Target Manhattan

by Brian Garfield

Book by Mallory, Dr. Ew

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

248 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Brian Francis Wynne Garfield was a novelist and screenwriter. He wrote his first published book at the age of eighteen, and gained prominence with 1975 his book Hopscotch, which won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. He is best known for his 1972 novel Death Wish, which was adapted for the 1974 film of the same title, followed by four sequels, and a remake starring Bruce Willis.

His follow-up 1975 sequel to Death Wish, Death Sentence, was very loosely adapted into a film of the same name which was released to theaters in late 2007, though an entirely different storyline, but with the novel's same look on vigilantism. Garfield is also the author of The Thousand-Mile War: World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for History. Garfield's latest book, published in 2007, is Meinertzhagen, the biography of controversial British intelligence officer Richard Meinertzhagen.

Brian Garfield was the author of more than 70 books that sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and 19 of his works were made into films or TV shows. He also served as president of the Western Writers of America and the Mystery Writers of America.

Pseudonyms:
• Bennett Garland
• John Ives
• Drew Mallory
• Frank O'Brian
• Brian Wynne
• Frank Wynne

Reviews

[Brad Rousse]

A quick, crisp thriller about a deranged madman holding New York City hostage with a B-17 full of ordinance. I like finding hidden gems like these.

[Thrillers R Us]

Needing to be tentatively titled DIE HARD OVER MANHATTAN, this novel is the classic hostage scenario, anno 1975. It's remarkable that this story wasn't turned into a movie either in the late 1970s, or in the resurgence of "terrorists seize xyz" scenario action movies in the late 1980s to mid 1990s. The basic premise is quite a daring and heady scheme; a pilot in a World War II era B-17C (the long range model) bomber in a lazy circle over Manhattan with bomb doors open plus an accomplice on the ground asking for $5,000,000 due within a few hours lest it shall rain 500-lb bombs on innocent civilians.

TARGET MANHATTAN does a superb job pointing out how much bureaucratic dodging and weaving goes into official business and it almost feels that this was the point behind cooking up the daredevil scheme of extorting New York City and the banking industry in one fell swoop. A strong bonus of the story is the way it is told in its entirety via transcripts of in-person interviews between the investigator (Mr. Skinner) and the participants of the quickly transpiring and escalating drama in Manhattan. It gives the story a lot of latitude and does not at all feel like bad screenwriting where the characters often lapse into explaining the plot and actions through frivolous dialogue. In fact, the format drives the story and piques interest in what is going to happen next and how the story will end.

By far not a lengthy novel, TARGET MANHATTAN is deep on story, motivations, and lessons. Quite telling for a book from 1975, a plane and pilot that participated in the Dresden firebombing raid of WW II and committed to doing the same for the most concentrated urban center in the U.S. show us that adversity brings out the best in all of us. Written under pseudonym by the author of DEATH WISH (1972) and DEATH SENTENCE (1975), TARGET MANHATTAN is slightly more than vigilantism; it's about getting out, getting even and getting away while leaving the financial industry holding the bag. And you can take that to the bank.