The Glitter Murder
TOR Columbo Series Book 5
Forge
ISBN 9780312861612
ISBN 0312861613
Over nearly a year to be more accurate, 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 fifth of 6 I have read in the series. I cannot see any fan of the series not enjoying this book, and if the last remaining in the series is as good I am thankful for some great reads! There is a little sadness that the series is coming to an end. I really wish there were more books available in this series.
The description of this book states:
“For over twenty-five years, Columbo has been the most popular, and persistent, detective on television. New Columbo TV movies are as popular as ever, while the syndicated TV show episodes still appear on cable. Now the lovable LAPD lieutenant is back at work in the land of the powerful and glitzy, armed with his keen wit, rumpled raincoat, and unlit cigar.
Looking at the scene of the murder and the body, it is obvious to everyone that famed motion-picture director Gunnar Svan has been murdered by someone who broke into his house and bludgeoned him to death in the course of a robbery—obvious to everyone but Lieutenant Columbo.
Columbo has a few questions, even one or two for the distraught widow, the wealthy and exotically beautiful magazine publisher Ai-Ling Cooper-Svan.
Set in the glamour spots of Hollywood and in the world of scandal-sheet publishing, The Glitter Murder offers a fascinating background for another effort by the rumpled, distracted detective, who always innocently asks "just one more little question."”
Another description is:
“Looking at the scene of the murder and the body, it is obvious to everyone that famed motion-picture director Gunnar Svan has been murdered by someone who broke into his house and bludgeoned him to death in the course of a robbery - obvious to everyone but Lieutenant Columbo. Columbo has a few questions, even one or two for the distraught widow, the wealthy and exotically beautiful magazine publisher Ai-Ling Cooper-Svan.”
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 spent most of a Sunday reading, and my morning coffee on Monday on the porch finished it.
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.
This story follows a business woman who discovers not only is her husband cheating on her, but doing so with a minor a prostitute, and others he is also stealing from her. She comes up with a plan for what she believes will be a perfect murder. And it might have been if Columbo had not caught the case. This story has a lot of intriguing elements and is one of the bets in the series, if not the best. Columbo trying to get a connected criminal Jacky Di Giacomo who got off with murder previously. Adrienne Boswell whom we have encountered in other volumes, is pulled in as an alibi and subplot in the story. And a few young women are taken advantage of at least 2 were under age. Overall an excellent plot with great characters and several elements rolled into a great case.
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 Thursday July 2nd to Friday August 14th 7:11 A.M. The epilogue takes the events at least 7 years out into the future as well.
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 3 of the other 4 novels in this series so far, and I look forward to the remaining story. I can recommend this book and series.
Books about Peter Falk or Columbo:
Columbo Phile - A Casebook - Mark Dawidziak
Shooting Columbo - David Koenig
The Columbo Companion, 1968-78: Investigating Every Detail of All 45 'Classic Era' Columbo Adventures - The Columbophile
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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
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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.
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