A review by stevegoble
The Last Dance by Ed McBain

3.0

Not the best in the 87th Precinct series, but even a sub-par McBain is a pretty good read. The problem with this one, compared to better McBains, is that the central mystery itself is not terribly compelling, and most of the people the cops run across in their investigation are kind of bland. The saving graces of this book are McBain's prose, the immersion into gritty big-city life, and the feeling that these are real cops on the job. This novel also features a heavy dose of Fat Ollie Weeks, from a neighboring precinct. Ollie is a contemptible human being, but he's actually an effective cop. Reading about Ollie, you are simultaneously appalled by his thought processes and behavior and inspired by the seemingly fearless way he goes into dangerous places in pursuit of clues.

This novel leaves some loose ends, not because McBain is a sloppy writer, but because, damn it, that's how real life works.

Fans of the series will enjoy this, though it won't likely rank among their favorite McBains.