The taking of Pelham one two three

by

350 pages

English language

Published Dec. 30, 1974 by Dell.

OCLC Number:
5736009

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4 stars (1 review)

After a New York City train leaves the Pelham station at 1:23 p.m., four armed men take control of it—along with seventeen passengers. Their demands are simple: deliver one million dollars, or the hostages will be killed one by one. Fast-paced and intensely psychological, this novel tells the story from the point of view of each of the hijackers—revealing each man’s motivations, desperations, and fatal flaws.

14 editions

reviewed Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 by John Godey

Review of 'Taking of Pelham 1 2 3' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Seen both movies but never read the book. A bit of page-turner, a dash of political discussion, this tale is told from the points of view of several of the people involved - hijackers, detainees, cops, transit personnel and various others. The author does a good job of differentiating these, and the atmosphere of early 70s New York also shines through in the attitudes of all involved.
Would the gimmick have been a surprise without the movies? Not sure. As another review pointed out, there are better thrillers out there. Worthy of four stars and a fairly quick read.