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An electrifying puzzle, corporate sleuth Matt Cobb is set up in a TV-world murder This Edgar Award-winning debut novel introduces Matt Cobb, vice president of special projects at a large television network--where "special projects" means anything sensitive, or even fatal, that the company wants to keep quiet. Cobb's no stranger to following mysterious orders, so when he receives a telephone call asking him to visit a hotel room he obliges. The invitation, however, means a dead body, a show more sharp blow to the head, and suspicion from the police that he committed the crime. And while one of the detectives put on the case has known Cobb since he was a child, the other is convinced of his guilt. Can Cobb stay on point when the stakes are so high? Can he find the real killer and persuade the police of his innocence? And what do television ratings have to do with it all? show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
(Mystery, Vintage)
I found reference to this series in Old-Time Detection, a thrice-yearly publication written and published by Arthur Vidro of Claremont NH, and I was able to purchase the Kindle version of the series’ first book.
Written and set in the 1980s, it’s a peek into corporate culture in the pre-cell phone, pre-Internet days. It’s also a look behind the scenes in the television industry.
Matt Cobb, network executive, deals with literally deadly office politics. It’s reasonably well-written. I’m not sure how more murders will occur within the scope of a high-end entertainment exec, but the series continues, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be reading some more.
Read this if: you’re nostalgic for the days when you didn’t show more have to be available to everybody 24/7; or you’re looking for a series that not too dark, in a setting that’s a little different. 4 stars show less
I found reference to this series in Old-Time Detection, a thrice-yearly publication written and published by Arthur Vidro of Claremont NH, and I was able to purchase the Kindle version of the series’ first book.
Written and set in the 1980s, it’s a peek into corporate culture in the pre-cell phone, pre-Internet days. It’s also a look behind the scenes in the television industry.
Matt Cobb, network executive, deals with literally deadly office politics. It’s reasonably well-written. I’m not sure how more murders will occur within the scope of a high-end entertainment exec, but the series continues, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be reading some more.
Read this if: you’re nostalgic for the days when you didn’t show more have to be available to everybody 24/7; or you’re looking for a series that not too dark, in a setting that’s a little different. 4 stars show less
Ratings
Members
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Lists
Edgar Award
418 works; 15 members
Author Information
Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
DuMont's Kriminal-Bibliothek (1091)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Killed in the Ratings
- Original publication date
- 1978
- People/Characters
- Matt Cobb; Monica Teobaldi; Cynthia Schick; Roxanne Schick; Cornelius U. Martin, Jr. (Lieutenant)
- Important places
- New York, New York, USA
- Dedication
- For my mother and father
- First words
- Sometimes people call it the Tower of Babble.
- Quotations
- "What kind of day was it? A day like all other days, filled with those events which alter and illuminate our time."
—Walter Cronkite, "You Are There"... (show all) (CBS)
"Say the secret woid, the duck comes down, and you win a hundred dollars."
—Groucho Marx, "You Bet Your Life" (NBC)
"Now let's see what terrific prize is waiting for you behind that door!"
—Monty Hall, "Let's Make a Deal" (ABC)
"When it's least expected, you're elected . . ."
—Theme song, "Candid Camera" (CBS)
"Return with us now, to those thrilling days of yesteryear . . ."
—Fred Foy, "The Lone Ranger" (ABC)
"Good boy, Rinty!"
—James Brown, "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" (ABC)
"Man . . . woman . . . birth . . . death . . . infinity."
—Sam Jaffe, "Ben Casey" (ABC)
". . . the life you save may be your own."
—National Safety Council, public service announcement
"Kids say the darnedest things!"
—Art Linkletter, "House Party" (CBS)
"What a revoltin' development this is!"
—William Bendix, ""The Life of Riley" (NBC)
". . . it was my privilege to serve . . . one of the world's richest and most eccentric men . . ."
—Marvin Miller, "The Millionaire" (CBS)
"The armadillo has natural protection, but you do not. That's why you should protect yourself with health insurance from Mutual of Omaha."
—Marlin Pe... (show all)rkins, Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom" (NBC)
"Enter and sign in, please."
—John Daly, "What's My Line" (CBS)
". . . and learn about the wonders of Science."
—Don Herbert, "Watch Mr. Wizard" (NBC)
"Same to you, fella!"
—Bob Newhart, "The Bob Newhart Show" (CBS)
"A marvelous dish . . . just for you."
—Graham Kerr, "The Galloping Gourmet" (syndicated) - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Okay, Cobb," she said, smiling.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 67
- Popularity
- 464,730
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.39)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 3
