"Originally published in 1945, V as in Victim was the first crime novel to feature ordinary cops as the main characters, launching the subgenre know as 'police procedurals' and earning Lawrence Treat [author] an important place in the history of mysteries (from the Introduction). Main characters are police detective 3rd grade Mitch Taylor and police lab tech Jub Freeman. At this point in time, ordinary police are skeptical of how a lab can aid in solving a crime, but Jub is an enthusiastic scientist and aims to prove the lab's value. Mitch is anxious to solve a big crime so he can get a promotion to 2nd grade. On one night, a hit and run results in a homicide and an interview of a possible witness leads the two men to a 2nd homicide. The book has rich footnotes that help explain police jargon and the specific circumstances of war time New York City.
The New York Times offers a brief review: "The police procedural has been a staple of crime fiction for almost 80 years; racial reckonings and real-life abuses haven’t altered this. It was strangely refreshing to go back to near-first principles with Lawrence Treat’s 1945 novel... Treat’s laconic style clearly foreshadows Ed McBain’s wonderful 87th Precinct series." Good Reads reviews are mixed, with some describing the writing as "reflective and witty" while others call it "dry and factual." Decide for yourself.
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