John Coyne on Godey and Deal

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three By John Godey Putnam, 316 pp., $6.95

The Crystal Mouse By Babs H. Deal Doubleday, 182 pp., $5.95 So you want to write a best-seller. Well, for starters, how about the hijacking bit? It’s big these days. Structure? How about that minute-by-minute planned caper format? The Day of the Jackal proved it’s still surefire stuff. Characters? Mafia and Deep Throat types are winners this season. And how about a jive-talking black militant (with integrity, of course)? And then, just for old times’ sake, throw in an out-of-work mercenary who fought in Katanga and Biafra.

JR

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John R. Coyne Jr.

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William F. Buckley Jr.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three By John Godey Putnam, 316 pp., $6.95

The Crystal Mouse By Babs H. Deal Doubleday, 182 pp., $5.95 So you want to write a best-seller. Well, for starters, how about the hijacking bit? It’s big these days. Structure? How about that minute-by-minute planned caper format? The Day of the Jackal proved it’s still surefire stuff. Characters? Mafia and Deep Throat types are winners this season. And how about a jive-talking black militant (with integrity, of course)? And then, just for old times’ sake, throw in an out-of-work mercenary who fought in Katanga and Biafra.