"That's why they beat him up!"

"Hang on, honey," Sharyn said.

Together, they huddled against the angry voices.

At last, Kling said, "Wanna dance?"

About the Author.

Ed McBain is the only American to receive the Diamond Dagger, the British Crime Writers a.s.sociation's highest award. He also holds the Mystery Writers of America's coveted Grand Master Award. His books have sold over one hundred million copies worldwide, ranging from his first bestselling novel, The Blackboard Jungle, to the recent bestseller Privileged Conversation, both written under his own name, Evan Hunter, which he used on his screenplay for Alfred Hitchc.o.c.k's The Birds. His most recent 87th Precinct novel was The Big Bad City. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Dragica.

279.

Copyright 2000 by Hui Corporation The right of Ed McBain to be identified as the Author of the Work has been a.s.serted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in Great Britain in 2000 by Hodder and Stoughton First published in paperback in 2000 by Hodder and Stoughton A division of Hodder Headline A New English Library Paperback 10 98765432 I All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All characters in this publication are fict.i.tious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

McBain, Ed, 1926 -The last dance I . 8yth Precinct (Imaginary place)-Fiction 2 . Detective and mystery stories I . t.i.tle 8i3-5'4tF]

ISBN o 340 72806 XL Typeset by Palimpsest Book Production Limited, Polmont, Stirlingshire Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St Ives pic Hodder and Stoughton A division of Hodder Headline 338 Euston Road London NWI 3BH This, yet another time, is for my wife- DRAGICA DIMITRIJEVIC-HUNTER WINNER OFV.

THE CRIME WRITERS'a.s.sOCIATION/-.

CARTIER DIAMOND DAGGER AWARD '.

A man with no enemies is found hanging in what appears to be a suicide. But Carella and company soon discover that, drugged and unconscious, he could not possibly have hanged himself. They are dealing with murder. The 1 investigation takes them into the politics and pa.s.sions of a musical in preparation. Or rather' two: one that happened half a century ago and one that is happening rjow ...

'One oi the masters oi crime fiction.'

? SUNDAY TELEGRAPH- :.

'McBain is so good he ought to be arrested.' ; PUBLISHERS WEEKLY" *-'!.

'When it comes to the voices oi the city, McBaini the man with the golden ear.'

I NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW* * .

'A virtuoso.'

Many of Ed McBain's dazzling mysteries are New English Library paperbacks - the latest 87th Precinct stories are The Big Bad City and Nocturne. The Last Best Hope features Florida detective Matthew Hope. Have you read thern ajl?

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NEW ENGLISH LIBRARY Fiction: Crime Author photograph by Dragica Dimitrijevic Cover Photographs Tony Stone Images ISBN 0-340-72806-X.