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The First Deadly Sin (The Edward X. Delaney Series) Kindle Edition

by Lawrence Sanders (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,781 ratings
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The #1 New York Times–bestselling author introduces readers to “a great detective, a detective’s detective,” New York cop Edward X. Delaney (Kirkus Reviews).

New York Police Department Captain Edward Delaney is called to the scene of a brutal murder. A Brooklyn councilman was struck from behind, the back of his skull punctured and crushed with an unknown weapon. The victim wasn’t robbed, and there’s no known motive. The commissioner appoints Delaney to head up a clandestine task force, but soon this effort ignites an internecine war of departmental backstabbing.   Distracted by the serious illness of his wife, Barbara, Delaney begins his secret investigation. Then the killer claims another victim—slain in the exact same way, leaving the strange puncture wound. As more young men are found murdered, Delaney starts putting the pieces together. Soon, he’s faced with a cop’s dilemma: He knows who the killer is, but the man is untouchable. That’s when Delaney lays a trap to bring a monster to justice . . .
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  1. Book 2 of 5
    The Edward X. Delaney
  2. Print length
    644 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
  6. Publication date
    February 12, 2013
  7. File size
    4135 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
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  10. Enhanced typesetting
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  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A master of suspense.” —The Washington Post“Breathtakingly exciting!” —Newsday

From the Inside Flap

drama of a crusty New York City cop who stalks the streets for a psychotic killer while his wife lies dying of an incurable illness. 2 cassettes.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00B4V7PUC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller (February 12, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 12, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4135 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 644 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,781 ratings

About the author

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Lawrence Sanders

Lawrence Sanders

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Lawrence Sanders (1920–1998) was the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty mystery and suspense novels including the Edward X. Delaney, Archy McNally, and Timothy Cone series, as well as the acclaimed Commandment books. The Anderson Tapes received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for best first novel.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,781 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Pennydreadful Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars My opinion still stands -- fantastic storytelling
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
I feel I may have cheated when reading this book because I read it in gosh, too many years ago to count. However, Sanders's Deadly Sin series were the first stories that put my heart to pounding and made me wish I could write. Recently, I wanted to see if that belief was still true, and darned if it isn't.

Lawrence Sanders quite simply is a master. Of characterization, of research, of police procedure, of getting inside the characters' (and readers' heads). His set up might indeed be frowned upon today. He starts the book with several chapters surrounding the antagonist, and then we meet Captain Edward X. Delaney and several chapters pertain to him and the politics surrounding a police captain with a critically ill wife.

But a killer is on the streets of New York City, and soon Captain Delaney is torn. Torn between sitting by his wife's bedside and putting a madman away. Naturally it's not as simple as that because politics and a power struggle are afoot, and a new kind of police reorganization affects the department all the way to the mayors' office.

Edward X Delaney's wife takes a turn for the worse, and he tries to resign. A police commissioner persuades him to take a leave of absence. But in the midst of all the politics and turmoil affecting the police department, the commissioner convinces Delaney to work in secret and independently while using his years of detective experience to find the killer who is walking the streets of New York and murdering unsuspecting men with an ice ax.

To accomplish this private investigation, Captain Delaney must do much of the leg work and research himself. To do this he recruits civilians to aid him in this quest, including a bedridden mountain climber, a 70+ retired curator dying to be of assistance and the widow of one of Blank's victims. Much of the case is done thanks to these people when the city is in a full-blown panic because of the new administrations' blunders and inability to catch the killer.

Captain Delaney is called back to work. And with police resources given him, he makes every effort to stop a killer from killing again.

A masterpiece of writing.
6 people found this helpful
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The Silvias
4.0 out of 5 stars A decent read, but…
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2024
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…it really took a LONG time to get to the meat of the story. I think a third of this book could have easily been excised. Also, the ending was very anticlimactic. I won’t spoil it, but the resolution of the story didn’t match the excitement in the middle sections. I did very much enjoy the character of Captain Edward X. Delaney, and I will continue the series.
One person found this helpful
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Royce Callaway
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Author and Exciting Psycho-sexual Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013
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I stumbled onto this book looking for a cheap book to read. WOW -- this is the most exciting and interesting book I have read in a very long time. I thought Sanders wrote a better story than Baldacci, Cusler, Clancy, Kellerman, or any of the currently popular authors. This man constructs an exciting an realistic series of characters with emotions you can feel. This is not a mystery in the true sense of the word since you know from the outset who the killer is so the story focuses on the pursuit of the killer by police Captain Delany. You watch the killer as he spins out of control and begins to lose himself in fantasy and self examination or madness. You watch as he evolves from a corporate shark into serial murderer looking for love as he falls under the influence of a very mysterious woman who seems as mad as he is. What I particularly liked about this book was the police, their processes, their politics, and their interactions. The jargon and attitudes seemed very real. Captain Delaney aka Iron Balls at times seemed poetic as he describes his emotions and feelings about his seriously ill wife. This book is a page turner. I gave it 5 stars and would give it more if possible.
2 people found this helpful
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CalicoKAC
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting plot but VERY, VERY LONG!
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021
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I Love police procedurals and thrillers. The premise of this book and description of the 'procedures' were good BUT it was VERY repetitive and SOOOOO detailed I became a little bored in places. Sanders created very intricate characters. Like none I've heard of before (which I liked). This book takes place many years ago before some of our more 'modern' tools for police work but I had always heard of these books and how popular they were when they came out so I thought I'd give it a try. The fact they are older doesn't bother me as 'I' remember those days w/o those 'modern' tools (like cell phones :-), e.g.). I like Edward X. Delaney's character but I am not so sure I want to read the next 'Sins' book as it may be more of the same and I might find that a little torturous to get through.
2 people found this helpful
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Jack Gostl
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2024
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A true police “procedural”. They track the bad guy down millimeter by millimeter. No bombast. No techie stuff. Just brains and perserverance.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, gritty mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2023
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**Contains spoilers**

Captain Edward Delaney has to figure out who’s killing the citizens of his precinct in what appears to be a stream of unrelated murders.

This is a well written, gritty, cop mystery full of rich descriptions that don’t drag the story down and insight into both Delaney’s struggles to cope with his hospitalized wife’s failing health and his need to capture a murderer capable of brutal, senseless violence that lacks motive.

At the same time, we’re shown Daniel Blank’s fractured shift from corporate golden boy into a delusional killer as his mental illness takes hold.

Sanders writes as if he has first hand experience on both sides of the story, and his detailed vision kept me hooked the whole time I read it.

If you don’t care for detailed world and character building, or if you are triggered by violence as a result of mental illness, then this story is not for you. Also it has some homosexual slurs spoken from the POV of characters, not the author.
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Top reviews from other countries

MK
5.0 out of 5 stars Had read this in paperback edition, two decades ago ...
Reviewed in India on October 26, 2015
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Had read this in paperback edition, two decades ago.
It is a pleasure to read the kindle version, now.
The novel is relevant at all ages.
Thanks to kindle. We can re-read so many books.
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Midnight Caller
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent detective story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2015
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I first read this book about 30 years ago when I remember seeing the book in a local book shop and, being intrigued by the title, bought it in the hope I would like it. I loved it and read it a couple of times, before eventually having so many books of different types that I was running out of room in my flat and needed to get rid r of some. Unfortunately this was one of them, but my loss was a charity shop's gain. But then, just after Christmas I saw the book available for Kindle and bought it immediately. I was pleased the book entertained me just as much now as it did the first time and I was surprised how much I had forgotten. I loved the 3 follow up books in the series too, so they will quickly be downloaded and read without delay.
2 people found this helpful
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Fussy one
5.0 out of 5 stars Edward X Delaney is an excellent series
Reviewed in Canada on September 4, 2013
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I read "The First Deadly Sin" ~ 30 years ago, and thought it was wonderful. I then read the rest of the series because I totally related to Edward X Delaney and the series was excellent.

So, here I am again...reading the same book. Must admit some of it was totally new to me (how quickly we forget) but I thoroughly enjoyed it, once again.

I do plan to continue with the rest of the series, just taking a little break.
One person found this helpful
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Mona Kitchener
4.0 out of 5 stars long, interesting book
Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2023
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Of particular interest are the very detailed descriptions of the police procedures involved in identifying and capturing a killer. The killer’s actions and motives, however, are very difficult to read.
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Paula R C
4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2020
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I enjoyed this book. Great characters, well-plotted & an interesting storyline too. Only the ending let it down for end. It could have been finished sooner, but that’s my writer’s thoughts speaking aloud.
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