The Sweeney was one of the most iconic TV series of the 1970s and quite a few tie-in novels were written, of which this was the first - and written by the same bloke who wrote the original teleplay and many episodes too. Though the first thing to notice is that Sweeney is spelt "Sweeny" on the front cover and spine! Luckily it is spelt correctly throughout the actual book...
In the story a US cop comes over to join an investigation... my heart immediately sank when i read the blurb to be honest. The British were too obsessed with adding Americans to stories back then but my fears were needless as the story works out very well and the characterisations arn't far off either - though truer to the earlier feel of the show with Jack Regan as a loner who hated everyone and not how the show developed with Jack and George Carter forming a good double act.
Ah Jack Regan, what a hero. The 70s idea of a hero too, nowadays TV detectives tend to be groomed and buff. Jack Regan was an Old Spice man and the only "Jim" he knew was the bloke he gave a kicking to in the cells last week.
So a good read, and i have 3 other Sweeney novels to read for this series too...
