King's Ransom: An 87th Precinct Mystery is a novel by Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) published in 1959, part of his 87th Precinct series of police procedural novels and short stories. It centers on the moral dilemma faced by a wealthy man when he is forced to choose between using his wealth to fulfill a personal ambition or saving the life of a kidnapped child.
Adaptations (2)
King's Ransom has been adapted into 2 films, from 1963 to 2025. The most recent is Highest 2 Lowest (2025).
High and Low1963 · film · 143 min · dir. Akira Kurosawa · IMDb ↗A Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.
Highest 2 Lowest2025 · film · 133 min · dir. Spike Lee · IMDb ↗When a titan music mogul, widely known as having the "best ears in the business", is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
