Columbo The Hoffa Connection
TOR Columbo Series Book 3
Forge
ISBN 9780812550788
ISBN 9780312858162
Over many months, nearly a year to be more accurate, Last year 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 third of 6 I have read in the series. I cannot see any fan of the series not enjoying this book, and if the other 3 remaining in the series are a good I am in for some great reads!
The description of this book states:
“When a racy, beautiful rock mega-star is found floating dead in her Beverly Hills swimming pool, Columbo, America's favorite TV detective launches an investigation that takes him all the way to the coast of Italy, to the birthplace of the mafia. But to solve this case, Columbo must first tackle on of the most publicized and puzzling mysteries to sweep the United States--the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa exactly twenty years ago.”
Another description is:
“To find out who killed a Madonna-like superstar and dumped her body in her Beverly Hills swimming pool, the TV detective must unlock the mystery of Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance twenty years earlier.”
This story starts in an interesting way. In the typical Columbo manner we soon witness the murder and know who the perpetrators are and how they did it. The big difference between this and other books or even the series was the naked victim, and the story contains numerous references to the victim and he many male partners. From the beginning there is some obvious suspects, but Columbo knows from early on to focus on the missing Old man, who lived with the victim, and has some pretty clear ideas who is involved. He just needs to figure out the ‘why?’.
As mentioned there were a few things in this story that felt a little off based on my experiences with Columbo. First the murder victim being naked and prancing and swimming around naked in front of numerous people. Second the sheer number of references to the victims sexual prowess and many man use used and discarded. And third Columbo allowing himself to be kissed a few times by a reporter pumping him for information. The victim’s name being Regina, which literally means Queen. The beginning of the second chapter of Part I of the novel states:
“At 10:00 a silvery Rolls-Royce entered the driveway of Regina’s estate in Beverly Hills. Although cars crowded the narrow'lane bumper-to-bumper, space had carefully been left for the Rolls to glide through unimpeded; and it stopped only at the front door to the sprawling Spanish-style mansion. Before the chauffeur could come around to open the door, Regina opened it and flung herself impatiently from the car, stark naked.
Without the blond wig, she exposed her hair: dark brown and brush cut. Her skin gleamed with sweat. Speaking to no one, she strode through the house and out the back door to the swimming pool, where she threw herself off the edge and into the water. She floundered. People gathered around the pool as she thrashed and struggled and—gradually made her way across the pool to the opposite side. Breathless and sputtering, she reached up and accepted a glass from Johnny, her houseboy, a handsome dark-visaged young man. She drank. Straight gin, no ice.
Her guests gathered around her, none of them surprised to see her naked, most of them anxious to have a look at her—or, as it was for many of them, another look.”
The other two novels could easily have been episodes of the series. I just cannot see how they would have ever filmed let alone aired this one. We still got to watch Columbo pull all the threads and eliminate some suspects. Including an international trip to the funeral of Regina in Italy. He does make a few references to Mrs C. But the events with the reporter just feel off.
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 good read, but not great, A great read for fans of the series or Jimmy Hoffa buff’s and for those who just like a mystery. I enjoyed the other 2 novels in this series far more than this one, it feels off and forced. I can recommend this book and series, and still look forward to reading the remaining three.
Books about Peter Falk or Columbo:
Columbo Phile - A Casebook - Mark Dawidziak
Cooking With Columbo Suppers With The Shambling Sleuth - Jenny Hammerton
Shooting Columbo - David Koenig
The Columbo Companion, 1968-78: Investigating Every Detail of All 45 'Classic Era' Columbo Adventures - The Columbophile
...
Related Posts:
...
Columbo Books:
A Christmas Killing - Alfred Lawrence
The Dean's Death - Alfred Lawrence
Any Old Port in a Storm - Henry Clements
By Dawn's Early Light - Henry Clements
Murder by the Book - Lee Hays
A Deadly State of Mind Book - Lee Hays
The Columbo Collection – William Link
…
Columbo Novels by William Harrington:
Grassy Knoll (1993)
The Helter Skelter Murders (1994)
The Hoffa Connection (1995)
The Game Show Killer (1996)
The Glitter Murders (1997)
The Hover Files (1998)
…
Other Books by William Harrington:
Which the Justice, Which the Thief (1963)
The Power (1964)
aka The Gospel of Death
Yoshar the Soldier (1966)
aka One Over One
The Search for Elisabeth Brandt (1968)
Trial (1970)
The Jupiter Crisis (1971)
Mister Target (1974)
Scorpio 5 (1975)
Partners (1980)
The English Lady (1982)
Skin Deep (1983)
The Cromwell File (1986)
Oberst (1987)
For the Defense (1988)
Virus (1990)
Endgame in Berlin (1991)
Town on Trial (1994)
Murder at the President's Door (2001)
with Elliott Roosevelt published posthumously.
…
No comments:
Post a Comment