Rating: 
Summary: Second half ruins novel. Good concept, bad execution.
Review: I've never read McBain before, but I have read three Hunter novels. So the first half of this book, the part by Hunter, is just what I expected and quite interesting...The first half of the book ends with us realizing how obsessed Thorpe is and wondering what steps he will take to satify his desires and also wondering if he will ever get caught.Then the second half begins and the book is ruined. Several detectives are investigating the murder of a prostitute. Thorpe turns out to be one of a few suspects. The detectives research more of Thorpe, and the two worlds connect a little but never collide. I kept waiting for Thorpe to be a significant player in the second half of the book. But he never is, and thus the first half of the book is a waste. And so is the second half and its own extremely weak conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book from the master
Review: In part one we meet Benjamin Thorpe, a successful LA architect in New York for a short business trip. Benjamin Thorpe is also obsessed with sex. The night before he's due to return to LA he goes on the prowl. However things don't work out well and he finds himself beaten, robbed, and thrown into the gutter. But someone comes along to help him and Benjamin Thorpe finds out something about himself. Something that he's suppressed ever since he was seven years old. In part two we meet NY Detective Emma Boyle. Emma is a rape squad detective who's been assigned a rape/murder case of a young prostitute. A prostitute who had dealings with Benjamin Thorpe the same night of the murder. Even though this book is written by the same man, Evan Hunter, he uses both of his writing personas. Part 1 is written in "Evan Hunter" mode, which is more introspective and literary, and Part 2 is written in "Ed McBain" mode which is more nuts-and-bolts police procedural. However in both parts the characterization is vivid, the dialog crisp, and writing well done. Mr. Hunter seems to be exploring sexual obsession lately as can be seen in his books "Criminal Conversations" and "Privileged Conversations" and now this one. I'd like to see him move away from this area since I think he's explored it enough but that doesn't make this book any less good. It's not an 87th Precinct and shouldn't be approached in that light but it is a very good read. I'd recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: No Stars
Review: In this book the one author/two styles combine into one dirty old man with no style. What was the point of all this; no suspense, no real characters, only wishful thinking. Stupid stupid - and I usually enjoy his books. Carella where are you?
Rating: 
Summary: Candyland
Review: Not up to McBain/Hunter standard. I have read almost all of the Ed McBain books and I have only read a few of the Evan Hunter books. Part 1 is more about obsession than anything else. I can not believe that Ben/Michael after he got beat up and lost all his money he was still interested in obtaining the services of a hooker. Part 2 Emma and Johnny lack chemistry and would never make it at the old 87th.
Rating:
Summary: Teaming Up With Your Alter Ego Is An Interesting Concept
Review: One man. Two distinct writing styles. Ed McBain joins forces with his alter ego, Evan Hunter, to create this novel in two parts. The story begins with Benjamin Thorpe in classic Evan Hunter prose. Ben, an architect from Los Angeles, is in New York on business. But he's no ordinary business man. He's a sex addict with a craving for young women, even prostitutes. Tomorrow, he boards a plane for L.A. Tonight, he's on the prowl. He begins his search for the lucky lady in the hotel bar. By the end of the evening, he finds himself at a massage parlor, not-so-effectively disguised as a brothel. The XS Salon. An hour later, he's literally in a gutter. Bloodied. Badly beaten. Missing teeth. Even robbed as he's left lying in the rain. The next morning, an XS Salon employee - a prostitute - is found dead, the victim of a brutal rape and strangulation. That's where Ed McBain steps in. Three detectives join up to solve this vicious crime. Tony Manzetti, Homicide. Jimmy Morgan, Vice. Emma Boyle, Special Victims. The trail leads to a man calling himself Michael. A man soon found to be Benjamin Thorpe. But as the prostitute's apartment is broken into, new questions are raised. Where's Ben? Still in New York? On the hunt for his next victim? Emma puts all her efforts into this case, trying to keep her mind off her bitter divorce and custody battle. Her lone-wolf investigation reveals some shocking evidence. Evidence that leads straight to the killer. Yes, it's true. Ed McBain and Evan Hunter really are the same person. Candyland being written in two parts by two very different bestselling authors is a great concept. It's not for those who can't stomach explicit literature, though. Certain parts of this novel are sexually graphic. Benjamin Thorpe's outlook and behavior is absolutely repulsive. But the predicament he finds himself in, while deserving, will actually make you feel a bit sorry for him. Detective Emma Boyle, on the other hand, is very hard to get to know. She's the type of person you couldn't get a read on in "real" life either. All in all, Candyland's a novel with good dialogue, good narrative and even a clever book jacket picture of both Ed McBain and Evan Hunter.
Rating:
Summary: a major disappointment
Review: One of the worst, most manipulative books I've read. I think the author sat down and wrote the whole thing in five days. It's a badly written male fantasy about sex. There is no character development, no story line, no investigation. And the ending make so sense at all. A waste of time and not recommended. It reeks of a marketing ploy.
Rating:
Summary: For the brain dead only
Review: One soporifically long p**** tease of a demi-novel (the first half) coupled with one giant yawn of a whodunit (the second half). The only redeeming feature was that one needn't waste more than about 3 hours on the whole shabby mess. Mssrs. Hunter and McBain (two sides of the same schizophrenic coin, in case you missed the reviews above) must have been on the meter for this one. Shame on "them" for sacrificing the trees required to print this dreck.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow! He really has two styles of writing
Review: Part 1: The Rain May Never Fall Till After Sundown by Evan Hunter. Los Angeles architect Benjamin Thorpe visits New York on business. However, he wants a bite of the Big Apple desiring wild sex, which he cannot obtain except by phone from his prim spouse. He picks up a trio of beauties in Manhattan, but instead of the orgy he has dreamed of having, Benjamin finds himself humiliatingly awaking on the streets of New York. Part 2: By Eight, the Morning Fog Must Disappear by Ed McBain. Special Victims NYPD detective Emma Boyle may have personal problems, but dives head first into the murder-rape case of a prostitute. The preliminary evidence points toward a middle aged John, who turns out to be Benjamin. As the case against Benjamin turns stronger, someone, perhaps an obsessed Benjamin, breaks into the hooker?s apartment, leaving Emma to wonder if another mark killed the victim. CANDYLAND is an incredible two-part novel that combines the superb, but widely diverse styles of ?two? great authors, Ed McBain and Evan Hunter. The story line is superb as the classic Hunter story line easily feeds into a classic McBain plot. The different writing styles appear so precisely clear and well-written, readers will wonder if the author(s) suffers from multiple personality disorder. Beyond the terrific thriller aspects is a gritty look at a person whose sexual proclivities take him over the edge. A Hunter-McBain book by any other name is simply a triumph for fans of either author. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Candyland
Review: This is one of the most appaling books I have ever read. It has not one redeeming feature, and I find it amazing that it found a publisher even though written by well known author(s)
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Too much description of shocking sexual actions. Not enough effort to make the characters interesting, memorable, or likable. This was a disappointing work from the author. The plot was predictable and the ending, though better than the rest of the book, was a meager offering from a writer who should have known better. In short, it was a gimmick that failed.
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