I've got 76 books written by Ed McBain ( aka Evan Hunter). More books than by any other single writer. And what's more: there wasn't a single disappointing one. The Matthew Hope series was ( or is? ) very good. About a dozen books that don't belong to any series are a mixed bag, but never boring. The bulk of his writing though is constituted by his 87th Precinct series, which has been running since the 1950s and is as fresh as ever. As are detectives Carella and co who should be well over 70 now, but by some literary trick aren't. Over the years they've only matured and improved their investigative methods." Money, ... " is my 77th book and, fortunately, after a two years'wait, another one from the 87th Precinct. Reading it is a sheer pleasure from the first page to the last. It's full of crisp, intelligent dialogue, a beautifully dry sense of humor and unforgettable characters. Those who are already familiar with the series might be pleased to learn that Ollie Weeks plays a major part here: a rather irritating and unpleasant cop with a strong dislike of anybody different from himself, who still manages to get the job done.
For those who have never read anything by McBain, " Money " is as good a book to start with as you can find.
Those who know their McBain won't need much convincing to buy this one anyway, as they will have eagerly awaited it since the last one they read.
McBain single-handedly invented police-procedurals nearly fifty years ago, and all the other contemporary writers in related fields owe him a lot.
Nobody does it better.