Learn English with East 43rd Street: A Fiction Book by Alan Battersby
East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby: A Book Review
If you are looking for a thrilling and realistic crime story that explores the dark side of New York City, you might want to check out East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby. This book is part of the Cambridge English Readers series, which offers original fiction books for learners of English at different levels. East 43rd Street is a level 5 book, which means it is suitable for upper-intermediate learners who want to improve their reading skills and vocabulary while enjoying a good story.
east 43rd street alan battersby pdf 19
The plot of the book
The book follows the adventures of Larry Zane, a private investigator who gets hired by a mysterious woman to find her missing brother. As he investigates the case, he discovers that the brother, Ed Winchester, is involved in a jewelry robbery that went wrong. He also starts to suspect that his client is not telling him the truth and that he is in danger. Along the way, he encounters various characters, such as Tommy Lam, a powerful gangster who wants the jewelry; Oldenberg, a corrupt cop who works for Lam; and Jenny, Zane's girlfriend who works as a waitress. The book is divided into 15 chapters, each with a catchy title that summarizes the main event of the chapter. Here is a brief overview of each chapter:
Heading
Subheading
H1: The client
- Introduction: A brief summary of the book and its main characters.- Thesis statement: The book is a thrilling and realistic crime story that explores the dark side of New York City.
H2: The plot of the book
- The client: How Larry Zane, a private investigator, gets hired by a mysterious woman to find her missing brother.- Jewelry: How Zane discovers that the brother, Ed Winchester, is involved in a jewelry robbery.- Doubts: How Zane starts to suspect that his client is not telling him the truth.- Grand Central: How Zane follows Winchester to Grand Central Station and witnesses a murder.- Fact-finding: How Zane tries to find out more about Winchester and his associates.- Evidence: How Zane finds a clue that leads him to a Chinese restaurant.- Ed Winchester: How Zane confronts Winchester and learns his true identity.- Tommy Lam: How Zane meets Tommy Lam, a powerful gangster who wants the jewelry.- Line-up: How Zane gets arrested by the police and has to identify the killer.- General Post Office: How Zane escapes from the police and goes to the General Post Office to meet his client.- A call from Oldenberg: How Zane receives a phone call from Oldenberg, a corrupt cop who works for Lam.- An appointment with Lam: How Zane agrees to meet Lam at his office and exchange the jewelry for money.- The deal: How Zane manages to outsmart Lam and his men and get away with the money.- Christmas Day: How Zane celebrates Christmas with his girlfriend, Jenny, and decides to leave New York.- Presents: How Zane receives a surprise gift from his client and realizes that she is not who she seems.
H2: The themes of the book
- Crime and corruption: How the book portrays the criminal underworld of New York and the corruption of the police and the justice system.- Trust and betrayal: How the book explores the issues of trust and betrayal among the characters and their motives.- Love and loyalty: How the book shows the contrast between Zane's love for Jenny and his loyalty to his job.
H2: The style of the book
the book.- Dialogue: How the book uses realistic and natural dialogue that reflects the personalities and backgrounds of the characters.- Suspense: How the book creates suspense and tension by using cliffhangers, twists, and surprises.
H2: The evaluation of the book
- Strengths: How the book succeeds in delivering an engaging and exciting story that keeps the reader hooked.- Weaknesses: How the book could be improved by developing some of the characters more and avoiding some clichés.- Recommendation: Who would enjoy reading this book and why.
H1: Conclusion
- Restate thesis statement: The book is a thrilling and realistic crime story that explores the dark side of New York City.- Summarize main points: The book has a well-crafted plot, interesting themes, and an effective style that make it an enjoyable read.- Give final opinion: The book is a great example of a modern crime novel that will appeal to fans of this genre.
H1: FAQs
- Q1: Who is Alan Battersby? A1: Alan Battersby is an English author who has written many books for learners of English as a foreign language, including East 43rd Street. He has also written textbooks, plays, radio scripts, and stories for children.- Q2: What is Cambridge English Readers? A2: Cambridge English Readers is a series of original fiction books for learners of English at different levels, from beginner to advanced. The books are graded according to vocabulary, grammar, sentence length, and plot complexity. They are designed to help learners improve their reading skills and enjoy reading in English.- Q3: Where can I find East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby? A3: You can find East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby online at various websites, such as Amazon, Scribd, and Internet Archive. You can also find it at your local library or bookstore.- Q4: What are some other books by Alan Battersby? A4: Some other books by Alan Battersby are:- In the House (Level 4)- A Matter of Chance (Level 4)- This Time It's Personal (Level 6)- Frozen Pizza and Other Slices of Life (Level 6)- Q5: What are some other books similar to East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby? A5: Some other books similar to East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby are:- The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler- The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby: A Book Review
If you are looking for a thrilling and realistic crime story that explores the dark side of New York City, you might want to check out East 43rd Street by Alan Battersby. This book is part of the Cambridge English Readers series, which offers original fiction books for learners of English at different levels. East 43rd Street is a level 5 book, which means it is suitable for upper-intermediate learners who want to improve their reading skills and vocabulary while enjoying a good story.
The plot of the book
The book follows the adventures of Larry Zane, a private investigator who gets hired by a mysterious woman to find her missing brother. As he investigates the case, he discovers that the brother, Ed Winchester, is involved in a jewelry robbery that went wrong. He also starts to suspect that his client is not telling him the truth and that he is in danger. Along the way, he encounters various characters, such as Tommy Lam, a powerful gangster who wants the jewelry; Oldenberg, a corrupt cop who works for Lam; and Jenny, Zane's girlfriend who works as a waitress. The book is divided into 15 chapters, each with a catchy title that summarizes the main event of the chapter. Here is a brief overview of each chapter:
The client
The first chapter introduces Larry Zane, who works as a private investigator in New York City. He lives in a small apartment on East 43rd Street with his cat, Sam. One day, he receives a phone call from a woman who calls herself Mrs Smith. She tells him that she wants to hire him to find her brother, who has disappeared. She says that his name is Ed Winchester and that he works as a computer programmer. She also says that she will pay him $500 a day plus expenses. Zane agrees to take the case and asks her to meet him at his office the next day.
Jewelry
The second chapter describes how Zane meets Mrs Smith at his office. She is a tall and attractive woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She gives him a photo of her brother and tells him that he was last seen at his apartment on West 57th Street. She also gives him a key to the apartment and tells him to look for clues there. Zane goes to the apartment and finds it empty and clean. He notices that there is a safe in the bedroom closet, but he does not have the combination. He decides to call Mrs Smith and ask her for it, but she does not answer her phone. He then hears a noise outside and sees two men breaking into the apartment. He hides in the bathroom and waits for them to leave. He then follows them to their car and sees that they have a bag full of jewelry. He realizes that they are the robbers who stole $10 million worth of jewelry from a store on Fifth Avenue a few days ago. He also realizes that Ed Winchester must be involved in the robbery somehow.
Doubts
The third chapter shows how Zane tries to contact Mrs Smith again, but she still does not answer her phone. He decides to go back to his office and check his messages. He finds one from Jenny, his girlfriend, who works as a waitress at a diner on East 42nd Street. She tells him that she misses him and that she wants to see him soon. He also finds one from Mrs Smith, who apologizes for not answering his calls and tells him that she has some important information for him. She asks him to meet her at Grand Central Station at 6 p.m. Zane wonders why she wants to meet him there and what information she has for him. He also wonders if he can trust her or if she is lying to him.
Grand Central
The fourth chapter narrates how Zane goes to Grand Central Station at 6 p.m. and looks for Mrs Smith. He sees her standing near the information booth, wearing a red coat and a black hat. She waves at him and tells him to follow her. She leads him to a quiet corner of the station and tells him that she has something important to show him. She opens her handbag and takes out a small box wrapped in brown paper. She says that it is a present for him and that he should open it later. She also says that she has to go now and that she will call him later. Zane is confused and curious about the box, but he does not have time to ask her any questions. He watches her walk away and then looks at the box in his hand. He decides to open it right away and sees that it contains a diamond necklace worth millions of dollars. He is shocked and amazed by the gift, but he also feels uneasy about it. He wonders why Mrs Smith gave it to him and where she got it from.
Fact-finding
The fifth chapter depicts how Zane tries to find out more about Ed Winchester and his involvement in the jewelry robbery. He goes back to his office and uses his computer to search for information about Winchester on the internet. He finds out that Winchester is not a computer programmer, but a hacker who has been arrested several times for breaking into various systems and stealing data. He also finds out that Winchester has been working for Tommy Lam, a notorious gangster who controls most of the illegal activities in Chinatown. Zane realizes that Winchester must have hacked into the security system of the jewelry store and helped Lam's men rob it.
Evidence
The sixth chapter reveals how Zane finds a clue that leads him to a Chinese restaurant on Mott Street, where Lam has his headquarters. He remembers that he saw a matchbox with the name of the restaurant in Winchester's apartment. He decides to go there and see if he can find Winchester or Lam there. He takes a taxi to Chinatown and walks into the restaurant. He pretends to be a customer and orders some food. He looks around and sees several men wearing suits and sunglasses sitting at a table in the back of the room. He recognizes one of them as one of the robbers who broke into Winchester's apartment.
Ed Winchester
into one of them. He apologizes and picks up the matchbox that falls from the man's pocket. He then looks at the man and says that he knows him. He says that he is Ed Winchester, the brother of Mrs Smith. The man denies it and says that his name is Tony. Zane says that he is lying and that he has a photo of him. He shows him the photo that Mrs Smith gave him and asks him where he got the necklace that he is wearing. The man looks at the photo and then at Zane. He realizes that Zane is a private investigator and that he has been hired by his sister. He admits that he is Ed Winchester and that he stole the necklace from the jewelry store. He also says that his sister is not really his sister, but his girlfriend. He says that they planned to run away together with the money from the robbery, but they had a fight and she left him. He says that he does not know where she is now and that he does not care. He says that he only cares about himself and the money.
Tommy Lam
The eighth chapter shows how Zane meets Tommy Lam, a powerful gangster who wants the jewelry. As Zane and Winchester are talking, Lam and his men approach them. Lam recognizes Zane as the man who followed his men from Winchester's apartment. He also recognizes Winchester as his hacker who betrayed him. He accuses them of stealing his jewelry and demands them to give it back to him. Zane says that he does not have it and that he does not know where it is. Winchester says that he gave it to his girlfriend and that he does not know where she is either. Lam does not believe them and threatens to kill them if they do not tell him the truth. He orders his men to take them to his office upstairs.
Line-up
The ninth chapter narrates how Zane gets arrested by the police and has to identify the killer. As Lam and his men are taking Zane and Winchester to his office, they hear sirens outside. They look out of the window and see several police cars surrounding the restaurant. They realize that someone has tipped off the police about their location. Lam suspects that it was Winchester's girlfriend who did it. He curses her and says that he will find her and make her pay. He then tells his men to get rid of Zane and Winchester before the police get in. He says that he will escape through a secret exit in the back of the kitchen. He runs away with his suitcase full of money, leaving Zane and Winchester behind. One of Lam's men takes out a gun and shoots Winchester in the chest, killing him instantly. He then points the gun at Zane, but before he can pull the trigger, a police officer bursts into the room and shoots him in the head, saving Zane's life. The police officer tells Zane to stay calm and to come with him. He takes him to a police car and drives him to the station.
General Post Office
the money and the jewelry. Zane is shocked and angry by this revelation. He feels betrayed and used by Laura. He also feels guilty and sorry for Winchester. He wonders if he ever loved her or if she ever loved him. He asks O'Brien if he can make a phone call. O'Brien agrees and gives him a phone. Zane calls Jenny and tells her that he loves her and that he is sorry for everything. He asks her to wait for him and to trust him. He then hangs up and gives the phone back to O'Brien. He tells O'Brien that he has to go to the bathroom. O'Brien tells him to hurry up and escorts him to the bathroom. Zane goes inside and locks the door. He then climbs out of the window and runs away from the station. He hails a taxi and tells the driver to take him to the General Post Office on Eighth Avenue. He remembers that Laura told him to meet her there at 8 p.m. He decides to go there and confront her. He wants to know why she did what she did and what she wants from him.
A call from Oldenberg
The eleventh chapter shows how Zane receives a phone call from Oldenberg, a corrupt cop who works for Lam. As Zane is on his way to the General Post Office, his phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and sees that it is Oldenberg, one of Lam's men who was at the restaurant. He wonders how he got his number and what he wants from him. He answers the phone and hears Oldenberg's voice. Oldenberg tells him that he knows where he is going and that he should not go there. He says that Laura is a liar and a traitor who betrayed Lam and him. He says that he has been following her since she left the restaurant and that he knows where she is hiding. He says that he is going to kill her and take back the money and the jewelry that she stole from Lam. He also says that he is going to kill Zane if he tries to stop him or help her. He says that he will be waiting for him at the General Post Office and that he should not be late. He then hangs up and leaves Zane speechless.
An appointment with Lam
The twelfth chapter narrates how Zane agrees to meet Lam at his office and exchange the jewelry for money. Zane arrives at the General Post Office at 8 p.m. and looks for Laura. He sees her standing near a mailbox, wearing a black coat and a red scarf. She sees him and smiles at him. She walks towards him and hugs him. She tells him that she is glad to see him and that she has missed him. She also tells him that she has something for him and gives him a small envelope. She says that it is a ticket for a flight to Paris that leaves at 10 p.m. She says that she wants him to go with her and start a new life together in France. She says that she loves him and that she is sorry for everything that happened. Zane does not know what to say or do. He feels confused and conflicted by her words and actions. He does not know if he can trust her or forgive her. He also does not know if he can leave Jenny or his job behind.
and recognizes them. He also sees Oldenberg standing behind them with a gun in his hand. He realizes that Oldenberg has betrayed him and joined forces with Laura. He curses him and calls him a traitor. He then tells Zane and Laura to give him the money and the jewelry or he will kill them. Zane and Laura are surprised and scared by Lam's appearance. They do not know how he found them or what he wants from them. They also do not know that Oldenberg is working with Laura and that he is planning to double-cross them. They try to act calm and negotiate with Lam. They tell him that they have the money and the jewelry in a locker at the airport and that they will give it to him if he lets them go. Lam does not believe them and tells them to stop lying. He says that he knows that they have the money and the jewelry with them and that he will not let them go until he gets it.
The deal
The thirteenth chapter describes how Zane manages to outsmart Lam and his men and get away with the money. Zane realizes that he has no choice but to give Lam what he wants. He tells Laura to give him the necklace that she is wearing. Laura hesitates and says that she does not have it. Zane insists and says that it is the only way to save their lives. Laura reluctantly agrees and takes off the necklace. She gives it to Zane, who gives it to Lam. Lam takes the necklace and examines it. He smiles and says that it is the real thing. He then tells Zane to give him the money. Zane says that he does not have it and that Laura has it in her handbag. Laura denies it and says that she does not have it either. Zane says that she is lying and that she should give it to him. Laura says that she is telling the truth and that she does not know where the money is.
As Zane and Laura are arguing, Oldenberg sees his chance to make his move. He aims his gun at Lam's head and pulls the trigger. He misses and hits Lam's shoulder instead. Lam screams in pain and drops the necklace on the floor. He then grabs his gun and shoots back at Oldenberg, hitting him in the chest. Oldenberg falls to the ground, bleeding profusely. He drops his gun n