Evan Hunter Critical Essay | Critical Essay by Newgate Callendar

Critical Essay by Newgate Callendar

[In "Goldilocks", Ed McBain] leaves his famous 87th Precinct to write a novel about murder and adultery in Florida. A man coming home finds his wife and children murdered. His story has a few holes in it, and he comes under suspicion…. There is considerable soul searching before things get straightened out. McBain goes through all this in his usual professional manner. But there is one little mistake in the book. A suspect says she was listening to the radio. "They were playing a Stravinsky piano quartet, I don't know which one." Sorry, Ed. There is no such thing as a Stravinsky piano quartet. (p. 34)

Newgate Callendar, in The New York Times Book Review (© 1978 by the New York Times Company; reprinted by permission), February 18, 1978.