The last dance

Ed McBAINThe Last Dance The fiftieth novel in the 87th Precinct series is a gritty, witty tour-de force combining violence, fear and treachery with Ed McBain's inimitable leavening of laughter and selfless heroism. Set in Isola, the city that both is an is not New York City, it features his world-renowned squadroom of heroes and anti-heroes, joined together by a tough and often unrewarding job. This time a man with no enemies is found hanging in what appears to be a suicide. But Carella and company soon discover that, drugged and unconcious, he could not possibly have hanged himself. They are dealing with murder. The investigation takes them into the politics and passions of a musical in preparation. Or rather two: one that happened half a century ago and one that is happening now. The author who redefined crime fiction and created a genre has written a novel that will be acclaimed as one of his best.