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And so the 87th Precinct series continues - well into its fifth decade - with the tale of an ex-airforce pilot who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, crossing some seriously ruthless Mexican drug dealers, and ending up, literally, being thrown to the lions. Enter cop double-act Steve Carella and Ollie Weeks, whose Christmas fast plunges down the drain as their investigation into the grisly murder goes nowhere. The plot expertly squirms, twists and turns, revealing one dodgy character after another, as McBain covers all the required bases: drug smuggling, counterfeit money, bizarre hostage situations, murder, double crosses and even family problems. A sassy style permeates the story, filling it with cynical, hard-bitten characters who just happen to have real lives. Carellas a tired 40-year-old whose jobs getting to him, and its hard not to empathise with this man who has trouble letting the past go. Its in Ollie Weeks, though, that McBain has a real gem of a character. The mans a slob, with his dinner as often as not gracing his jacket, a consummate bigot who hates everybody equally, does impressions of W C Fields, and thinks he has a future as a pianist and a novelist. Suffice it to say that his opinion of his talent far outweighs the actual talent, and he provides some priceless moments. Theres barely a pause as the Secret Service and the cops trample over each other while the dealers, terrorists, burglars and, strangely, a publisher specialising in books nobody ever heard of, chase each others tails towards the bedlam of the climax. Few crime writers today rival the prolific McBain, and with this gritty and witty story, hes once again safely ahead of the pack. A superb read, even if you think you dont like crime novels. (Kirkus UK)

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Ed McBain is the pseudonym of Evan Hunter, author of The Blackboard Jungle and the screenplay for Hitchcock's The Birds. McBain's 87th Precinct series numbers over 50 novels. McBain is a Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America, and is the only American author to be awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement.

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