87th novels, but that's not the point here. If you are tired of the same old mysteries where you figure out the ending long before you read the final page, then give this one a try; I defy you to beat McBain to the punch.
March 17, 2020
Eight Black Horses is another 'Deaf Man' tale. So as is the case with these episodes, McBain gets to throw in all kinds of seemingly random clues and realism takes a back seat. So this is a pretty preposterous story but McBain does it well. In truth this is more a three and a half stars novel for me, but hey I'm feeling generous and there are some lovely passages in the sidelines, giving some insight into some of the less likeable characters such as Parker and Genero x
November 28, 2015
12 days of Christmas
This book is my favorite one of the series so far. Once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down. In the beginning, I was trying to figure out what the numbers were, since they're not in order. As the story progressed, I kind of figured out that part. But the question remained - why? Well I'm not telling........
This book is my favorite one of the series so far. Once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down. In the beginning, I was trying to figure out what the numbers were, since they're not in order. As the story progressed, I kind of figured out that part. But the question remained - why? Well I'm not telling........
July 13, 2018
Ed McBain’s Eight Black Horses once again takes the reader inside the 87th Precinct. This book involves the Deaf Man, a man who wreaked havoc throughout the city before. Without giving away any spoilers, Detective Steve Carella receives a letter at the 87th Precinct that starts the journey down a deadly pathway with the Deaf Man.
December 12, 2020
I don't care for stories that include the 'Deaf Man'. He makes the police look stupid. In this book, I tried to give the cops credit because the hints the deaf man was leaving would be near impossible to figure out. I almost skipped over this one when I learned the deaf man was part of the plot. SPOILER ALERT! He killed 8 black horses. I hate him.
June 13, 2021
The cliffhanger ending of the last book (‘Lightning’) was so good I had no choice but to jump straight into ‘Eight Black Horses’. Like all the Deaf Man books it’s quite convoluted but a lot of fun, with a particularly pleasing conclusion.
June 16, 2015
Another really good read. The Deaf Man is back! Foiled again.
October 15, 2016
I'm not so fond of McBain's "Deaf Man" novels. What can I say? I'm sure he had fun writing them, though. That shows.
December 12, 2020
Příběhy s Hluchým jsou něco jako u Simpsonů Čarodějnické speciály. Pravidelný úhyb ze zavedených schémat do království ryzího pulpu. Akorát zatímco Čarodějnické speciály mají volnou ruku a můžou se inspirovat vlastně čímkoliv, epizody s Hluchým jsou sice podobně přepálené, inspirované Fantomasem, Moriartym a jiným arcilotry, ale v podstatě jsou jasně nalajnované od začátku až do konce. Hluchý bude plánovat masivní akci, bude posílat policii stopy – a nakonec mu to, shodou podivných náhod, nevyjde. Tady má rozjeté hned dva projekty - a jeden krachne takovým způsobem, že by ho i Frank Drebin považoval za trochu přehnaný.
Tenhle systém postavený na zcela přiznané absolutní náhodě McBaina osvobozuje… v podstatě od čehokoliv. Může se dít cokoliv, Hluchý může mít sebegeniálnější plány, policie může dvě stě stránek bezcílně zírat na stopy - aby v závěru ze střechy náhodou spadla cihla a zasáhla unikající lupiče. (Což se tady sice nestane, ale skoro.) McBain nemusí řešit, jak spojit plány banditů s plány policistů. Nemusí vlastně vůbec nic.
Občas McBain udělal to, že k plánu Hluchého dal ještě nějaký sólový případ, aby člověk měl pocit, že policejní pátrání přece jen k něčemu je. Tady ne, tady se všechno týká Hluchého. Což je trochu škoda, protože víte, že police na nic nepřijde, ale že to padouchovi opět nevyjde a že se mu podaří uniknout. A policisté jsou tady už až moc velcí idioti, kteří nejsou schopní téměř ničeho. A Hluchý je tady vyslovený Wille E. Coyote, který vytváří supersložité plány, aby dosáhl něčeho, co by mohl zvládnout během pěti minut s kusem klacku a izolepou – a nakonec selže.
Ale jo, lidi jednou za čas nějaký ten Čarodějnický speciál očekávají. Tak tady je.
Tenhle systém postavený na zcela přiznané absolutní náhodě McBaina osvobozuje… v podstatě od čehokoliv. Může se dít cokoliv, Hluchý může mít sebegeniálnější plány, policie může dvě stě stránek bezcílně zírat na stopy - aby v závěru ze střechy náhodou spadla cihla a zasáhla unikající lupiče. (Což se tady sice nestane, ale skoro.) McBain nemusí řešit, jak spojit plány banditů s plány policistů. Nemusí vlastně vůbec nic.
Občas McBain udělal to, že k plánu Hluchého dal ještě nějaký sólový případ, aby člověk měl pocit, že policejní pátrání přece jen k něčemu je. Tady ne, tady se všechno týká Hluchého. Což je trochu škoda, protože víte, že police na nic nepřijde, ale že to padouchovi opět nevyjde a že se mu podaří uniknout. A policisté jsou tady už až moc velcí idioti, kteří nejsou schopní téměř ničeho. A Hluchý je tady vyslovený Wille E. Coyote, který vytváří supersložité plány, aby dosáhl něčeho, co by mohl zvládnout během pěti minut s kusem klacku a izolepou – a nakonec selže.
Ale jo, lidi jednou za čas nějaký ten Čarodějnický speciál očekávají. Tak tady je.
May 11, 2025
This is an enjoyable read, not least because it's precisely focussed on the Deaf Man's nefarious plot to punish the 87th Precinct.
There is one other thread: the Deaf Man's other plan. Which is to rob Gruber's downtown store using a well-trained robber dressed as Santa (this is another book set at Christmas). But really that robbery is far less interesting than the matter of the Deaf Man seducing women -- there are two in this narrative who become his willing slaves, turned to jelly by his sadistic but intensely erotic charm. He does appear to give them a great deal of sensual pleasure before he shoots them. He is almost a man to die for, as you might say.
However, it's impossible to forget that his little ways with women are particularly nasty. He makes me squirm in my seat, and there is nothing erotic about the sensation.
Twelve clues to the detectives' future fate arrive at the precinct: one for each of the 12 days of Christmas. These are then reinforced by gifts of corresponding objects stolen from police offices.
If the Deaf Man's plan for the precinct (and his arch-enemy Carella) had been successful, the whole series would have ended here. However, sixteen more books will follow. That tells you all you need to know.
This book is not AS exciting as The Heckler, the first of the Deaf Man novels. But it plays to the Deaf Man's fanclub readership, which clearly expands with each of his appearances.
By this stage, it is obvious that the Deaf Man is another McBain alter ego: his dark side:
"The Deaf Man loved words.
The Deaf Man also loved to excel.
He sometimes felt he would have excelled as a novelist, though why anyone would wish to pursue such a trivial occupation was far beyond his ken."
There is one other thread: the Deaf Man's other plan. Which is to rob Gruber's downtown store using a well-trained robber dressed as Santa (this is another book set at Christmas). But really that robbery is far less interesting than the matter of the Deaf Man seducing women -- there are two in this narrative who become his willing slaves, turned to jelly by his sadistic but intensely erotic charm. He does appear to give them a great deal of sensual pleasure before he shoots them. He is almost a man to die for, as you might say.
However, it's impossible to forget that his little ways with women are particularly nasty. He makes me squirm in my seat, and there is nothing erotic about the sensation.
Twelve clues to the detectives' future fate arrive at the precinct: one for each of the 12 days of Christmas. These are then reinforced by gifts of corresponding objects stolen from police offices.
If the Deaf Man's plan for the precinct (and his arch-enemy Carella) had been successful, the whole series would have ended here. However, sixteen more books will follow. That tells you all you need to know.
This book is not AS exciting as The Heckler, the first of the Deaf Man novels. But it plays to the Deaf Man's fanclub readership, which clearly expands with each of his appearances.
By this stage, it is obvious that the Deaf Man is another McBain alter ego: his dark side:
"The Deaf Man loved words.
The Deaf Man also loved to excel.
He sometimes felt he would have excelled as a novelist, though why anyone would wish to pursue such a trivial occupation was far beyond his ken."
December 19, 2022
The 38th of Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct novels sees the return, for his fourth appearance, of the squad’s nemesis, the Deaf Man. The book starts strongly with the discovery of a naked female body in the park and the mystery surrounding it. The cliffhanger of photographs of eight black horses being received by the 87th’s detective squad at the end of Lightning is followed up with further messages being sent in the form of photos of police equipment in differing numerical numbers seemingly geared around a perverse re-imagining of the twelve days of Christmas. The Deaf Man has two schemes – the main one being a planned heist of a department store unrelated to the messages he is sending. Secondly, he is providing clues through his dispatches for the detectives to figure out his intentions, which they struggle to come to grips with. The plot elements come together as we watch the Deaf Man’s schemes unfold, keeping us a step ahead of the detectives. Once again the Deaf Man’s primary objective comes undone through misfortune, leaving his secondary plan as a kind of revenge. The swing of the book toward this is where the book becomes unstuck as the tension does not really build. Instead, we become frustrated at the dim-witted detectives who fail to get to grips with the meaning of the Deaf Man’s pretty transparent messages. Credibility drops sharply as a result, and the humour seems at odds with the effects of the Deaf Man’s murderous spree. It is rare for McBain to misjudge the tone of his books as he generally gets the balance spot on between humourous dialogue and situations and the drama of the cases. Here, the result is a mixed bag.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews