Detective (novel)

Last updated

Detective
Detective (novel).jpg
First edition
Author Arthur Hailey
PublisherCrown
Publication date
July 1, 1997
ISBN 0-517-70025-5

Detective is a 1997 novel by Canadian writer Arthur Hailey, the author's last book. Hailey depicts the work of a homicide department and its investigation methods.

Contents

Plot

Detective is the story of Miami Police detective Malcolm Ainslie, who had previously trained to be a Catholic priest. A serial killer breaks free in Miami. He is a religious fanatic and he starts killing people feeling that he is the avenger of God. He leaves certain things at the murder scenes that are symbols from the Book of Revelation.

Miami Police Detective Sergeant Malcolm Ainslie and his team start to investigate the murders. They eventually find the killer and arrest him. The murderer is nicknamed The Animal because he kills in such a barbaric manner. Now, when this man is about to be executed for the serial killings he did, he calls for Malcolm. 30 minutes before his execution he confesses to Malcolm that he did all the serial killings he is accused of except one, which was not done by him.

It was the killing of the city commissioner and his wife. Malcolm, at first, refuses to believe him because The Animal has a reputation of being a liar. But as he goes deep into the history of cases and studies all the killings he discovers that there are two killings in separate cities, unsolved murders which were confessed by The Animal.

When he carefully studies all the killings done by him, he finds out that the killings of city commissioner and his wife were attempted by someone else, a copy cat killer, and these murders were made to look as if done by the same killer. Thanks to his priestly training, he notices that the pattern of the symbols left by the Animal at scenes of all the other murders is derived from the Book of Revelation, but that the symbols left at the murder of the Mayor do not fit this pattern.

Malcolm suddenly finds himself facing a situation where a copy cat killer is roaming around free. And when the killings are of a city commissioner and his wife the matter became more complicated. His team starts to investigate and finds important people involved in the killings and a famous novelist is also involved.

Reception

Detective received reviews from Booklist , [1] the Chicago Tribune, [2] Kirkus Reviews, [3] and Publishers Weekly. [4]

Television adaptation

Detective (also known as Arthur Hailey's Detective) was adapted into a television movie in 2005, directed by David S. Cass Sr., and with a cast that included Tom Berenger (as Malcolm Ainslie), Cybill Shepherd (as Karen Ainslie), Annabeth Gish (as Cynthia Ernst), Rick Gomez (as Detective Rodriguez), Frank Whaley (as Brewmaster), Wanda De Jesus (as Sanchez), J. Karen Thomas (as Ruby Bowe), Charles Durning (as Max Ernst), Sean O'Bryan (as Elroy Doil), and Rutanya Alda (as Judge Agannis).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Cunanan</span> American serial killer (1969–1997)

Andrew Phillip Cunanan was an American serial killer who murdered five people over three months from April 27 to July 15, 1997. His victims include Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace and Chicago real estate developer Lee Miglin. Cunanan died by suicide on July 23, 1997, eight days after murdering Versace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zodiac Killer</span> Pseudonym of a serial killer in California

The Zodiac Killer is the pseudonym of an unidentified serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s. The Zodiac murdered five known victims in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969, operating in rural, urban and suburban settings. He targeted three young couples and a lone male cab driver. The case has been described as "arguably the most famous unsolved murder case in American history", and has become both a fixture of popular culture and a focus for efforts by amateur detectives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Hole</span> Main character in crime novels written by Jo Nesbø

Harry Hole, who is also called "Harry Holy" by allies in the Australian police force, is the main character in a series of crime novels written by Norwegian author Jo Nesbø. The name is derived from Old Norse Hólar, the plural form of hóll, meaning "round and isolated hill." Harry's surname is also the name of a historic Norwegian town with a heritage that goes back to the Viking Age.

Florida State Prison (FSP), otherwise known as Raiford Prison, is a correctional institution located in unincorporated Bradford County, Florida, with a Starke postal address. It was formerly known as the "Florida State Prison-East Unit" as it was originally part of Florida State Prison near Raiford. The facility, a part of the Florida Department of Corrections, is located on State Road 16 right across the border from Union County. The institution opened in 1961, even though construction was not completed until 1968. With a maximum population of over 1,400 inmates, FSP is one of the largest prisons in the state. FSP houses Florida's one of two male death row cell blocks and the State of Florida execution chamber. Union Correctional Institution also houses male death row inmates while Lowell Annex houses female death row inmates.

<i>The Alienist</i> 1994 novel by Caleb Carr

The Alienist is a crime novel by Caleb Carr first published in 1994 and is the first book in the Kreizler series. It takes place in New York City in 1896, and includes appearances by many famous figures of New York society in that era, including Theodore Roosevelt and J. P. Morgan. The story follows Roosevelt, then New York City police commissioner, and Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, as their investigative team attempts to solve gruesome murders through new methods including fingerprinting and psychology. The first murder victim investigated is a 13-year-old immigrant who has had his eyes removed, his genitals removed and stuffed in his mouth, and other injuries. The investigators deal with various interest groups that wish to maintain the status quo regarding the poor immigrant population in New York City. The sequel to the novel is The Angel of Darkness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonial Parkway murders</span> 1986–1989 murders in Virginia, US

The Colonial Parkway murders were the serial murders of at least eight people in the U.S. state of Virginia between 1986 and 1989. The killings were associated with the Colonial Parkway, a 22-mile long thoroughfare that cuts through the Colonial National Historical Park and connects Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Long stretches of the road are devoid of any streetlights and are extremely isolated, making it a popular lovers' lane location frequented by young adults.

<i>Memories of Murder</i> 2003 film by Bong Joon-ho

Memories of Murder is a 2003 South Korean neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Bong Joon-ho, from a screenplay by Bong and Shim Sung-bo, and based on the 1996 play Come to See Me by Kim Kwang-rim. It stars Song Kang-ho and Kim Sang-kyung. In the film, detectives Park Doo-man (Song) and Seo Tae-yoon (Kim) lead an investigation into a string of rapes and murders taking place in Hwaseong in the late 1980s.

Debra Charlotte Morgan is a fictional character created by Jeff Lindsay for his Dexter book series. She also appears in the television series, based on Lindsay's books, portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter. In Lindsay's novels, she first appeared in Darkly Dreaming Dexter and was featured in every novel in the series. Debra is the sister of the series' antihero protagonist Dexter Morgan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dexter Morgan</span> Fictional character from the Dexter book and TV series

Dexter Morgan, also known by the in-universe moniker The Bay Harbor Butcher, is a fictional character introduced as the antihero protagonist of the Dexter book series written by Jeff Lindsay, as well as the television series of the same name. In the television series, Dexter is portrayed by Michael C. Hall.

<i>Darkly Dreaming Dexter</i> 2004 novel by Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter is a 2004 novel by Jeff Lindsay, the first in his crime/horror series about American forensic analyst/serial killer Dexter Morgan. It formed the basis of the Showtime television series Dexter and won the 2005 Dilys Award and the 2007 Book to TV award.

The smiley face murder theory is a theory advanced by retired New York City detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, as well as Dr. Lee Gilbertson, a criminal justice professor and gang expert at St. Cloud State University. It alleges that 45 young men found dead in bodies of water across several Midwestern American states from the late 1990s to the 2010s did not accidentally drown, as concluded by law enforcement agencies, but were victims of one or multiple serial killers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Carpenter</span> American serial killer on death row

David Joseph Carpenter, also known as The Trailside Killer, is an American serial killer and serial rapist known for stalking and murdering a variety of individuals on hiking trails in state parks near San Francisco, California. He attacked at least ten individuals and was convicted in seven murders and was confirmed to be the killer in an eighth murder; Carpenter is also suspected in two additional killings. Two victims, Steven Haertle and Lois Rinna, mother of television personality Lisa Rinna, survived. Carpenter used a .38 caliber handgun in all but one of the killings. A .44 caliber handgun was used in the killing of Edda Kane on Mount Tamalpais.

Harry Morgan (<i>Dexter</i>) Fictional character

Detective Harrison "Harry" Morgan is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by James Remar. Harry is Dexter Morgan's adoptive father, now deceased.

<i>Darkness, Take My Hand</i> 1996 novel by Dennis Lehane

Darkness, Take My Hand (1996) is the second book in the Kenzie/Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Quinn</span> Fictional character

Joseph "Joey" Quinn is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter, portrayed by Desmond Harrington.

"Road Kill" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American crime drama television series Dexter. It is the 44th overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Melissa Rosenberg and Scott Reynolds, and was directed by Ernest Dickerson. It originally aired on Showtime on November 15, 2009.

<i>Nocturnal</i> (novel) 2012 novel by Scott Sigler

Nocturnal is a novel and podcast by author Scott Sigler. The novel was originally released in 2007 in podcast format, with a print format releasing in 2012 by Crown Publishing with some elements from the original version altered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuel Pardo (serial killer)</span> American serial killer (1956–2012)

Manuel "Manny" Pardo Jr. was an American serial killer and former police officer previously employed by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Sweetwater Police Department. Between January and April 1986, he killed nine known victims. He was convicted on nine counts of first degree murder, for which he was sentenced to death; he was executed in December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murders of Kate Bushell and Lyn Bryant</span> 1990s murders in England

The murders ofKate BushellandLinda "Lyn" Bryant, a 14-year-old schoolgirl and a 41-year-old woman, respectively, occurred in separate incidents in the West Country, England. The events occurred on 15 November 1997 and 20 October 1998 respectively. The similar circumstances of the murders led investigators to conclude that there is a high possibility the murders are linked, with both killed with knives while walking dogs along isolated lanes.

References

  1. "Detective" . Booklist . 1 May 1997. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  2. "ARTHUR HAILEY'S `DETECTIVE' STUMBLES ON MINUTIAE". Chicago Tribune . 14 August 1997. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  3. "DETECTIVE by Arthur Hailey". Kirkus Reviews . 15 May 1997. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. "Detective by Arthur Hailey". Publishers Weekly . 30 June 1997. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.