Runaway

By Ed McBain

Johnny Lane is outside the Apollo when he sees Luis, and rage floods his veins. Every tough in Harlem knows that Luis tried to rape Johnny's girl, and that means he has to die. Johnny comes out swinging, but Luis is wearing brass knuckles, and he almost kills Johnny before the fight gets broken up. A few weeks later, as a brutal winter settles over New York, Johnny is walking down the street when he hears the gunfire. Luis has been shot dead. Johnny runs without thinking, because it's bad news for a black man to get caught near a corpse, but the cops catch up with him anyway. He didn't shoot Luis, but he had a motive, and that's good enough for the New York Police Department. Cornered, alone, and helpless, Johnny has no choice but to find the real killer—or spend the rest of his life on the run from the cops, his friends, and his girl. A hardboiled story of a friendless man hunted by the police, Runaway is vintage Ed McBain. It's a story of life on the margins of a merciless city, from an author who knew the dark side of New York better than anyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: mysteriouspress.com
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781788540469

Ed McBain

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 fiftieth 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 EdMcBain.com.

Reviews for Runaway

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When the shot rang out, Johnny Lane began to run. He ran because that's what you do if you're a Black man in Harlem in 1954. You run because otherwise the bulls will pick you up and once that happens, there's no way out.Well, running didn't help Johnny because the police found him. He new the murdered guy, Luis Ortega. They quarreled recently when Luis tried manhandling Cindy, Johnny's girlfriend. So, Johnny had motive and opportunity. But Johnny didn't do it. So, he ran again, punching a poiceman and stealing a white top to get away. The problem: when the real murderer was found, Johnny couldn't be found to hear the good news. He kept running.Runaway Black is the reason Ed McBain is considered one of the best mystery writers. The writing is taut, the book is action packed, the characters are sinister, self serving, mean. McBain's descriptions of Manhattan, of Johnny and his crumbling emotioins, of Hank Sands, the ultimate sleazeball, are chilling. The last chapter with the rat had me shivering and cringing.McBain was one of the best ever crime writers and he'll be missed. He was at the top of his form way back in 1954 and stayed that way until he died. If you want a real treat, Runaway Black is just such a thing.