Criminal Conversation

By Evan Hunter

Book Overview

An assistant district attorney launches a one-man crusade against the Mafia in this legal thriller from the bestselling author of the 87th Precinct series.

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).

"[Criminal Conversation] shows a master's hand at popular fiction. . . . Engaging characters in a riveting plot [lead] to an operatic, cathartic climax." --Publishers Weekly

Praise for Ed McBain
"[McBain] is by far the best at what he does. Case closed." --People

"A master . . . McBain gets it right." --Time

"The author delivers the goods: wired action scenes, dialogue that breathes, characters with heart and characters who eat those hearts, and glints of unforgiving humor. . . . McBain owns his turf." --The New York Times Book Review on Kiss

"McBain is so good he ought to be arrested." --Publishers Weekly on The Big Bad City

Ed McBain is one of the many pen names of legendary author Evan Hunter (1926-2005). Named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, Hunter is best known for creating the long-running 87th Precinct series, which followed an ensemble cast of police officers in the fictional city of Isola. A pioneer of the police procedural, he remains one of the best-loved mystery novelists of the twentieth century. Hunter also wrote under the pseudonyms Richard Marsten, Hunt Collins, John Abbott, Ezra Hannon, Curt Cannon, and others.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1504039319
• ISBN13: 9781504039314
• Release Date: October 2016
• Publisher: Mysteriouspress.Com/Open Road
• Length: 350 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Another gritty, erotic tale

Three things stand out in this novel - wonderful characterization, sure knowledge of crime syndicates and an eroticism that threatens to approach soft porn. The story is simple - a mobster falls for a married lady whose husband, a district attorney, happens to be in the midst of an investigation of said Mafia guy. After Andrew rescued her daughter from drowning, straight-laced Sarah falls for and plunges into a dark, forbidden affair with a man 6 years younger. She is consumed by the passion even as her marriage to her hard working, dull, good husband & father drifts slowly apart. She is suddenly desired & wanted & all her pent-up lust is released. At the same time, hubby is moving in for the kill by planting wire taps around the place and sure enough, one night, he hears his wife with another man - the one he wants. The ending is bitter sweet but faithful to the book - in fact, it is quite logical. Sarah steals the show with her wistful longings, motherly concerns, spousal obligations and deep needs. The happy go lucky character of the criminal is well described as well as the day to day grunt work of the law enforcement team. Altogether, a great read.

Fantastic

What a fantastic book! One thing I've noticed about Evan Hunter's novels is that he is able to write about female characters in a way that is utterly convincing to me, a female reader. I still have a little difficulty getting to grips with the fact that Sarah could have been written by a male author!The novel is more 'adult' than Ed McBain novels generally are, and this is worth remembering if you don't like that kind of thing, but this is a great book, and a very good read. Very highly recommended.

Criminal Conversation

This was my first Evan Hunter read...and now I'm hooked. A friend passed it along and I couldn't put it down! That was two years ago, and I'm still talking/raving about it! It's exciting, but easy to read!

The ultimate "show me the good part" book!

Let's get down to brass tacks, for want of a better cliche. This book has the best sex scene in years! Best, as in HOT. Ms. Nin and Mr. De Maupassant are beginners compared to this carefullly crafted ten-or-so pages. So, if that's what you're looking for, throw away your Penthouse Letters and get ready for something 100 times better. Oh yeah, the rest of the book was pretty cool, too.

Wonderfully Wicked

Reading this book was like eaves dropping on other persons conversations. At times I felt guilty for listening (I heard it through an unabridged audio book), but I couldn't put it down. Although I had to commend the DA for his determination in nailing the mob leader -- who had been involved in murder, I also liked the mob leader. The story was strong and involving, and the plot very plausible. The main characters are developed well enough to allow the reader to actually care what happens to them. Towards the end of the book I didn't know whose side I should be on! This book gets a thumbs up from me and a coworker who listened after I did--although I must admit, while he loved the ending, I would have preferred another. Anyway, out of my inventory of audio books -- of which he's heard around 30 -- he found this book to be the best so far. No small feat--he's VERY picky. (The book gets a 9 only because I wanted a different ending!)