Isola (fictional city)

Isola is the name of a fictional city that is the setting for the 87th Precinct series of police procedural novels written by Ed McBain (pseudonym of Evan Hunter).

The city is based on New York City, and similarly, has five sections, corresponding with the five boroughs of New York: Isola (both the name of the downtown section, fulfilling the role of Manhattan, and the city overall), Bethtown (Staten Island), Calm's Point (Brooklyn), Majesta (Queens), and Riverhead (Bronx). It has two major rivers, the Harb and the Dix, which inexplicably flow in a westerly direction despite the fact that Isola is on the East Coast.

McBain's obituary in the Times described Isola as being more than just a copy of New York, saying it lived in its own right.[1] In contrast, Gary Hausladen stated that whilst Isola is an obvious replica of New York, it does not have a strong sense of reality, suggesting that McBain's aim was to create an intentionally generic urban setting.[2] However, McBain offered details about Isola that drew parallels to New York City. On at least one occasion he tells the story how Riverhead (The Bronx) got its name after a farmer called Ryerhurt. The borough The Bronx also got its name after a farmer, a Mr. Bronck of Swedish origin.