Criminal Conversation

By Ed McBain

The call comes from Narcotics, Manhattan South. A low-level drug dealer just got caught in a buy-bust, and he's ready to spill his guts. It wouldn't be a priority—especially not four days before Christmas—but the thug just mentioned the Mafia, and that means all hands on deck. It's just what Michael Welles has been waiting for. An assistant district attorney with a burning hatred of organized crime, he'll do anything for a crack at the mob. He's about to get a chance to bring down the whole clan—but his loved ones' lives are at stake. The dealer they arrested is an unlucky gambler whose debts put him smack in the middle of two of New York's most powerful crime families. Following the man's lead, Michael sets up a massive eavesdropping operation intended to trap the ruthless new leader of the local mob—but what he hears on the other end of the wiretap will make him doubt everything he knows about his family, his wife, and himself. From the legendary Ed McBain, who "virtually invented the American police procedural with his gritty 87th Precinct series," Criminal Conversation is as realistic as it gets (The New York Times).

• Language: English
• Publisher: mysteriouspress.com
• Release date: Aug 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781788540605

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 Criminal Conversation

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sarah Welles loves her husband Michael but his job as district attorney keeps him away, and one Christmas/New Year when he's investigating a mafia family she's away on a tropical island and meets someone. Andrew Farrell is a playboy, and has a lot of girlfriends but he's attracted to Sarah. After the attraction he hunts Sarah up again in New York and wants to take it on further.Meanwhile Michael doesn't notice, is too caught up with trying to catch this mafia family, co-oncidentally a mafia family that Anthony is major player.Gripping, interesting and you can see how much of this would happen.