GLITTER STREET

by Tim Sullivan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 2, 1979

Busy, mindless action--heists and chases and sleuthing, all of it foolish and some of it likable. An IRA team pals up with a black team, they disguise themselves as Arabs (for shock effect) and take over New York's diamond district, 47th Street, barricading both ends of the block with mail wagons and armored cars. Bystanders are herded into steel cages in the middle of the street, with dynamite charges attached. With their hostages secured, the mock Arabs fill mail carts with diamonds for nearly two days and leave the big glittering carts in full view while they get into the major vaults. How do these crazies plan to escape with such enormous weights of loot? As a matter of fact, the ""diamonds"" in the mail carts are actually glass; a few of the robbers hope to escape through the subway tunnels carrying a few billion in fancy gems strapped to their waists in moneybelts. But this lousily laid plan goes astray and only two robbers escape, the IRA leader Duggan and black leader Fred Stone. Meanwhile, Scan O'Keefe--an ex-marine and ex-cop turned TV newsman who happens to be filming on the street--joins the police in tracking down the thieves. And also on hand is Chief Inspector Harriet Smythe-Houghton, a six-foot lady charmer from Scotland Yard, plus FBI agent McBride. Eventually, O'Keefe nabs Stone, while Harriet tracks Duggan down at a bingo game at St. Ignatius' school auditorium. Passable folderol--with a boost from bouncy British Harriet.

Pub Date: Nov. 2, 1979

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Rawson, Wade--dist. by Atheneum

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1979

Categories: FICTION