Eight Black Horses (87th Precinct Series #38)

It all got terribly confusing when the Deaf Man put in an appearance....

...and the criminal mastermind is making his presence known by the dead bodies that are turning up around Isola. Then there are the notes — with cryptic patterns including eight black horses dancing across a page — that look like they mean nothing. But Detectives Kling, Carella, and Meyer know that with the Deaf Man, the seemingly meaningless always means something. Something bad. And as late fall hurtles toward Christmas, the Deaf Man is counting down the days, luring the cops of the 87th Precinct with a series of taunting clues — all leading toward a horrifying act of revenge orchestrated by a psychopathic killer.

It all got terribly confusing when the Deaf Man put in an appearance....

...and the criminal mastermind is making his presence known by the dead bodies that are turning up around Isola. Then there are the notes — with cryptic patterns including eight black horses dancing across a page — that look like they mean nothing. But Detectives Kling, Carella, and Meyer know that with the Deaf Man, the seemingly meaningless always means something. Something bad. And as late fall hurtles toward Christmas, the Deaf Man is counting down the days, luring the cops of the 87th Precinct with a series of taunting clues — all leading toward a horrifying act of revenge orchestrated by a psychopathic killer.

Publishers Weekly

McBain brings back the Deaf Man to baffle the police of his 87th precinct. By switching the narrative back and forth from the police officers to the psychotic criminal, the author creates tension that lasts until the shattering conclusion. ``Ingenious,'' PW stated. (June)

Ed McBain, a recipient of the Mystery Writers of America's coveted Grand Master Award, was also the first American to receive the Diamond Dagger, the British Crime Writers Association's highest award. His books have sold more than one hundred million copies, ranging from the more than fifty titles in the 87th Precinct series (including the Edgar Award-nominated Money, Money, Money) to the bestselling novels written under his own name, Evan Hunter — including The Blackboard Jungle (now in a 50th anniversary edition from Pocket Books) and Criminal Conversation. Fiddlers, his final 87th Precinct novel, was recently published in hardcover. Writing as both Ed McBain and Evan Hunter, he broke new ground with Candyland, a novel in two parts. He also wrote the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. He died in 2005.

Visit www.edmcbain.com.