What do you think?
Rate this book
Columbo (Tor Series) #4
Columbo: The Game Show Killer
Pitted against one of the most brilliant and flamboyant lawyers in the country, Columbo must discover the elusive but critical clue in what seems to be a perfect murder. Reprint.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
1 person is currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
William Harrington
50 books10 followersWilliam Harrington is mainly known as the author of Murder at the President’s Door, his specialty was mainly in detective stories. He was a lawyer from 1958 to 1976, an electoral adviser from 1962 to 1965 in Columbus, and finally an attorney from 1978 to 1980. His first novel The Justice Which, Which the Thief, published in 1963, received positive critics. It was a real case story about a couple of jewelry robberies in Ohio.
His other popular book was published in 1982, The English Lady, it is an espionage novel about Winston Churchill and her confidante spying on the Germans during the Second World War. Between 1993 and 1998, he wrote the Columbo series, inspired by the television series American Columbo. He Co-authored with Elliot Roosevelt on the investigations of Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the US president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Between 1963 and 2001, he has written over 20 interesting and captivating books.
His other popular book was published in 1982, The English Lady, it is an espionage novel about Winston Churchill and her confidante spying on the Germans during the Second World War. Between 1993 and 1998, he wrote the Columbo series, inspired by the television series American Columbo. He Co-authored with Elliot Roosevelt on the investigations of Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the US president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Between 1963 and 2001, he has written over 20 interesting and captivating books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 12, 2017
I'm a huge fan of Columbo and have watched the episodes over and over, never tiring of them and the inverted mysteries they present. This started out appropriately with the conspirators planning the crime, so I was encouraged that I was about to "see" an entirely new episode. I could have overlooked the annoying quality of Columbo's written speech pattern trying to mimic Peter Falk's unique delivery, but there was a bigger problem for me. And that is that the tension between the criminal and Columbo is completely missing here. The scenes where he hounds the murderer in the show were often the best (and biggest) part, but Columbo has little interaction with the criminals in this novel. Instead he interacts with other police and his superiors (rarely done in the show) and plods around interviewing witnesses and family members instead. One fun scene though involved Dog and Columbo at the beach. The "gotcha" moment didn't work for me with no surprise to be revealed. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but ultimately disappointing.
August 23, 2013
I like that this was an original mystery that didn't try to work Columbo into some famous case (Manson, JFK, etc.) like previous entries. It was enjoyable, but the ending was rushed and lacked punch.
January 13, 2026
Big fan of Columbo. I’ve rewatched the show multiple time. This did not feel like Columbo at all. I realize this book was written in 1997 so I’m late to the game but his dialogue felt so off. He was staring at scantily clad women, which Columbo would never do, he always averted his eyes. He barely talked to the guilty parties which is like, the entire premise of each episode. And at the end, he was carrying his gun?! Columbo would never. Just disappointed with this author’s interpretation. I realize it would be hard to put Peter Falk on the page but this was a miss in my book.
October 4, 2021
I really enjoy these Columbo books. This is my fourth one I've read and all have been fun and brought back fond memories of the show. In this one Columbo has to figure out who killed a beloved movie star that behind the scenes was not nearly as squeaky clean as it seemed. A former starlet on a game show is arrested for the murder because the victim was the father of her child, who was murdered years before. There is much more, in that her lawyer is the best lawyer in town. Also can Columbo see that maybe this former starlet wasnt on her own and may be a victim herself?
Highly recommended a fun Columbo story that could easily be part of the original run of shows.
Highly recommended a fun Columbo story that could easily be part of the original run of shows.
September 29, 2012
The Columbo series from TV was always one of my favorites and being able to read another adventure is very cool!
January 31, 2026
Over many months, nearly a year to be more accurate, the year before last I watched the complete run of Columbo, while researching an article I wrote as an overview on the series I discovered this novel and the other 6 in the series. I also found about casebooks, and even a cookbook. I thought I would try tracking down these books and give them a try. They do not disappoint. It was almost like watching an episode, his mannerisms, his process, and even his favourite foods. This was the fourth of 6 I have read in the series. I cannot see any fan of the series not enjoying this book, and if the other 2 remaining in the series are a good I am in for some great reads!
The description of this book states:
“For over twenty-five years, Columbo has been the most popular , and persistent, detective on television, drawing millions of viewers a week. William Harrington's compelling new novel pits the famous TV detectives against one of the most brilliant and flamboyant lawyers in the country. It may seem like the perfect murder, but if there's the tiniest flaw, the famous Lieutenant Columbo will find it.”
Another description is:
“William Harrington's compelling new novel in the successful Columbo series, The Game Show Killer, pits the famous TV detective against one of the most brilliant and flamboyant lawyers in the country.
Realizing that an acquitted celebrity, even a minor one, can be worth millions, high-powered LA defense attorney Grant Kellogg decides to create his own.
He enlists Erika Bjorling, who was the co-host or "squealer" for "Try It Once," a popular prime-time game show that ran for nineteen years. Since the show's recent cancellation her career has been in a tailspin. If she can survive a few months in jail, Kellogg guarantees Bjorling an acquittal and enough money for both of them to retire in luxury. When she finds out who the victim will be, she readily agrees to the plan.
Legendary film star Tim Wylie has a sterling public image and millions of adoring fans. Privately, though, he has seduced hundreds of hopeful young actresses, including Erika Bjorling. Twenty years ago, she had fallen in love with Wylie and had his child. On learning of her pregnancy, Wylie dumped Bjorling - something for which she has never forgiven him.
Enter the famous Lieutenant Columbo, with his cigars and wrinkled raincoat, asking, "Who got dead?" Wylie's bullet-ridden body on the floor and the missing paintings point to a simple robbery. But as Columbo begins the methodically slow investigation he's noted for, he finds the parts of this case fit together too neatly, almost seamlessly. It seems like the perfect murder, but if there's the tiniest flaw, the tenacious Columbo will find it.”
I have started a rewatching of the Columbo Television Series, mainly while cooking or eating to have something on in the background. I remembered I had this volume on my Kindle but had not got around to it. When I picked it up I devoured it in under 24 hours, over 2 sittings. I stayed up way to late one night reading, then finished it the next morning after mass.
The first three stories in this series are based on real people and real events, even if extrapolated further out in time. This story from my research appears to be completely fictional, though some indicate it could be very loosely based on Rodney Alcala who was know as, "The Dating Game Killer".
This story follows a starlet who is now out of work, Erika Bjorling, who is portrayed like a Vanna White character, who is manipulated by and ex, a famous lawyer Grant Kellogg, to murder another ex and father of her previously murdered child.
This is in my opinion the best novel in the series that I have read to date. Unlike the tradition chapter method, each section of the story starts with a date and time or just the time, if on the same date. The story spans from Tuesday, April 4th -7:58 A.A. to Friday December 22, but that is more the epilogue, the main story ends on Thursday April 27th 2:01 P.M. It really reads like watching an episode. And it was like a visit with an old friend even though it had been a year between books in the series.
While researching for the review of the first volume in this series I discovered that there were also 6 Columbo novels in the 1970; 2 new stores and 4 novelizations of episodes and also a collection called The Columbo Collection of 12 stories by William Link. These 6 novels came out overlapping with the 6 of the last 8 episodes of the TV Movie Special Era.
This was a great read, in a good series. Fans of the series or for those who just like a good mystery or crime detective novel. I greatly enjoyed 2 of the other 3 novels in this series far, and I look forward to the remaining two. I can recommend this book and series.
The description of this book states:
“For over twenty-five years, Columbo has been the most popular , and persistent, detective on television, drawing millions of viewers a week. William Harrington's compelling new novel pits the famous TV detectives against one of the most brilliant and flamboyant lawyers in the country. It may seem like the perfect murder, but if there's the tiniest flaw, the famous Lieutenant Columbo will find it.”
Another description is:
“William Harrington's compelling new novel in the successful Columbo series, The Game Show Killer, pits the famous TV detective against one of the most brilliant and flamboyant lawyers in the country.
Realizing that an acquitted celebrity, even a minor one, can be worth millions, high-powered LA defense attorney Grant Kellogg decides to create his own.
He enlists Erika Bjorling, who was the co-host or "squealer" for "Try It Once," a popular prime-time game show that ran for nineteen years. Since the show's recent cancellation her career has been in a tailspin. If she can survive a few months in jail, Kellogg guarantees Bjorling an acquittal and enough money for both of them to retire in luxury. When she finds out who the victim will be, she readily agrees to the plan.
Legendary film star Tim Wylie has a sterling public image and millions of adoring fans. Privately, though, he has seduced hundreds of hopeful young actresses, including Erika Bjorling. Twenty years ago, she had fallen in love with Wylie and had his child. On learning of her pregnancy, Wylie dumped Bjorling - something for which she has never forgiven him.
Enter the famous Lieutenant Columbo, with his cigars and wrinkled raincoat, asking, "Who got dead?" Wylie's bullet-ridden body on the floor and the missing paintings point to a simple robbery. But as Columbo begins the methodically slow investigation he's noted for, he finds the parts of this case fit together too neatly, almost seamlessly. It seems like the perfect murder, but if there's the tiniest flaw, the tenacious Columbo will find it.”
I have started a rewatching of the Columbo Television Series, mainly while cooking or eating to have something on in the background. I remembered I had this volume on my Kindle but had not got around to it. When I picked it up I devoured it in under 24 hours, over 2 sittings. I stayed up way to late one night reading, then finished it the next morning after mass.
The first three stories in this series are based on real people and real events, even if extrapolated further out in time. This story from my research appears to be completely fictional, though some indicate it could be very loosely based on Rodney Alcala who was know as, "The Dating Game Killer".
This story follows a starlet who is now out of work, Erika Bjorling, who is portrayed like a Vanna White character, who is manipulated by and ex, a famous lawyer Grant Kellogg, to murder another ex and father of her previously murdered child.
This is in my opinion the best novel in the series that I have read to date. Unlike the tradition chapter method, each section of the story starts with a date and time or just the time, if on the same date. The story spans from Tuesday, April 4th -7:58 A.A. to Friday December 22, but that is more the epilogue, the main story ends on Thursday April 27th 2:01 P.M. It really reads like watching an episode. And it was like a visit with an old friend even though it had been a year between books in the series.
While researching for the review of the first volume in this series I discovered that there were also 6 Columbo novels in the 1970; 2 new stores and 4 novelizations of episodes and also a collection called The Columbo Collection of 12 stories by William Link. These 6 novels came out overlapping with the 6 of the last 8 episodes of the TV Movie Special Era.
This was a great read, in a good series. Fans of the series or for those who just like a good mystery or crime detective novel. I greatly enjoyed 2 of the other 3 novels in this series far, and I look forward to the remaining two. I can recommend this book and series.
March 27, 2022
Another solid entry in this series. I find that hear Peter Falk talking while Columbo is investigating. I don't know if that's just me and my imagination, or if William Harrington is just nailing it.
As always, the story was solidly plotted and paced, just like a TV episode would be. It certainly hits all the notes we'd expect to hit in a typical episode, so there's not too much to complain about. I've seen other reviewers complain that these books aren't as good as the real thing, but it is one thing to have the perfect Columbo script, and quite another when you have great character actors to execute it. Sadly that's never going to happen again. Some might find these novels to be a poor substitute, but not me. I enjoy them.
As always, the story was solidly plotted and paced, just like a TV episode would be. It certainly hits all the notes we'd expect to hit in a typical episode, so there's not too much to complain about. I've seen other reviewers complain that these books aren't as good as the real thing, but it is one thing to have the perfect Columbo script, and quite another when you have great character actors to execute it. Sadly that's never going to happen again. Some might find these novels to be a poor substitute, but not me. I enjoy them.
January 3, 2020
HUGE Columbo fan. I thought the mystery was kind of clever (though it doesn’t even come close to rivaling the TV series). However, I had a difficult time picturing the Columbo I know and love based on how the author wrote his character. I’ll definitely read more of the novels, though.
October 5, 2022
Just like on the Columbo tv shows, the shabby detective solves what the murders believe is the perfect murder.
April 10, 2024
3.75 stars; a relaxing, enjoyable read. You can almost *hear* Columbo’s voice come off the page
January 18, 2026
I loved it. It was just like watching an episode, but in my head. A really great story. They never learn, Columbo will always figure it out. 😂♥️
August 30, 2020
An interesting premise at the start but the murderer overlooked some pretty obvious things I thought so it was a less impressive "solve" for Columbo than usual. One of the most enjoyable things about watching the show for me is always how Columbo seizes upon small loose threads that end up unraveling the whole mystery. Here, the clues were so glaring that this one felt like a layup for our great detective. Harrington's Columbo voice seemed a little off here as well.
August 3, 2015
I love Columbo. The books have all the cleverness of the series, with the intelligent and cunning but bedraggled detective finding clues where no one else could.
I can read these books over and over and still enjoy the wit and the flow of the writing and the thrill of the chase.
I can read these books over and over and still enjoy the wit and the flow of the writing and the thrill of the chase.
August 20, 2015
Fans of the tv show will enjoy.
April 1, 2016
Columbo does it again.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews