''The Detective'' is a

thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...

by American author Roderick Thorp, first published hardcover in

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo ...

. It was made into the

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

movie of the same name, starring

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

, as Detective Joe Leland. Billed as "an adult look at police life", ''The Detective'' went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of 1968 and one of the strongest box-office hits of Sinatra's acting career. A sequel, '' Nothing Lasts Forever'', was published in 1979, and was later adapted into the film '' Die Hard''. Both books utilize the

third-person narrative Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...

in their storytelling, and rely on a wealth of introspective monologuing.

Plot summary

Joe Leland, a private detective, begins investigating a case for the recently widowed Norma MacIver. Norma requests that Leland find out everything he can about her deceased husband. Norma requests Leland personally because her husband had mentioned knowing him in the past. It turns out that Leland and Colin MacIver served in the same military unit during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, but at different times. Leland interviews Colin's first wife, Colin's mother, and the security guards at the track where Colin supposedly killed himself. Norma introduces Leland to her neighbor and former therapist, Dr. Wendell Roberts. During their conversation, Wendell reveals that he knew Leland's wife Karen. It is revealed that Wendell was friends with the man with whom Karen Leland had had an affair. As Leland's investigation deepens he uncovers evidence of corruption and murder. Eventually, Leland discovers that Colin was connected to a homicide during Leland's earlier life with the police department as a detective. During the investigation of Teddy Leikman's death, a confession was obtained from Felix Tesla, Leikman's roommate. Tesla was subsequently executed by electric chair. It turned out that Colin MacIver was the true murderer. Joe's partner, Mike Petrakis, managed to decipher Colin's coded notes and reveal a paper trail of corruption.

Characters in ''The Detective''

Major characters

* Detective Joe Leland - A private detective, he investigates the supposed suicide of Colin MacIver per Norma's request. During his investigation, he uncovers corruption, fraud, lies, and a shocking connection to a case he solved while working on the police force. * Karen Leland - Joe's wife. * Dr. Wendell Roberts - A psychiatrist. * Colin MacIver - A troubled man, murder or suicide victim. * Norma MacIver - Colin's widow.

Minor characters

* Mike Petrakis * Teddy Leikman * Felix Tesla * Dave Schoenstein * Curran * Florence * Mrs. MacIver * Betty Kaminsky * Murray Kaminsky

Release details

*1966,

Dial Press The Dial Press was a publishing house founded in 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh. The Dial Press shared a building with '' The Dial'' and Scofield Thayer worked with both. The first imprint was issued in 1924. Authors included Elizabeth Bowen, W. ...

, hardcover, *April 1, 1986, Delta, paperback, *July 1987, Amereon Ltd, hardcover,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Detective, The 1966 American novels American thriller novels Die Hard American novels adapted into films American detective novels