Don't Crowd Me

By Ed McBain

To escape the daily grind, Steve Richmond leaves his advertising firm for a vacation on Lake George, hoping for two weeks in paradise. Instead, he finds mosquitoes, a drafty cabin, damp blankets, and locals desperate to take him for every penny he's worth. On the bright side, there are plenty of beautiful girls, and the adman has just settled in when he finds one at the end of his dock, stark naked and dripping wet from a swim in the lake. They share a cigarette and a kiss, and Steve is starting to feel love's bloom . . . until he meets her sister. Caught between two women, Steve's vacation takes another cruel turn when he returns to his quarters after a day on the lake to find one of the locals with an icepick buried in his back. There's no doubt the sisters are involved. To survive his vacation, this executive will have to find the killer, but first, he'll need to overcome the temptation of the ladies of the lake. Don't Crowd Me is one of the first novels published by Ed McBain—who went on to become one of the greatest crime writers of the twentieth century—and showcases the mastery of character, storytelling, and blood-red suspense that would make the author a legend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: mysteriouspress.com
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781788540551

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.